AI Medical Scribe Reviews & Comparisons (2026)
Compare the top AI scribes side-by-side. We review pricing, features, and pros/cons to help you find the right solution for your practice.
Quick Comparison
| AI Scribe | Price | Type | Best For | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOAP Note Buddy | From $29/mo | Text + Voice | PT, OT, SLP, Nursing, Physicians | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ |
| Freed AI | $39-$119/mo | Ambient (audio) | Physicians | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| DeepScribe | $350-750/mo | Ambient (audio) | Large practices | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Suki AI | $299-399/mo | Voice assistant | Physicians | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Heidi Health | $150/mo | Ambient (audio) | GPs | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Autonotes | $49-99/mo | Text-based AI | Mental health | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Upheal | $49-99/mo | Ambient (audio) | Mental health | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Mentalyc | $39-79/mo | Ambient (audio) | Therapists | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| ScribePT | $59-99/mo | Ambient (audio) | PT, OT, SLP | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
Understanding AI Medical Scribes
AI medical scribes automate clinical documentation, saving clinicians hours per week. But not all AI scribes work the same way. Here's what you need to know:
Types of AI Scribes
Ambient Scribes
Examples: Freed, DeepScribe, Abridge
Record and transcribe patient conversations in real-time. Best for hands-free documentation during visits. Requires audio recording.
Text-Based AI
Examples: SOAP Note Buddy, Autonotes
Generate notes from structured patient data without recording. Best for documenting after visits or from existing eval info. SOAP Note Buddy also adds optional hands-free voice recording (Voice Scribe) when you want it.
Voice Assistants
Examples: Suki AI, Dragon Medical
Respond to voice commands for dictation and navigation. You speak directly to the AI. More interactive but requires speaking to your device.
Key Factors to Consider
- Price: AI scribes range from $29-$1000+/month. SOAP Note Buddy starts at $29/mo; enterprise scribes (Abridge, Suki, DeepScribe, Dragon Copilot) run $300-$1000+/mo. Consider your documentation volume.
- Recording vs. No Recording: Some patients are uncomfortable being recorded. Text-based tools avoid this issue.
- EHR Compatibility: Most work with browser-based EHRs. Check integration methods.
- Specialty Support: Some tools are optimized for specific specialties.
- Setup Complexity: Chrome extensions install in seconds. Enterprise tools may need IT.
AI Scribe Reviews
Freed AI
Popular ambient AI scribe used by 25,000+ clinicians. Three tiers (Starter $39 / Core $79 / Premier $119). EHR push is Premier-tier only and limited to Athena, DrChrono, SimplePractice, Elation.
Read full review →DeepScribe
Enterprise-focused ambient scribe with deep EHR integrations. Popular with larger healthcare organizations.
Read full review →Suki AI
Voice-enabled clinical assistant. Speak commands to generate notes, pull data, and navigate your EHR.
Read full review →Heidi Health
Australian ambient scribe. Raised their Clinician plan to $150/mo billed yearly in Feb 2026. Free tier limited to 10 Pro actions/mo.
Read full review →Autonotes
Mental health-focused documentation tool. Generates therapy notes from session summaries.
Read full review →Upheal
Mental health platform with session recording, transcription, and therapy analytics.
Read full review →Mentalyc
AI scribe designed specifically for therapists and mental health professionals.
Read full review →Abridge
Enterprise ambient scribe with major health system partnerships. Epic integration available.
Read full review →Ambience Healthcare
Enterprise documentation platform with ambient capture and coding assistance.
Read full review →ScribePT
PT-specific AI scribe for physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists.
Read full review →Why Consider SOAP Note Buddy?
We built SOAP Note Buddy because existing AI scribes didn't fit our needs as therapists and nurses:
What Makes Us Different
- From $29/month - Less than half the price of Freed, Heidi, or any enterprise scribe
- Recording optional - Works from patient data you already have, with hands-free Voice Scribe when you want it
- Auto-fills EHR fields - Not just copy/paste
- Any web EHR - No integrations or IT approval needed
- Works everywhere - Browser extension plus iOS and Android apps, synced on one subscription
- Built for therapists - PT, OT, SLP, nursing workflows
- HIPAA compliant - PHI automatically removed
Best For
- Physical therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Speech-language pathologists
- Nurses and nursing assistants
- Home health providers
- Anyone who documents after visits
Skip the Research. Try It Free.
See if SOAP Note Buddy works for you. 7 day free trial, cancel anytime.
Start Your Free TrialAI Medical Scribe FAQ
What is the best AI medical scribe?
The best AI scribe depends on your specialty and workflow. For therapists (PT, OT, SLP), nurses, and any clinician wanting the lowest-cost option with universal EHR auto-fill, SOAP Note Buddy starts at $29/month and is the only scribe that writes your notes AND fills any web-based EHR. For physicians wanting hands-free ambient recording, Freed AI starts at $39/mo (EHR push on Premier-tier only) and enterprise options like DeepScribe or Abridge run $300-$1000+/mo.
How much do AI medical scribes cost?
AI medical scribes typically cost $29-$1000+ per month per clinician. Freed starts at $39, Heidi is $150/mo, enterprise scribes (Abridge, Suki, DeepScribe, Dragon Copilot, Ambience) run $300-$1000+/mo. SOAP Note Buddy is the most affordable, starting at $29/month.
Are AI medical scribes HIPAA compliant?
Reputable AI scribes are HIPAA compliant. Look for SOC 2 certification and availability of a Business Associate Agreement (BAA). SOAP Note Buddy automatically removes PHI before AI processing for extra protection.
Do AI scribes work with my EHR?
Most modern AI scribes work with any browser-based EHR without requiring special integrations. SOAP Note Buddy detects and fills fields automatically in any web-based system.
What's the difference between ambient and text-based AI scribes?
Ambient scribes (Freed, DeepScribe) record patient conversations and transcribe them. Text-based scribes (SOAP Note Buddy) generate notes from structured patient data without recording. SOAP Note Buddy also offers optional hands-free voice recording (Voice Scribe), so you can document afterward from data or during a visit, whichever fits.