Comparison

Netsmart CareChat vs Bells

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Netsmart CareChat

This secure messaging tool enhances communication and collaboration for users of a referral management platform. It allows for quick conversations within a fast-paced healthcare environment, promoting efficiency and seamless transitions of patient care.

Highlights
  • Integrated messaging within referral workflow
  • Secure communication
  • Enhanced collaboration
  • Promotes efficiency
  • Quick communication
  • Cross-application compatibility
Read full description

Netsmart CareChat empowers enhanced communication and collaboration among Referral Manager users. The messaging chat tool is integrated within the referral solution and allows for the quick conversation necessary in a fast-paced environment. Referral Manager is a collaborative platform that simplifies the inbound referral process for post-acute, long-term care and at-home providers. It’s critical for users to share visibility into clinical and financial information, while easily transitioning the patient into the right care facility. Therefore, being able to quickly and efficiently communicate within Referral Manager is key. CareChat allows users to securely communicate without leaving Referral Manager. The chat feature is currently being built to work across multiple Netsmart applications, as well as its own standalone mobile app. The chat feature enhances collaboration, promotes efficiency and provides quick communication.

About

Bells

This AI-powered tool streamlines documentation for service providers, automating data capture and syncing it to client EHRs. It optimizes note quality with clinically relevant language, saving time for QA teams and improving reimbursement processes.

Highlights
  • AI-assisted note optimization
  • Automatic EHR data syncing
  • Clinically relevant language training
  • Grammar and spelling assistance
  • Client event reminders
  • Scribbles for quick notes
Features
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AI-assisted features allow the service provider more time to focus on their client, whether in the community or in the office. Data capture in Bells seamlessly and automatically syncs to the clients' chart in the EHR. This creates a very efficient information flow and provides the agency with a holistic, up-to-the-moment view of the client. Our AI engine is trained with clinically relevant language and phrases from behavioral health and human service care paradigms. This enables Bells to review, flag and recommend changes that will optimize the note's overall quality based on the program and type of care. The result is significant savings of time and effort for internal QA teams, a reduction in the time it takes to submit a progress note for reimbursement, and an overall improvement in your audit results. Bells assists with grammar, spelling, key phrase preferences, ensuring the documentation is for the intended client. Data capture in Bells provides users with reminders of upcoming and past due client focused events, and even offers shorthand efficiencies in the progress note and within Scribbles via Bells Commands. Scribbles is the fastest way to jot something down, attach it to a client or progress note, or simply leave it as an unassigned scribble for future reference. Bells is accessible via a mobile application designed specifically for use in the community or via a desktop experience offering flexibility for service providers. Bells gives the service provider a unique tool to help them enhance their documentation in an efficient and effective manner based on the agency's preferences.

Screenshots

Netsmart CareChat3 screens
Bells4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bells at 4.8 against Netsmart CareChat's 2.3. Bells also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (11 vs 3). Netsmart CareChat's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.6 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bells holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 11 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Netsmart CareChat ships an update every 7 months, Bells every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 4 level
Netsmart CareChat versus Bells: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNetsmart CareChatBells
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.3 (3 ratings)4.8 (11 ratings) — better
Number of ratings311 — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.6 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size93 MB53 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperNetsmart TechnologiesRemarkable Health, LLC.

Customer experience

Netsmart CareChat

All ratings3 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

Bells

All ratings11 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral9.1%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Netsmart CareChat

No in-app purchases

None

Bells

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Netsmart CareChat free?
Netsmart CareChat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bells free?
Bells is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Netsmart CareChat or Bells?
Bells is rated higher. Netsmart CareChat averages 2.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Bells averages 4.8 from 11 ratings.
Do Netsmart CareChat or Bells have ads?
Neither Netsmart CareChat nor Bells shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Netsmart CareChat or Bells?
Netsmart CareChat ships an update every 7 months, and Bells every 3 weeks. Most recently, Netsmart CareChat was updated on October 7, 2026 and Bells on October 5, 2026.

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