$20–$120/month. 40–330 note caps. No passive ambient mode. Mentalyc is the AI documentation tool built specifically for therapists — generating SOAP, DAP, BIRP, and 100+ other note formats from session recordings or typed summaries.
Here is the Mentalyc review at a glance:
- ✓Strongest at: Mental health note types (SOAP, DAP, BIRP, GIRP, PIE, SIRP), treatment planning, Alliance Genie session insights
- ✓Affordable entry: Starts at $19.99/month (40 notes) — but note caps add up fast for busy practices
- ✓What it lacks: No passive ambient mode, no AI receptionist, no fax management, no billing automation
- ✓Best for: Solo therapists and small group practices who want therapy-specific AI notes at a low price point
This Mentalyc review is an honest assessment as of March 2026. We cover what it does, how its therapy-focused approach compares to full-platform AI scribes, where it excels, where it falls short, and which practices should look elsewhere.
This review was last updated in March 2026. Pricing and features reflect publicly available information at the time of writing.
What Is Mentalyc?
Mentalyc is an AI-powered clinical documentation platform designed exclusively for mental health professionals — therapists, counselors, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs). Unlike general-purpose AI medical scribes that serve all specialties, Mentalyc focuses entirely on behavioral health documentation.
The platform generates progress notes in therapy-specific formats (SOAP, DAP, BIRP, PIRP, GIRP, PIE, SIRP, and 100+ custom templates) from recorded sessions, uploaded audio, dictation, or typed session summaries. Mentalyc also offers treatment planning, session analytics, CPT code computation, and a proprietary "Alliance Genie" feature that tracks therapeutic relationship dynamics across sessions.
Mentalyc is HIPAA compliant, PHIPA certified (for Canadian practitioners), and SOC 2 Type II audited. The platform provides a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) and states that recordings are deleted after note creation and data is never used for model training.
On Trustpilot, Mentalyc holds a 4.4 out of 5 rating based on 65 verified reviews. Common praise centers on time savings ("cut my charting time by two-thirds"), while complaints focus on system reliability, upload delays, and occasional crashes.
How Mentalyc Works
Unlike ambient AI scribes that passively listen in the background, Mentalyc requires therapists to explicitly start a recording:
Record or upload. During a session, the therapist starts a recording through Mentalyc's app (in-person or telehealth), uploads a pre-recorded audio file, uses dictation, or types a session summary. The recording captures the session in real time, but the therapist must manually initiate it — there is no passive ambient mode that runs automatically in the background.
Process and generate. Mentalyc transcribes the audio, analyzes the clinical content, and generates a structured progress note in the therapist's chosen format (SOAP, DAP, BIRP, etc.). The platform identifies clinical themes, treatment interventions, and diagnostic indicators.
Review and edit. The generated note appears in the therapist's Mentalyc dashboard for review, editing, and approval. Notes can be exported or pushed to supported EHR systems.
Treatment planning. The AI Treatment Planner generates treatment plans with SMART goals connected to session content. Progress tracking visualizes patterns and symptom changes across multiple sessions.
Alliance Genie. Mentalyc's proprietary feature provides insights into therapeutic relationship shifts — tracking engagement, rapport dynamics, and therapeutic alliance indicators across sessions.
This record-then-process approach means Mentalyc is not a passive "ambient scribe" in the way that Freed AI or DeepCura are. Therapists must explicitly start a recording or upload audio, rather than having AI run silently in the background throughout the encounter.
Mentalyc Pricing
Mentalyc offers four individual plans and a team plan, with monthly and annual billing options:
Individual Plans (Monthly Billing)
| Plan | Price | Notes/Month | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini | $19.99/mo | 40 | Basic recording, SOAP/DAP, intake notes, consent forms |
| Basic | $39.99/mo | 100 | Alliance Genie (limited), AI Treatment Planner |
| Pro | $69.99/mo | 160 | Full Alliance Genie, supervision notes, EMDR/play/psychiatry, 100+ templates, CPT codes |
| Super | $119.99/mo | 330 | Group therapy notes, priority support |
Annual Billing (Save ~25%)
| Plan | Annual Price | Monthly Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Mini | $14.99/mo | Save $60/year |
| Basic | $29.99/mo | Save $120/year |
| Pro | $59.99/mo | Save $120/year |
| Super | $99.99/mo | Save $240/year |
Team Plans
| Billing | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $59.99/seat/mo | Unlimited notes, full features |
| Annual | $49.99/seat/mo | Unlimited notes, full features |
Mentalyc offers a 14-day free trial with 15 notes — no credit card required.
Mentalyc Pricing vs Alternatives
Here is how Mentalyc's pricing compares to other AI documentation platforms that serve mental health professionals:
| Platform | Price | Note Limit | Ambient Listening | EHR Write-Back | AI Receptionist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mentalyc Mini | $19.99/mo | 40/month | Manual record | Note transfer | ✗ |
| Mentalyc Pro | $69.99/mo | 160/month | Manual record | Note transfer | ✗ |
| Mentalyc Super | $119.99/mo | 330/month | Manual record | Note transfer | ✗ |
| DeepCura | $129/mo | Unlimited | ✓ (passive) | ✓ (7+ EHRs, bidirectional) | ✓ |
| Freed AI Starter | $39/mo | 40/month | ✓ | Scraping-based | ✗ |
| Freed AI Premier | $119/mo | Unlimited | ✓ | Scraping-based | ✗ |
The critical comparison point: Mentalyc's Super plan ($119.99/month) gives you 330 notes with manual recording and note transfer to 6 EHRs. DeepCura at $129/month gives you unlimited notes with real-time ambient listening, bidirectional EHR write-back across 7+ systems, a 24/7 AI receptionist, billing automation, and fax management. The $9 monthly difference buys a dramatically broader platform.
Mentalyc Review: Key Features
Therapy-Specific Note Formats
Mentalyc's deepest strength is its library of mental health note formats. The platform supports SOAP, DAP, BIRP, PIRP, GIRP, PIE, SIRP, and over 100 custom templates. This breadth covers virtually every documentation standard used in behavioral health — from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to EMDR, play therapy, couples therapy, and psychiatric evaluations.
For therapists who need specific note structures mandated by their practice, insurance panels, or licensing boards, this is genuine value that general-purpose AI scribes may not match out of the box.
AI Treatment Planner
The AI Treatment Planner generates treatment plans with SMART goals derived from session content. Plans reference specific session themes, track measurable objectives, and connect interventions to documented progress. Treatment plan references and reminders help therapists stay on track across multi-session engagements.
Alliance Genie
Mentalyc's proprietary Alliance Genie feature tracks therapeutic relationship dynamics across sessions — monitoring engagement, rapport shifts, and therapeutic alliance indicators. This is a unique feature not offered by any general-purpose AI scribe, providing clinical insights specific to the psychotherapy process.
Full Alliance Genie access requires the Pro plan ($69.99/month) or higher. The Basic plan includes limited access.
Session Analytics and CPT Codes
The platform captures session summaries and auto-computes CPT codes based on session content and duration. This helps with billing accuracy and reduces the manual work of code assignment — though it does not include the validated E&M integrity checks or billing automation that full-platform solutions provide.
Multi-Input Recording
Mentalyc supports multiple input methods: in-person recording, telehealth recording, audio file upload, dictation, and typed session summaries. This flexibility accommodates different practice workflows, though all require manual initiation rather than running as a passive ambient background process.
EHR Integrations
Mentalyc integrates with mental health-specific EHR systems: TherapyNotes, ICANotes, TheraNext, Valant, SimplePractice, and TheraBill. Based on available documentation, these integrations facilitate note transfer to EHR systems but do not appear to offer the bidirectional native API write-back (pulling patient data in and writing structured data to chart fields) that platforms with deeper EHR integrations provide.
What Mentalyc Does Well
Therapy-specific note types are genuinely comprehensive. The breadth of mental health documentation formats — SOAP, DAP, BIRP, GIRP, PIE, SIRP, plus 100+ custom templates — covers virtually every behavioral health documentation need. General-purpose AI scribes typically offer SOAP and H&P but may require customization for therapy-specific formats like BIRP or GIRP.
The Alliance Genie is a unique clinical tool. No other AI documentation platform offers therapeutic alliance tracking. For therapists who value data-driven insights into the therapeutic relationship, this is a differentiator worth considering.
The entry price is low. At $19.99/month for 40 notes, Mentalyc is one of the cheapest AI documentation tools on the market. For therapists seeing 8-10 clients per week, the Mini plan covers their needs at a fraction of the cost of competing platforms.
HIPAA + PHIPA + SOC 2 Type II is strong compliance coverage. The triple certification (US, Canadian, and enterprise security) provides confidence for privacy-conscious practitioners. Recordings deleted after note creation is an additional privacy safeguard.
The 14-day free trial is generous. No credit card required, 15 notes included — enough to evaluate whether Mentalyc's output quality meets expectations before committing.
Pre-licensed therapist discounts are thoughtful. Interns and trainees working toward licensure get discounted rates — a smart growth strategy that builds loyalty before clinicians reach their peak spending years.
Where Mentalyc Falls Short
No passive ambient mode. Mentalyc requires therapists to explicitly start a recording before each session. While the recording does capture the session in real time, there is no background ambient mode that runs automatically without manual initiation. Competing platforms like DeepCura and Freed AI offer passive ambient listening that runs in the background throughout the encounter with minimal manual steps.
Note caps create friction for busy practices. The Mini plan (40 notes/month) runs out fast for any therapist seeing more than 10 clients per week. The Pro plan (160 notes) costs $69.99 but still caps at ~8 notes per business day. Only the Super plan ($119.99) and Team plans offer enough headroom for full caseloads — at which point the pricing advantage over unlimited-note competitors disappears.
No AI receptionist. Mentalyc does not answer patient calls, schedule appointments, handle triage, or manage patient communication. Therapists must maintain front-desk staffing or use separate tools. For practices that need phone automation, see our ranking of the best AI medical receptionists.
Limited EHR integration depth. Mentalyc integrates with six mental health-specific EHRs for note transfer, but based on available documentation, these do not appear to include the native API-level bidirectional write-back that deeper EHR integrations provide — where structured data is written directly to chart fields and patient data is pulled in automatically. DeepCura's EHR integrations include bidirectional write-back across 7+ systems including Epic, athenahealth, and eClinicalWorks.
No billing automation or payment collection. Mentalyc computes CPT codes but does not automate claim submission, verify insurance eligibility, generate superbills, or collect patient payments. Practices need separate billing software.
No fax management. Inbound fax processing, document routing, and referral management are not part of the platform.
Reliability issues reported. Trustpilot reviews mention crashes, system freezing, extended downtime periods, and slow file uploads. One reviewer reported that Mentalyc "crashes my entire computer and leaves it frozen." While most users rate the platform positively, reliability concerns are a pattern in negative reviews.
Mental health only. Mentalyc is designed exclusively for behavioral health. Medical practices, surgical specialties, primary care, and other clinical settings cannot use the platform. This limits its value for multi-specialty practices or therapists who also need documentation for psychiatric medication management visits in a general EHR.
No clinical AI chat. There is no general-purpose clinical AI assistant for evidence-based reasoning, drug interaction checks, or differential diagnosis. For clinical reasoning AI, see our guide to the best ChatGPT for doctors.
No choice of AI engine. Therapists cannot select which underlying AI model generates their notes. There is no option to switch between GPT-4o, Claude, or Gemini based on preference or accuracy — unlike DeepCura, which lets clinicians choose their preferred AI engine.
Who Is Mentalyc Best For?
Mentalyc is a strong fit for specific practitioner profiles:
- ✓Solo therapists with low caseloads who see 8-10 clients per week and want affordable AI notes ($19.99-$39.99/month). The Mini and Basic plans cover light usage at a price point unmatched by competitors.
- ✓Therapists who need specialized note formats like BIRP, GIRP, PIE, or SIRP that general-purpose scribes may not support natively. Mentalyc's 100+ mental health templates are its deepest differentiator.
- ✓Practitioners who value therapeutic alliance tracking. The Alliance Genie feature is unique in the market — no other platform offers data-driven insights into therapeutic relationship dynamics.
- ✓Clinicians on mental health-specific EHRs (TherapyNotes, ICANotes, SimplePractice, Valant) who want simple note export integration.
Who Should Consider Alternatives?
Mentalyc is not the right fit for every mental health practice. Consider alternatives if:
- ✓You want passive ambient listening. If you prefer AI that runs silently in the background without manually starting a recording each session, Mentalyc does not offer this.
- ✓You have a high caseload. Seeing 25+ clients per week makes the note caps punishing. You will need the Super plan ($119.99) or Team plan ($49.99-$59.99/seat), at which point unlimited-note alternatives at similar prices offer more features.
- ✓You need automation beyond documentation. If you want AI receptionist, fax management, billing automation, payment collection, and EHR write-back alongside note generation, you need a full-platform solution.
- ✓You use a general medical EHR. Mentalyc only integrates with mental health-specific EHRs. If your practice runs on Epic, athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, or AdvancedMD, Mentalyc has no integration.
- ✓You need a psychiatry-specific comparison. For a psychiatry-specific comparison, see our guide to the best AI scribes for psychiatry.
- ✓Reliability is non-negotiable. The pattern of crash and downtime reports on Trustpilot should give pause if your practice cannot tolerate documentation tool outages.
If you need ambient real-time listening, native EHR write-back across 7+ systems, a 24/7 AI receptionist, billing automation, fax management, and unlimited notes — DeepCura includes all of this for $129/month, supporting 50+ medical specialties including behavioral health.
Mentalyc vs Full-Platform Solutions
Mentalyc excels at therapy-specific documentation. To evaluate whether that specialization justifies its limitations, here is how it compares across the full clinical workflow.
Documentation Capabilities
| Feature | Mentalyc | DeepCura |
|---|---|---|
| AI Note Generation | ✓ (manual record → generate) | ✓ (passive ambient → generate) |
| Passive Ambient Mode | ✗ (manual recording start) | ✓ |
| SOAP/DAP/H&P Notes | ✓ | ✓ |
| BIRP/GIRP/PIE/SIRP Notes | ✓ (pre-built) | Custom templates (user-created) |
| 100+ Pre-Built Templates | ✓ | User-created templates |
| Choose AI Engine | ✗ | ✓ (GPT-4o, Claude, Gemini) |
| Unlimited Notes | Team plan only | ✓ (all plans) |
| Mental Health Specialties | ✓ (primary focus) | ✓ (50+ specialties including MH) |
| Medical/Surgical Specialties | ✗ | ✓ |
Practice Automation
| Feature | Mentalyc | DeepCura |
|---|---|---|
| AI Receptionist (Phone) | ✗ | ✓ |
| AI Patient Intake | ✗ | ✓ |
| AI Fax Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| AI Billing Automation | CPT codes only | ✓ (integrity checks, E&M) |
| AI Payment Collection | ✗ | ✓ (Stripe) |
| AI Prior Authorization | ✗ | ✓ |
| AI Referral Letters | ✗ | ✓ |
| Team Collaboration | ✓ | ✓ |
EHR & Platform
| Feature | Mentalyc | DeepCura |
|---|---|---|
| EHR Integration | 6 (MH-specific) | 7+ (general + specialty) |
| Bidirectional Write-Back | Not documented | ✓ (native API) |
| Analytics Dashboard | Session analytics | ✓ (practice-wide) |
| Therapeutic Alliance Tracking | ✓ (Alliance Genie) | ✗ |
| Treatment Planner | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self-Serve Signup | ✓ (free trial) | ✓ (free trial) |
| Starting Price | $19.99/mo (40 notes) | $129/mo (unlimited) |
Mentalyc wins on two fronts: the Alliance Genie therapeutic relationship tracker and the $19.99 entry price for light-use solo practitioners. DeepCura wins on everything else — ambient listening, unlimited notes, bidirectional EHR write-back, AI receptionist, billing, fax, and payment collection. For therapists whose caseload pushes them to the Super plan ($119.99), DeepCura at $129/month is $9 more for dramatically more capability.
See DeepCura in Action
Watch how DeepCura handles the full clinical workflow — from AI receptionist calls and patient intake through ambient scribing, automated billing, and native EHR write-back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mentalyc HIPAA compliant?
Yes. Mentalyc is HIPAA compliant, PHIPA certified (for Canadian practitioners), and SOC 2 Type II audited. The platform provides a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) to all customers. Recordings are deleted after note creation, and data is never used for AI model training or shared with third parties.
How much does Mentalyc cost?
Mentalyc individual plans range from $19.99/month (40 notes) to $119.99/month (330 notes). Annual billing reduces prices to $14.99–$99.99/month. Team plans are $49.99–$59.99 per seat per month with unlimited notes. A 14-day free trial with 15 notes is available with no credit card required.
Does Mentalyc have ambient listening?
Mentalyc does not offer passive ambient listening. Therapists must explicitly start a recording through the app, upload audio files, use dictation, or type session summaries. The recording captures the session in real time, but it requires manual initiation — there is no background ambient mode that runs automatically.
What EHRs does Mentalyc integrate with?
Mentalyc integrates with six mental health-specific EHRs: TherapyNotes, ICANotes, TheraNext, Valant, SimplePractice, and TheraBill. Based on available documentation, these facilitate note transfer but do not appear to include bidirectional native API write-back. Mentalyc does not integrate with general medical EHRs like Epic, athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, or AdvancedMD.
Is Mentalyc worth it for a busy practice?
For therapists seeing fewer than 10 clients per week, the Mini ($19.99) or Basic ($39.99) plans offer strong value. For busier practices, the note caps become restrictive — the Pro plan caps at 160 notes/month ($69.99) and the Super plan at 330 notes/month ($119.99). At the Super plan price point, alternatives like DeepCura ($129/month) offer unlimited notes plus ambient listening, EHR write-back, AI receptionist, and billing automation.
What are the best Mentalyc alternatives?
DeepCura ($129/month) is the strongest alternative for practices wanting ambient real-time scribing, bidirectional EHR write-back, a 24/7 AI receptionist, and billing automation with unlimited notes. Freed AI ($39–$119/month) offers simple ambient scribing. For a broader market comparison, see our Best AI Medical Scribes in 2026 ranking.
Can Mentalyc handle group therapy sessions?
Yes, but only on the Super plan ($119.99/month) or Team plans. Group therapy note generation is not available on Mini, Basic, or Pro individual plans.
Does Mentalyc support EMDR and specialized therapy modalities?
Yes. Mentalyc supports specialized modalities including CBT, DBT, EMDR, ABA, play therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, and psychiatric evaluations. Specialized templates are available on the Pro plan ($69.99/month) and above.
Final Verdict
Mentalyc is the most therapy-focused AI documentation tool on the market. The combination of 100+ mental health note templates, the Alliance Genie therapeutic relationship tracker, and the $19.99 entry price makes it a compelling option for solo therapists with light caseloads who want affordable, behavioral-health-specific AI notes.
The tradeoffs are significant. No passive ambient mode means therapists must manually start a recording each session. Note caps on individual plans create cost pressure as caseloads grow. EHR integrations are limited to six mental health-specific systems. And there is no AI receptionist, no fax management, no billing automation, and no payment collection — leaving therapists to manage those workflows separately.
For solo therapists seeing 8-10 clients per week who want affordable, therapy-specific AI notes and do not need passive ambient mode or practice automation, Mentalyc delivers genuine value at $19.99-$39.99/month. The Alliance Genie is a unique feature worth exploring for practitioners who value therapeutic relationship data.
For anyone else — busy practices, group practices, clinicians who want hands-free ambient documentation, or practices that need automation beyond note generation — the math favors a full-platform solution. DeepCura at $129/month includes unlimited ambient notes, bidirectional EHR write-back across 7+ systems, a 24/7 AI receptionist, billing automation, fax management, and payment collection. That is $9 more than Mentalyc's Super plan for dramatically more capability.
For a psychiatry-specific comparison of 7 tools, see our Best AI Scribe for Psychiatry guide. Review our Best AI Medical Scribes in 2026 ranking to compare all options side by side, or read our Freed AI review for the leading simple ambient scribe alternative.
References
[1] Mentalyc, "AI-Powered Progress Notes for Therapists," Mentalyc.com. mentalyc.com
[2] Mentalyc, "Pricing Plans," Mentalyc.com. mentalyc.com/pricing
[3] Trustpilot, "Mentalyc Reviews — 4.4/5 from 65 Reviews," Trustpilot.com. trustpilot.com/review/mentalyc.com
[4] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "HIPAA for Professionals," HHS.gov. hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals
[5] DeepCura, "AI Medical Scribe Platform — Ambient Scribing, AI Receptionist, EHR Integration," DeepCura.com. deepcura.com
[6] Freed AI, "AI Medical Scribe — Ambient Clinical Documentation," Freed.ai. getfreed.ai
[7] American Psychological Association, "Record Keeping Guidelines," APA.org. apa.org/practice/guidelines/record-keeping
[8] SOC 2 Type II Compliance, "Service Organization Control Reports," AICPA.org. aicpa.org/soc2
[9] TherapyNotes, "Practice Management for Behavioral Health," TherapyNotes.com. therapynotes.com
[10] SimplePractice, "Practice Management Software for Therapists," SimplePractice.com. simplepractice.com