Australian AI scribe comparison
Grounded Scribe vs Heidi Health
Two Melbourne-built Australian AI scribes with different centres of gravity. Heidi is a medical documentation platform expanding internationally; Grounded Scribe is Australian-only and covers mental health, allied health and education alongside general practice.
Sources reviewed 9 September 2026 · the same criteria for both · we publish this page
The short answer
If you document mental health, allied health or education work, or you want assessments in the same place, Grounded Scribe is built for that. If you need deep EMR integrations, formal SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification, or you work outside Australia, Heidi is the stronger fit. Both write good notes.
Who each one suits
Heidi Health alternative: which one fits your practice
We publish this comparison, so read the second list as the case for the other product, not as a concession.
Choose Grounded Scribe if you…
- Want affordable plans with five pricing tiers to choose from
- Work in mental health, allied health, or education
- Need built-in clinical assessments (PHQ-9, GAD-7, and more)
- Prefer a platform focused only on the Australian market
Consider Heidi Health if you…
- Want a platform with extensive EMR integrations
- Need SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification for compliance
- Prefer a platform expanding internationally (US, UK, Europe)
- Want free access as a student, registrar, or resident
Where the choice turns
Mental health and allied health
Both products write notes. The question is whether the templates, terminology and built-in assessments match how you actually document a session.
General practice and medical clinics
Heidi began in medical documentation and both products cover it well. Weigh EMR integrations and MBS support against breadth of profession coverage.
Practices replacing several tools
Assessments sit inside Grounded Scribe. If you already run separate tools for those and are happy with them, that counts for less.
Australian-only practices
Both are Melbourne-built. Heidi is expanding into the US and UK; Grounded Scribe builds only for Australian settings, which shows in templates and terminology.
Criteria
Feature by feature.
Grounded Scribe’s column comes from our own published plans. Heidi’s column reflects its publicly accessible pages, reviewed 9 September 2026.
| Criterion | Grounded Scribe | Heidi Health |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 10 healthcare-grade sessions + unlimited dictation notes/month, forever | Free plan with unlimited standard notes and limited advanced actions |
| Paid plans from | $19/month + GST (Plus, 30 sessions) | Multiple paid tiers (verify at heidihealth.com) |
| Profession coverage | 70+ professions with tailored templates and terminology | Originally GP-focused, now covering 200+ specialties |
| Mental health focus | Deep support for psychologists, counsellors, social workers | Dedicated mental health and psychology solutions |
| Clinical assessments | Unlimited on all plans (PHQ-9, GAD-7, DASS-21 and 33 tools in all) | Not listed as a built-in feature in the reviewed sources |
| Count-based sessions | Simple session counting (1 recording = 1 session) | Usage limits on advanced actions |
| MBS Medicare templates | 13 Medicare (MBS) note templates, such as Better Access sessions | Medicare documentation support |
| Australian data storage | Records stored in Australia, APPs compliant | Regional hosting is described in its security guidance; SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certified |
| Australian-focused development | 100% Australian-focused product and roadmap | Melbourne-based, expanding globally (US, UK markets) |
| Practice intelligence | Tiered analytics: conversation tone trends, technique patterns, session review alerts and overdue plan reminders | Practice standardisation and quality analytics |
| Task management | Built-in tasks with AI auto-extraction from sessions | AI-generated follow-up tasks |
| Referral processing | AI-powered referral letter extraction and client creation | Referral letter generation |
Where they differ
Three differences that tend to decide it.
The rest is close enough that it rarely settles the question.
- 01
Accessible pricing
Grounded Scribe offers five pricing tiers starting from a permanent free plan, with paid plans from $19/month + GST. Compare plans to find the right fit for your practice volume.
- 02
100% Australian focus
While Heidi Health is expanding into the US and UK markets, Grounded Scribe remains exclusively focused on Australian healthcare. Every feature, template, and compliance measure is designed for the Australian market.
- 03
Deep mental health support
Grounded Scribe was built with mental health professionals, allied health, and educators in mind. Profession-specific templates, terminology, and 33 clinical assessment tools included on all plans.
Cost
What each one costs.
Our plans are published in full. Heidi publishes a free plan and paid tiers; read the current figures on their pricing page rather than here.
| Plan level | Grounded Scribe | Heidi Health |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | $0 — 10 healthcare-grade sessions and unlimited dictations every month | Free plan with unlimited standard notes and limited advanced actions |
| Entry paid plan | $19/month + GST — Plus, 30 sessions | Multiple paid tiers (verify at heidihealth.com) |
| Top plan | $99/month + GST — Max, unlimited sessions | Several paid tiers; figures published by the provider |
Grounded Scribe tiers in full: Plus $19 for 30 sessions, Core $39 for 60, Pro $69 for 120, and Max $99 for unlimited — all + GST. Every paid plan includes unlimited healthcare-grade dictations, 33 assessments and 185 note templates. See pricing. Heidi publishes a free plan and several paid tiers, plus SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certification.
Moving over
Moving from Heidi Health.
You do not have to commit to find out. Run both for a week and judge it on your own sessions.
- 01 Start free
Create an account in about a minute. No credit card. The free plan includes 10 healthcare-grade sessions and unlimited five-minute dictations every month.
- 02 Set up your templates
Pick from 185 profession-specific note templates or build your own, so your notes come out in the format you already write in.
- 03 Record a real session
Run it alongside your current tool for a week and compare the notes on your own work before you move anything.
- 04 Move across when you are ready
Keep both running as long as you like. There is no lock-in contract and no export fee, so switching back costs you nothing but the time.
Questions
Grounded Scribe and Heidi Health: common questions
Is Grounded Scribe a good Heidi Health alternative?
If you document mental health, allied health or education work, or you want assessments in the same place, Grounded Scribe is built for that. If you need deep EMR integrations, formal SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification, or you work outside Australia, Heidi is the stronger fit. Both write good notes.
How does Heidi Health pricing compare?
Grounded Scribe has a free plan (10 sessions a month) and paid plans from $19/month + GST. Our plans are published in full. Heidi publishes a free plan and paid tiers; read the current figures on their pricing page rather than here.
Where is my data stored with Grounded Scribe and Heidi Health?
Grounded Scribe: Records stored in Australia, APPs compliant. Heidi Health: Regional hosting is described in its security guidance; SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certified.
How do I switch from Heidi Health?
Start free: Create an account in about a minute. No credit card. The free plan includes 10 healthcare-grade sessions and unlimited five-minute dictations every month. Set up your templates: Pick from 185 profession-specific note templates or build your own, so your notes come out in the format you already write in. Record a real session: Run it alongside your current tool for a week and compare the notes on your own work before you move anything. Move across when you are ready: Keep both running as long as you like. There is no lock-in contract and no export fee, so switching back costs you nothing but the time.
Built for your profession
Sources
Information about Heidi Health is based on their publicly accessible website, reviewed 9 September 2026. Where a capability is not mentioned in those sources this page says so, rather than asserting the product does not have it. Verify current features and pricing directly at heidihealth.com. Heidi Health is a trademark of Heidi Health Pty Ltd. Grounded Scribe is not affiliated with or endorsed by Heidi Health.
Try Grounded Scribe free.
10 healthcare-grade sessions and unlimited dictation notes every month. No credit card, no lock-in.
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