Roundup · June 2026
The best AI scribe for therapists on a Mac, by use case.
Therapists comparison-shop scribes — rightly. Here's the honest version: five tools, what each is actually for, and the one question most roundups skip: where does your client's audio go?
How we judged: therapy-format support (SOAP/DAP/BIRP), pricing over a year, and privacy architecture — not the badge on the website, but where audio is processed and how long it's retained. We build CouchNotes; the other four entries link to full comparisons that say where each beats us.
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1. CouchNotes
Never leaves your MacPick it for: Mac-based therapists who want session audio to never leave the device
The only therapy scribe in this list with no cloud component: transcription and drafting run on your Mac, audio is deleted when you finalize, and there is no subscription. The trade-offs are platform (Apple Silicon Macs only) and deliberate scope — notes, not analytics.
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2. Mentalyc
Pick it for: Therapy-specific features on any platform, lowest monthly entry price
Therapy-focused like CouchNotes, with treatment plans and analytics on higher tiers. Cloud processing on every tier.
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3. Upheal
Pick it for: Telehealth-first practices that want integrated call capture and session analytics
The most polished telehealth story — Zoom/Meet capture, talk-ratio analytics, free tier. Sessions live in Upheal’s cloud.
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4. Freed
Pick it for: Clinicians who want a mature, cross-platform scribe and accept cloud processing
Established and broad — built for clinicians generally rather than therapists specifically. The priciest subscription here.
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5. Heidi
Pick it for: Multi-discipline or multilingual practices that want a freemium cloud scribe
Huge template breadth and a useful free tier; general-medical rather than therapy-first. Cloud processing.
The short version
Cloud scribes differ in features; they're identical in architecture — your sessions are processed on their servers. If that's the line you won't cross, CouchNotes is the Mac-native answer.