AutoNotes Review: Pricing, Features & Comparison (2026)
Is AutoNotes the right AI therapy note tool for you? We break down pricing, features, HIPAA concerns, and how it compares to alternatives like SOAP Note Buddy.
Quick Verdict
What is AutoNotes?
AutoNotes is an AI-powered therapy note generator designed specifically for mental health professionals. Founded in 2023 in Delray Beach, Florida by CEO Liam Callahan and CTO Dimitar Marinov, AutoNotes has grown to over 80,000 clinicians according to their website.
The platform works primarily through typed prompts and checkbox-based input, generating structured therapy notes like SOAP, DAP, BIRP, GIRP, and PIE formats. Unlike ambient scribes that record patient conversations, AutoNotes relies on clinicians entering session details after the fact.
AutoNotes is designed exclusively for mental health professionals (therapists, counselors, psychologists). It does NOT support physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, nursing, or other healthcare disciplines. If you're not in mental health, AutoNotes won't work for you.
AutoNotes Pricing
AutoNotes uses a tiered pricing model with credit-based limits on lower tiers:
Basic (Free)
$0/month
1 audio note/day + 30 text notes
Essential
$25/month
125 sessions/month
Premium (Economy)
$49/month
300 sessions/month
Ultimate (First Class)
$99/month
Unlimited sessions
Note: Annual billing offers 15-40% discounts depending on tier. Enterprise pricing available for 15+ seats.
AutoNotes' $25/mo tier limits you to 125 sessions. If you see 30+ patients/week, you'll hit that limit in a month. The $49/mo tier (300 sessions) works for most, but high-volume practices may need the $99/mo unlimited tier. SOAP Note Buddy is $49/mo flat with no session limits.
AutoNotes Features
Multiple Note Formats
Supports SOAP, DAP, BIRP, GIRP, PIE, EMDR, and custom progress note formats for therapy documentation.
Custom Templates
Drag-and-drop template builder to create personalized note formats that match your documentation style.
Specialty Therapy Modes
Group therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, and EMDR-specific note generation options.
Dictation & Audio Upload
Browser-based dictation (Essential+) and audio file uploads (Premium+). Not real-time session recording.
Treatment Plans
AI-generated treatment plans customizable by modality (CBT, EMDR, DBT, etc.).
Fast Generation
Notes generated in 10-40 seconds for text/dictation input, approximately 2 minutes for audio uploads.
AutoNotes Pros & Cons
Pros
- Affordable entry price ($25/mo Essential tier)
- Fast note generation (10-40 seconds)
- Highly customizable templates
- Clean, intuitive interface
- Good for standard therapy notes
- 7-day free trial, no credit card required
- 80,000+ user base
Cons
- Mental health only - no PT, OT, nursing support
- HIPAA compliance unclear - no BAA historically offered
- Credit limits on lower tiers create overhead
- No real-time session recording (unlike Mentalyc, Upheal)
- Browser-only - no mobile app
- Copy/paste to EHR (manual process)
- Generic AI output for complex cases
AutoNotes' Terms of Service previously stated users "are not permitted to upload or submit any personal health information" and the company "does not believe it is a covered entity under HIPAA." While they now claim HIPAA compliance on their website, they historically have not offered a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), shifting liability to clinicians. If you're in an insurance-based practice requiring strict HIPAA documentation, verify their current compliance status directly.
AutoNotes vs SOAP Note Buddy
Both tools aim to reduce documentation time, but they serve different markets and take different approaches:
| Feature | AutoNotes | SOAP Note Buddy |
|---|---|---|
| Disciplines Supported | Mental health only | ANY discipline (PT, OT, SLP, nursing, etc.) |
| Monthly Price (Unlimited) | $99/month | $49/month |
| Annual Cost | $1,188/year | $588/year |
| Session Limits | Credit-based ($25-49 tiers) | Unlimited on all plans |
| Free Trial | 7 days | 3 days |
| Input Method | Checkbox/prompt, dictation, audio upload | Voice + text + Chrome extension |
| Real-time Recording | No | Yes (Voice App) |
| EHR Integration | Copy/paste or Chrome extension insert | Auto-fills directly into ANY browser EHR |
| HIPAA Compliance | Unclear (no BAA historically) | Clear compliance, BAA available |
| Mobile App | No (browser-only) | Voice App works on mobile browsers |
The Key Difference: Specialty Support
AutoNotes is built exclusively for therapists, counselors, and psychologists. If you're a physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, nurse, or any other healthcare clinician, AutoNotes doesn't support your documentation needs. SOAP Note Buddy works with ANY discipline and ANY browser-based EHR.
AutoNotes is a solid choice if you're a mental health therapist who prefers checkbox/prompt-based input and doesn't mind copy-pasting notes to your EHR. The lower tiers are affordable if your caseload fits within credit limits.
SOAP Note Buddy offers broader specialty support, automatic EHR field filling (no copy-paste), clear HIPAA compliance, and unlimited notes at $49/mo. Choose based on your discipline and workflow preferences.
Who is AutoNotes Best For?
AutoNotes is a good fit for:
- Solo mental health therapists with modest caseloads (under 125 sessions/month for Essential tier)
- Budget-conscious practitioners who want an affordable starting point ($25/mo)
- Private-pay practices with less insurance/compliance scrutiny
- Therapists who prefer checkbox/prompt input over voice recording
- Those wanting template flexibility with drag-and-drop customization
AutoNotes is NOT the best choice for:
- Physical therapists, occupational therapists, SLPs, nurses - not supported at all
- High-volume practices - credit limits create overhead on lower tiers
- Insurance-based practices needing strict HIPAA documentation with BAA
- Those wanting real-time session recording - unlike Mentalyc or Upheal
- Clinicians needing mobile access - browser-only, no mobile app
- Multi-specialty practices - mental health only
Our Verdict
AutoNotes has found a niche as an affordable AI therapy note generator for mental health professionals. With 80,000+ users and pricing starting at $25/month, it's accessible for solo practitioners on a budget. The template customization is solid, and note generation is fast.
However, three significant limitations hold it back:
- Mental health only - If you're a PT, OT, SLP, nurse, or any other specialty, AutoNotes simply doesn't work for you.
- HIPAA compliance uncertainty - The lack of a clear BAA and past ToS disclaimers about PHI create risk for insurance-based practices.
- Credit limits - The affordable tiers come with session caps that don't scale well for busy practices.
If you're a mental health therapist comfortable with the compliance concerns and your caseload fits within credit limits, AutoNotes is worth a try. The 7-day free trial lets you test it risk-free.
If you're in any other healthcare discipline, or need clear HIPAA compliance with a BAA, SOAP Note Buddy at $49/month offers unlimited notes, multi-specialty support, and automatic EHR field filling.
AutoNotes works for budget-conscious mental health therapists in private-pay settings. For everyone else - especially PT, OT, SLP, and nursing - SOAP Note Buddy is the better choice with broader specialty support at the same price point.
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Start Your Free TrialAutoNotes FAQ
How much does AutoNotes cost?
AutoNotes offers tiered pricing: Free (limited), $25/mo Essential (125 sessions), $49/mo Premium (300 sessions), and $99/mo Ultimate (unlimited). Annual billing offers 15-40% discounts.
Is AutoNotes HIPAA compliant?
AutoNotes claims HIPAA compliance on their website, but historically did not offer a Business Associate Agreement (BAA). Their past Terms of Service stated users should not upload PHI. Verify their current compliance status directly if you're in an insurance-based practice.
Does AutoNotes work for physical therapy or nursing?
No. AutoNotes is designed exclusively for mental health professionals (therapists, counselors, psychologists). It does not support PT, OT, SLP, nursing, or other healthcare disciplines. For multi-specialty support, consider SOAP Note Buddy.
Does AutoNotes record patient sessions?
No, AutoNotes does not do real-time session recording. It uses typed prompts, checkbox input, browser dictation, or audio file uploads (after the session). This differs from ambient scribes like Mentalyc or Upheal.
Does AutoNotes have a mobile app?
No, AutoNotes is browser-only. There is no dedicated mobile app, which is a common user complaint.
How does AutoNotes integrate with EHRs?
AutoNotes uses copy/paste or a Chrome extension to insert notes into your EHR. It does not automatically detect and fill EHR fields like SOAP Note Buddy does.
Is there an AutoNotes alternative that works for all disciplines?
Yes, SOAP Note Buddy works with ANY healthcare discipline (PT, OT, SLP, nursing, mental health, etc.) and auto-fills directly into any browser-based EHR. At $49/month with unlimited notes, it offers broader support at a similar price.