Calendly Alternatives for Therapists: 7 Privacy-First Options

TL;DR

• Why Switch: Calendly lacks HIPAA (on free plans) and looks "salesy".
• Top All-in-One: SimplePractice (includes billing/telehealth).
• Top Dedicated Scheduler: OnlyCaly (Free, HIPAA, Therapy-focused).
• Top Customization: Acuity (Complex but powerful).

Let me be clear upfront: Calendly is a fantastic product. It's clean, it's simple, and millions of people use it every day.

But here's the thing: it was built for sales calls and business meetings, not therapy sessions.

When you're scheduling appointments that involve mental health, you need features Calendly doesn't prioritize—and you might be uncomfortable with some of its defaults.

Why Therapists Look Beyond Calendly

Before we get into alternatives, let's be specific about what's missing:

1. Privacy Concerns

Calendly's standard event types show your full calendar to clients. The event names appear in calendar invitations. For therapy, where discretion matters, this can be problematic.

2. Limited Intake Forms

Calendly offers basic form fields, but nothing approaching the customized intake questionnaires therapists need. No conditional logic, no signature capture, no HIPAA-compliant form handling.

3. No Payment Integration (at Free Tier)

Want clients to pay when they book? You'll need Calendly's paid plans. Many therapy-focused alternatives include payments in lower tiers.

4. HIPAA Compliance

Calendly offers a BAA (Business Associate Agreement) on enterprise plans only. For small practices, that's often not accessible or affordable.

5. No Client Portal

Clients can't log in to see their appointment history, access session notes, or manage their bookings in one place.

Common Switch Mistakes

1. Ignoring Data Migration: Ensure you can export your current client list before canceling.
2. Over-buying: Purchasing an expensive EHR when you only really need booking software.
3. Not Testing Client Flow: Always "book yourself" to see if the intake form feels intrusive.

7 Calendly Alternatives for Therapists

Let's look at the options, from therapy-specific platforms to privacy-focused schedulers.

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1. OnlyCaly

Best for: Privacy-conscious therapists who want a modern, clean booking experience

OnlyCaly was built specifically for wellness practitioners who need privacy features without enterprise pricing.

Key Features:

• Neutral event titles in calendar invites (clients see "Medical Appointment" not "Therapy Session")
• HIPAA-friendly design with privacy-first defaults
• Intake forms with custom questions
• Stripe integration for payments at booking
• Clean, professional booking pages
• Google Calendar and Outlook sync

Pricing: Free tier available. Paid plans from €6.99/month.

Pros:

• Privacy built in from day one
• Beautiful booking pages
• Affordable for solo practitioners
• EU data hosting option for GDPR

Cons:

• Newer platform (launched 2025)
• No full practice management features—it's a scheduler, not an EHR

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2. SimplePractice

Best for: US-based therapists who want an all-in-one practice management system

SimplePractice is the most popular practice management platform for therapists in the US. It includes scheduling, documentation, billing, and telehealth.

Key Features:

• Full practice management suite
• Client portal with document sharing
• Telehealth built in
• Insurance billing (superbills and claims)
• HIPAA-compliant with BAA

Pricing: Starts at $29/month (Essential), $69/month for full features.

Pros:

• Everything in one place
• Strong HIPAA compliance
• Excellent client portal
• Insurance-friendly

Cons:

• More expensive than standalone schedulers
• Can feel heavy if you just need booking
• US-focused (limited for EU practitioners)

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3. Jane App

Best for: Canadian and international therapists, especially those with insurance billing needs

Jane is popular in Canada and increasingly worldwide. It's a practice management platform with excellent scheduling and documentation features.

Key Features:

• Scheduling, charting, billing in one
• Client portal
• Telehealth included
• Insurance/benefits integration (especially Canadian)
• Group bookings

Pricing: Starts at $54 CAD/month, scales with practitioners.

Pros:

• Very polished interface
• Strong international support
• Good for group practices

Cons:

• Higher starting price
• Overkill if you just need scheduling

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4. Acuity Scheduling (Squarespace)

Best for: Therapists who want powerful scheduling with lots of customization

Acuity (now owned by Squarespace) is a robust scheduling platform with extensive features. It's not therapy-specific, but it's flexible enough to work well.

Key Features:

• Highly customizable booking forms
• Multiple calendar views
• Payment integration (Stripe, Square, PayPal)
• Package and membership selling
• Zapier integrations

Pricing: $16/month (Emerging), $27/month (Growing) for most features.

Pros:

• Very flexible and customizable
• Strong integration ecosystem
• Good value for features

Cons:

• Not healthcare-specific—no BAA on lower tiers
• Privacy features require manual configuration
• Interface can feel dated

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5. Practice Better

Best for: Holistic practitioners, nutritionists, and wellness coaches

Practice Better focuses on wellness professionals beyond traditional therapy—nutritionists, health coaches, naturopaths.

Key Features:

• Scheduling and booking
• Client portal with food journals, progress tracking
• Telehealth
• Program and protocol creation
• E-commerce for products

Pricing: Free tier with limited features. Paid from $25/month.

Pros:

• Great for holistic practices
• Built-in progress tracking
• Program creation tools

Cons:

• Less focused on mental health specifically
• Interface can be overwhelming

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6. Hushmail for Healthcare

Best for: Therapists who need secure email + basic booking

Hushmail is primarily a secure email provider, but their healthcare version includes simple scheduling features.

Key Features:

• HIPAA-compliant email
• Basic online booking forms
• E-signatures
• Encrypted web forms

Pricing: $9.99/month for email only, higher tiers for full features.

Pros:

• Email + booking in one HIPAA-compliant package
• Strong security focus

Cons:

• Booking features are basic
• Not a full scheduler

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7. TherapyNotes

Best for: US therapists who want EHR-first with good scheduling

TherapyNotes is an EHR (Electronic Health Record) system for mental health, with solid scheduling functionality.

Key Features:

• Full EHR with documentation
• Scheduling and client portal
• Billing and insurance
• Telehealth
• HIPAA-compliant

Pricing: $49/month solo, additional fees for telehealth and client portal.

Pros:

• Comprehensive EHR
• Strong for insurance billing
• Good documentation tools

Cons:

• More expensive for full features
• Overkill if you don't need EHR
• US-focused

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How to Choose: Decision Framework

Ask yourself these questions:

Do I need full practice management or just scheduling?

• Just scheduling: OnlyCaly, Acuity
• Full PM: SimplePractice, Jane, TherapyNotes

Is HIPAA compliance mandatory for me?

• Yes (with BAA): SimplePractice, Jane, TherapyNotes
• Privacy-first (but not formal BAA): OnlyCaly, Practice Better

Am I in the US, EU, or elsewhere?

• US: SimplePractice, TherapyNotes
• EU: OnlyCaly (EU hosting), Jane
• Canada: Jane

What's my budget?

• < $20/month: OnlyCaly, Acuity
• $25-50/month: Practice Better, Jane (solo)
• $50+/month: SimplePractice, TherapyNotes

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Calendly safe for therapists?

It's secure, but not designed for healthcare. Default settings may expose more than you want. If you use it, configure privacy settings carefully and consider their enterprise tier for a BAA.

What's the most affordable HIPAA-compliant option?

For full HIPAA with BAA, SimplePractice's Essential plan at $29/month is competitive. For privacy-focused scheduling without formal BAA, OnlyCaly and Acuity are more affordable.

Can I migrate from Calendly to another tool?

Yes. Most tools offer import features or manual recreation. Your client data and upcoming appointments can usually be transferred with some effort.

The Bottom Line

Calendly works great for business meetings. But therapy isn't a sales call.

If you need privacy-first defaults, intake forms, and a booking experience that respects the sensitivity of mental health appointments, consider an alternative built for your work.

The right choice depends on your needs:

• Simple, privacy-focused scheduling: OnlyCaly
• Full practice management (US): SimplePractice
• Full practice management (International): Jane
• Customization over everything: Acuity

Take the free trials. See what feels right. Your clients will notice the difference.