SimplePractice Review 2026: Features, Pricing & Verdict

SimplePractice has long been the gold standard for therapy practice management. But as we move into 2026, the competitive landscape is shifting, and prices are climbing. Is it still the right choice for your practice?

The 2026 Pricing Reality

In early 2026, SimplePractice adjusted their tiered pricing model again. The 'Plus' plan, which most clinicians consider mandatory for insurance filing and the Client Portal, now hovers around $99/month. When you factor in the additional $15/month for Telehealth (unless you're on the highest tier) and Wiley Treatment Planners, the cost can easily exceed $1,400 annually.

For a solo practitioner just starting out, this is a significant overhead. At Oaklancera, we’ve spent three months stress-testing the latest version to see if the "magic" of the platform justifies this premium.

What's New in the 2026 Update?

SimplePractice has doubled down on AI. Their new "Smart-Scribe" feature allows for rapid draft creation based on session bullet points. While it’s not a full AI session recorder (yet), it drastically reduces documentation time. However, this is an "Add-on" for the lower tiers, which adds to our main critique: feature-gating.

The Oaklancera Verdict

"If your priority is a beautiful, client-facing experience and you have the budget, SimplePractice remains unbeaten. If you are budget-conscious, the ROI on the 2026 price hike is harder to defend."

The Insurance Engine

Where SimplePractice continues to excel is its insurance integration. The 2026 engine is even faster, with real-time ERA (Electronic Remittance Advice) tracking that actually works. We found that the automated secondary claim filing—often a headache in other systems—is remarkably smooth here.

But here's the catch: the customer support is still largely digital. If an insurance claim gets stuck, you're looking at a chat queue rather than a phone call. For complex group practices, this might be the deal-breaker.