Frontdesk is the best CRM for therapy practices because it captures every inquiry across calls, texts, and emails, logs each one to a single client timeline, and books the intake call automatically so no prospective client slips through.
Most therapists do not need a sales pipeline built for software companies. They need a way to keep track of who reached out, what they asked for, and whether anyone followed up. This guide compares eight tools that practices actually use, from purpose-built practice management systems to general CRMs, and explains where each one fits.
How we picked#
- Built for the therapy workflow. Inquiry, intake, scheduling, and notes, beyond a contact list.
- Captures inquiries automatically. Phone, text, and email should land in one place without manual entry.
- Confidentiality you can rely on. Honest handling of client information matters more here than in most verticals.
- Pricing a solo or small group can afford. Per-seat fees add up fast in a growing practice.
- Minimal admin overhead. Therapists are clinicians, not data-entry staff.
Comparison at a glance#
| Tool | Pricing model | Channels | 24/7 | Setup | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontdesk | Free | Calls, texts, email | Yes | <30 min | Capture, intake booking, and records in one tool |
| SimplePractice | Per-seat | Portal, scheduling | No | Moderate | Clinical docs and client management together |
| TherapyNotes | Per-seat | Portal, scheduling | No | Moderate | Notes and insurance billing |
| HubSpot | Per-seat (free tier) | Email, contact forms | No | Effortful | Configuring a general CRM |
| Pipedrive | Per-seat | Manual/pipeline | No | Moderate | Treating intake as a pipeline |
| Salesforce | Custom | Custom | No | Heavy | Large multi-location clinics |
| Jane | Per-seat | Online booking | No | Moderate | Multi-disciplinary booking and charting |
| Google Workspace + sheet | Per-seat (low) | Email, manual | No | Quick | Brand-new solos testing demand |
1. Frontdesk#
Frontdesk combines an AI receptionist with a lightweight CRM, so the system that answers your phone is the same one that records the client. When someone calls or texts asking about availability, Frontdesk answers 24/7, qualifies the inquiry, books the intake, and writes the whole interaction to that person's timeline. You open one record and see every touchpoint instead of stitching together voicemails and sticky notes.
For a solo practice, this closes the gap that loses the most clients: the inquiry that arrives mid-session and goes to voicemail. The caller is greeted, answered, and booked while you are with a client, and you read the transcript later. For a group, every clinician's inquiries land in one shared record, so the front desk does not depend on who happens to be free. Missed-call recovery is built in, since a call you cannot take is still answered rather than dropped.
It syncs natively with HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive if you already run one, and works as a standalone client log if you do not. Pricing starts free with unlimited seats, which suits a solo practice and a group equally. On confidentiality, Frontdesk offers a business associate agreement for practices that require one, so confirm your BAA is in place before routing protected health information through any tool.
Best for: Practices that want capture, intake booking, and client records in one tool.
Pros: 24/7 capture across all channels, automatic logging, flat pricing, 30-minute setup. Cons: Not a clinical documentation system, so you will still need notes software for treatment records.
2. SimplePractice#
SimplePractice is one of the most widely used practice management platforms in behavioral health. It covers scheduling, client records, billing, and a client portal, with documentation features built for clinicians. The CRM-style functions live alongside the clinical side, so your prospect and your active client are the same record.
For an active caseload, it is hard to beat, since the prospect and the client share one record. The gap is the front of the funnel. A new client who calls during the day still reaches voicemail unless someone answers, so practices often pair it with a live answering layer for inquiry capture.
Best for: Solo and group practices that want clinical documentation and client management together.
Pros: Deep clinical features, established in the therapy market, client portal. Cons: Priced per clinician, and inbound inquiry capture relies on you answering the phone.
3. TherapyNotes#
TherapyNotes is a practice management and EHR system focused on documentation, scheduling, and billing for mental health providers. Its client records are thorough, and its note templates are designed around therapy workflows. It functions as the system of record for active clients more than as a front-of-funnel inquiry tracker.
Best for: Practices that prioritize clinical notes and insurance billing.
Pros: Strong documentation, billing support, mental-health-specific. Cons: Per-clinician pricing, and lead capture is not its focus.
4. HubSpot#
HubSpot is a general CRM with a free tier and strong contact management. A therapist can use it to track inquiries, log emails, and set follow-up reminders. It is flexible, but it was built for sales teams, so you adapt it to therapy rather than the other way around.
Best for: Practices comfortable customizing a general CRM.
Pros: Free tier, flexible, integrates broadly (Frontdesk syncs to it natively). Cons: Not therapy-specific, setup takes effort, no clinical features.
5. Pipedrive#
Pipedrive is a visual pipeline CRM that some group practices use to manage the intake funnel from first contact to booked client. It is simple to learn and good at showing where each prospect sits. Like HubSpot, it has no clinical layer.
Best for: Group practices that think of intake as a pipeline.
Pros: Easy to use, clear pipeline view, affordable entry tier. Cons: Sales-oriented, no documentation, manual entry without an integration.
6. Salesforce#
Salesforce is the enterprise standard for customer relationship management. A larger multi-location clinic with dedicated admin staff can configure it deeply, but it is heavy for a solo or small group. Frontdesk syncs to it natively if your organization already runs it.
Best for: Large clinics with admin staff and customization needs.
Pros: Extremely configurable, scales to large organizations. Cons: Complex, expensive, overkill for most practices.
7. Jane#
Jane is a practice management platform used across health and wellness disciplines, including therapy. It handles online booking, scheduling, charting, and billing, with a clean client-facing interface. Its strength is the booking and admin side rather than top-of-funnel inquiry capture.
Best for: Multi-disciplinary clinics that want booking and charting in one place.
Pros: Clean interface, online booking, broad discipline support. Cons: Per-practitioner pricing, inquiry capture depends on staff availability.
8. Google Workspace and a spreadsheet#
Many solo therapists start by tracking inquiries in a spreadsheet with Gmail and Google Calendar. It costs almost nothing and works until volume grows. The risk is dropped follow-ups, because nothing captures a call you miss or reminds you to respond.
Best for: Brand-new solo practices testing demand.
Pros: Nearly free, familiar, no learning curve. Cons: Entirely manual, no capture, easy to lose inquiries.
How to choose#
Start with where you lose clients. If inquiries slip away before they ever become clients, prioritize capture and booking, where Frontdesk leads. If your problem is clinical documentation and insurance billing for an existing caseload, a practice management platform like SimplePractice or TherapyNotes is the core, paired with a capture layer for the phone. Solo practices should weigh flat pricing against per-seat fees that grow with the caseload. Whatever you choose, confirm a business associate agreement is signed before any client health information passes through it.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the best CRM for a solo therapy practice? Frontdesk works well for solos because it captures and books inquiries automatically free to start, so a single clinician is not paying per seat or doing manual data entry.
Do I need a CRM and practice management software? Often yes. Practice management tools like SimplePractice and TherapyNotes excel at clinical notes and billing, while a CRM or capture tool like Frontdesk handles the inquiries and intake that happen before someone becomes a client.
Can a CRM handle client confidentiality? Reputable platforms offer security controls and business associate agreements where applicable. Always confirm a vendor's specific safeguards and agreements directly before storing client information.
Is a general CRM like HubSpot enough for a therapist? It can track contacts and follow-ups, but you will still need something to answer calls and book intake. Frontdesk pairs with HubSpot to fill that gap.
Get started with Frontdesk#
Frontdesk answers your practice phone 24/7, books intake calls during the conversation, and logs every inquiry to one client record. It is free to start with unlimited seats and sets up in under 30 minutes. See how many inquiries you are currently missing and start capturing them today.