Key takeaways
- Upheal writes tighter, more conservative notes. It is less likely to invent content but more likely to leave a section thin if the session did not cover it. This is the safer default.
- Mentalyc writes richer, more narrative notes — especially in DAP and BIRP. It is more likely to interpret affect and therapeutic process, which is useful for supervision-heavy settings and risky for high-volume sign-off where you cannot read every line carefully.
The short version Upheal and Mentalyc are the two most-used therapy-first ambient scribes in 2026. Both are HIPAA-aligned, both handle SOAP / DAP / BIRP / GIRP, and both ship treatment-plan support. Pick Upheal if you are a solo or small practice, multilingual, or want to validate the workflow on a real free tier. Pick Mentalyc if you run an established practice with a wide modality mix (couples, family, EMDR, DBT) where a deeper template library pays back the higher entry price.
At-a-glance comparison
| Dimension | Upheal | Mentalyc |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free (10 sessions/mo), then $59/mo | $39.99/mo (14-day trial) |
| Therapy templates | SOAP, DAP, BIRP, GIRP, PIE, SIRP + custom | SOAP, DAP, BIRP, GIRP + EMDR, CBT, DBT, couples, family, group |
| Languages | EN, ES, DE, FR | EN only |
| Telehealth capture | Browser extension + in-platform recorder | Browser extension + mobile app |
| In-person capture | Mobile app, desktop app | Mobile app |
| EHR write-back | Copy-paste (SimplePractice, TherapyNotes); Jane via clipboard | Copy-paste; SimplePractice integration in beta |
| Treatment plans | Yes, with goal tracking across sessions | Yes, with progress summaries |
| Audio retention | Deleted after note generation by default | Deleted after note generation by default |
| Training on customer data | No | No |
| BAA | All tiers incl. free | All paid tiers |
| Group / couples | Couples + family supported | Couples, family, group all supported natively |
Note quality — what we actually see Both tools produce clinically usable first drafts. The qualitative difference:
- Upheal writes tighter, more conservative notes. It is less likely to invent content but more likely to leave a section thin if the session did not cover it. This is the safer default.
- Mentalyc writes richer, more narrative notes — especially in DAP and BIRP. It is more likely to interpret affect and therapeutic process, which is useful for supervision-heavy settings and risky for high-volume sign-off where you cannot read every line carefully.
Both still hallucinate occasionally — most commonly fabricated direct quotes and over-confident risk language. See our hallucinations guide for the patterns to watch.
Pricing in practice - Upheal — Free (10 sessions/mo, BAA included), Starter $59/mo (unlimited), Pro $99/mo (group, advanced analytics). - Mentalyc — Starter $39.99/mo (30 sessions), Pro $69.99/mo (unlimited), Group/Couples $89.99/mo.
If you do fewer than ~30 sessions per month, Mentalyc Starter is the cheapest paid option. Above 30 sessions, Upheal Starter beats both Mentalyc tiers on a per-session basis.
Compliance posture Both vendors sign a HIPAA BAA, document subprocessors, and explicitly disclaim training on customer audio or transcripts. Neither has published a 42 CFR Part 2 attestation, so neither is the right pick for federally-assisted SUD programs without an explicit written assurance — see HIPAA + 42 CFR Part 2 guide.
EU/UK practices: Upheal offers an EU data-residency option and signs a UK GDPR DPA. Mentalyc is US-only data residency at time of writing — verify with their team before processing UK or EEA client audio.
Decision rubric Pick Upheal if any of: - You are solo or 2–5 clinicians - You see non-English-speaking clients - You want to trial ambient documentation without committing a card - You prefer conservative notes you can expand vs rich notes you must prune
Pick Mentalyc if any of: - You run couples / family / group / EMDR / DBT regularly - Your team values narrative-rich notes for supervision - You sign off on high volume and want fewer "thin" sections to fill in - You are US-based and US data residency is fine