Comparison

SimplePractice for Clinicians vs Columbia Protocol

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

Head to head
About

SimplePractice for Clinicians

Manage your practice on the go with intuitive tools for scheduling, client management, and administrative tasks. This HIPAA-compliant app offers a streamlined experience for clinicians to connect with clients, manage appointments, and access client information securely from their mobile devices.

Highlights
  • Client scheduling and management
  • HIPAA-compliant security
  • Session note writing
  • Document sharing and uploading
  • Secure messaging
  • Invoice and payment processing
  • Optimized mobile interface
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

SimplePractice for Clinicians app puts scheduling, client management, and admin tools at your fingertips - so you can focus on what matters most. The app provides a smoother, faster, and more intuitive way to manage your practice and connect with clients anytime, anywhere. What’s new: - Optimized for the way you work: Work effortlessly across your iPhone and iPad with an optimized interface designed for a smooth, flexible workflow. - Streamlined calendar experience: Quickly access your client’s complete history of past appointments and notes right from your calendar. Use new filters and layout options to customize your view, and easily see other clinician’s availability within your practice. - Enhanced Client Profiles: Quickly review intake forms, appointment details, outstanding balances, and uploaded documents—so you’re always prepared for your next session. - Instant data sync: Updates sync instantly between mobile and web so you can seamlessly transition between devices. With this app, you can: - Protect your data with HIPAA-compliant security - Manage your schedule on the go - Write and review session notes - Share and upload documents - Send secure messages - Process invoices and payments Security features include: - 100% HIPAA compliance - Biometric access - In-app passcode protection - Bank-level data encryption This is a companion app for SimplePractice's cloud-based practice management software. A SimplePractice account is required to use the app.

About

Columbia Protocol

This application provides a standardized tool for assessing suicide risk through a series of questions. It is designed for widespread use to aid in suicide prevention, offering guidance for low or moderate risk responses.

Highlights
  • Suicide risk assessment
  • Evidence-supported tool
  • Simple question series
  • Global usability
  • Mental health referral guidance
Features
Read full description

The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), the most evidence-supported tool of its kind, is a simple series of questions that anyone can use anywhere in the world to help prevent suicide. Disclaimer: If you are high risk, a further evaluation is indicated. For Low or Moderate answers, a mental health referral may be helpful or is provided. Thank you to the sponsors that helped make this a possibility: Blair County Department of Social Services Community Care Behavioral Health UPMC Healthy Blair County Coalition UPMC Altoona Foundation

Screenshots

SimplePractice for Clinicians4 screens
Columbia Protocol4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: SimplePractice for Clinicians at 34K against Columbia Protocol's 12. SimplePractice for Clinicians also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). Columbia Protocol's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 29%) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.3). 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

SimplePractice for Clinicians holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SimplePractice for Clinicians has 34K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 29% of SimplePractice for Clinicians's written reviews are positive against 50% of Columbia Protocol's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SimplePractice for Clinicians ships an update every 3 weeks, Columbia Protocol every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
SimplePractice for Clinicians versus Columbia Protocol: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimplePractice for CliniciansColumbia Protocol
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (34K ratings) — better4.4 (12 ratings)
Positive reviews28.8% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings34K — better12
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#198 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.314.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size137 MB7 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperSimplePractice, LLC.PSS Chute Software

Customer experience

SimplePractice for Clinicians

All ratings33,993 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral3.3%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews243 reviews
Positive28.8%
Neutral21.4%
Negative49.8%

Columbia Protocol

All ratings12 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

Bugs and requests

SimplePractice for Clinicians

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inconsistent behavior when syncing appointments
  • Unreliable push notifications and reminders
  • Issues with insurance billing and payment tracking
  • Problems accessing client documents and files on mobile

Requested features

5 requests
  • iPad app support
  • Ability to edit invoices and payments
  • More customization options for client portal
  • Improved calendar view and scheduling functionality
  • Better integration with other productivity apps

Columbia Protocol

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

SimplePractice for Clinicians

No in-app purchases

None

Columbia Protocol

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SimplePractice for Clinicians free?
SimplePractice for Clinicians is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Columbia Protocol free?
Columbia Protocol is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SimplePractice for Clinicians or Columbia Protocol?
SimplePractice for Clinicians is rated higher. SimplePractice for Clinicians averages 4.7 out of 5 from 34K ratings, while Columbia Protocol averages 4.4 from 12 ratings.
Do SimplePractice for Clinicians or Columbia Protocol have ads?
Neither SimplePractice for Clinicians nor Columbia Protocol shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SimplePractice for Clinicians or Columbia Protocol?
SimplePractice for Clinicians ships an update every 3 weeks, and Columbia Protocol every 6 weeks. Most recently, SimplePractice for Clinicians was updated on September 24, 2026 and Columbia Protocol on September 15, 2026.

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