Updated October 2026
Several popular AI therapy notes tools are US-built, so it is worth checking each one's GDPR terms and the clinical formats it offers. This comparison looks at three options from a UK private practitioner's point of view.
Quick answer
Our pick for UK private practice is NoteSono. It is ICO registered (ZC045529) and built for UK private practice. It supports 20 clinical formats (including EMDR and CBT), with treatment plans, outcome tracking and a waiting list, and session scheduling and invoicing on Pro. It starts free, with paid plans from £14.99/month. If you want whole sessions recorded, Upheal is the stronger fit; Mentalyc is US-built, so check its UK terms.
Several popular tools were built in or for the US market, around HIPAA. HIPAA and UK GDPR are different laws, so check each tool's GDPR terms, where it stores and processes data, and whether it will sign a data processing agreement.
For UK therapists, this matters because you are the data controller. BACP hasn't published specific guidance on AI clinical notes, but its Ethical Framework still applies: be open with clients about the tools you use, keep accurate records you've reviewed, and protect confidentiality. Any transfer of data outside the UK needs a valid safeguard.
NoteSono was built for UK private practice — ICO registered, with a client consent template included. Notes are stored in the EU, and some AI processing uses providers outside the UK and EU under data processing terms that exclude training on your data.
| Tool | Data location | Records sessions | Formats | Scheduling | Invoicing | Outcomes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OUR PICKNoteSono Built for UK private practice | EU | No — post-session summary | 20 | Pro | Pro | Yes | Free; paid from £14.99/mo |
| Mentalyc US-built | US-based; check | Mainly; also uploads and dictation | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | $19.99–$119.99/mo |
| Upheal Records sessions; GBP pricing | Region not stated | Yes; dictation also available | 13+ note types | EHR plans | EHR plans | Not confirmed | Free / £29 / £69 a month |
NoteSono is built for UK private practice and registered with the ICO (ZC045529). Notes are stored in the EU, and some AI processing uses providers outside the UK and EU under data processing terms that exclude training on your data.
The core workflow is simple: after a session, you speak or type a short summary. NoteSono transcribes it and formats it into whichever of the 20 clinical formats you choose — SOAP, DAP, BIRP, GIRP, Narrative, Brief, Intake, Discharge, Risk Assessment, Formulation, Supervision, Person-Centred, Psychodynamic, Integrative, EMDR, CBT, Schema therapy, Couples, Family or Group. You review and sign off.
Beyond notes, NoteSono includes treatment plans, outcome tracking (PHQ-9, GAD-7, CORE-10), a safeguarding log and a waiting list. Pro adds a session calendar with client email reminders, and invoicing with payment tracking. It does not offer video sessions, SMS or a client portal.
Pricing: a free plan (5 notes a month, 2 clients, SOAP, DAP, BIRP and Intake, no card), Essentials at £14.99/month (unlimited notes and clients, all 20 formats), or Pro at £24.99/month adding scheduling and invoicing. You can try Pro for 7 days whenever you like.
Mentalyc is a US-based AI therapy notes tool built around HIPAA. It mainly works by recording sessions, and also accepts uploads and dictated summaries.
If you are in the UK, check its UK GDPR terms, where data is stored and processed, and whether it will sign a data processing agreement before using it for client notes.
Pricing ranges from $19.99 to $119.99 a month, billed in US dollars.
Upheal records and transcribes therapy sessions, and also accepts dictated summaries. If a tool records sessions, you will need clients' explicit agreement and a plan for storing and deleting the audio.
Upheal states that it is GDPR compliant and offers an EU/UK data processing agreement. It prices UK plans in pounds: a free plan, AI Notes at £29/month and EHR Pro at £69/month.
It offers 13+ note types, including SOAP, DAP, BIRP and EMDR, and its EHR Pro tier adds practice management such as billing.
What is the best AI therapy notes tool for UK therapists?
Our pick for UK private practice is NoteSono. It is ICO registered (ZC045529) and built for UK private practice. It supports 20 clinical formats including SOAP, DAP, BIRP, EMDR and CBT, and its Pro plan adds scheduling, invoicing and CPD tracking. It starts free, with paid plans from £14.99/month. If you want whole sessions recorded, Upheal is worth a look.
Is Mentalyc available in the UK?
Mentalyc is a US-based tool built around HIPAA. If you are in the UK, check its UK GDPR terms, where data is stored and processed, and whether it will sign a data processing agreement.
Is Upheal GDPR compliant for UK therapists?
Upheal states that it is GDPR compliant and offers an EU/UK data processing agreement. It records sessions, so you will need clients' explicit agreement and a plan for storing and deleting the audio.
What AI therapy notes tools support EMDR session notes?
NoteSono includes a dedicated EMDR session note format, capturing SUD ratings, negative and positive cognitions, VOC scale, processing sets and body scan. It is available on Essentials and Pro. Upheal also lists an EMDR note type.
Do any AI therapy notes tools include invoicing?
Yes. NoteSono Pro includes invoicing alongside AI notes: create an invoice from a session or note, send it by email and track payments. Practice-management platforms such as WriteUpp, Jane and Upheal's EHR plans also combine AI notes with billing.