Australian AI scribe comparison
Grounded Scribe vs Upheal
Upheal is built around therapy work — session insights, treatment planning and a generous free tier. Grounded Scribe covers mental health alongside allied health and education, and adds assessments. Upheal does not state a data region in the sources reviewed.
Sources reviewed 9 September 2026 · the same criteria for both · we publish this page
The short answer
If you are a therapist who wants session insights and a genuinely useful free tier, Upheal is a strong choice. If you need Australian data residency, MBS documentation, or one platform across more than therapy, Grounded Scribe is built for that.
Who each one suits
Upheal 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…
- Need your client records stored in Australia
- Want built-in clinical assessments (PHQ-9, GAD-7, DASS-21, etc.)
- Work across professions beyond therapy and psychology
Consider Upheal if you…
- Want free notes from text, dictation and manual uploads
- Need an all-in-one mental health EHR with telehealth, scheduling, and client portal
- Prefer session sentiment analysis and talking ratio insights
- Are primarily a therapist or psychologist
- Do not need a provider that states Australian storage
Where the choice turns
Therapists and psychologists
Upheal’s session insights and Golden Thread planning are its distinctive claims.
Practices with Australian obligations
Upheal does not state a data region in the sources reviewed; Grounded Scribe states Australian storage.
Practices beyond therapy
Allied health, general practice and education coverage in one platform.
Practices replacing several tools
Assessments sit inside Grounded Scribe rather than beside it.
Criteria
Feature by feature.
Grounded Scribe’s column comes from our own published plans. Upheal’s column reflects its publicly accessible pages, reviewed 9 September 2026.
| Criterion | Grounded Scribe | Upheal |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 10 healthcare-grade sessions + unlimited dictation notes/month, forever | Free notes from text, dictation and manual uploads |
| Paid plans from | $19/month + GST (Plus, 30 sessions) | Per-session pricing model (verify at upheal.io/pricing) |
| Profession coverage | 70+ professions with tailored templates and terminology | Primarily therapists and psychologists |
| Clinical assessments | 33 validated tools, unlimited on all plans (PHQ-9, GAD-7, DASS-21, K6, etc.) | Not listed as a built-in feature in the reviewed sources |
| Australian data storage | Records stored in Australia, APPs compliant | HQ in Prague, Czech Republic. Lists Australia in regional coverage; no Australian storage region stated in the reviewed sources |
| Built-in telehealth | No built-in video; records telehealth calls from your browser tab | Yes, built-in video sessions |
| Session analytics | Practice intelligence with conversation trends and review alerts | Talking ratio, sentiment analysis, session insights |
| Treatment plans | AI-assisted treatment plans with goals, templates, and progress tracking | AI treatment plans with SMART goals (Golden Thread feature) |
| Task management | Built-in tasks with AI auto-extraction from sessions | Not listed in the reviewed sources |
| School wellbeing | Schools: Descant, our sister product, handles student support and wellbeing records | Not listed in the reviewed sources |
| Note templates | 185 profession-specific templates across all disciplines | SOAP, DAP, GIRP, EMDR and other therapy-focused templates |
| MBS Medicare templates | 13 Medicare (MBS) note templates, such as Better Access sessions | MBS-specific templates not listed in the reviewed sources |
Where they differ
The differences that tend to decide it.
The rest is close enough that it rarely settles the question.
- 01
Australian data sovereignty
Grounded Scribe stores clinical records and session audio in Australia. Upheal is headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic, and the reviewed sources do not state an Australian storage region. For Australian practitioners, keeping client data onshore simplifies Privacy Act compliance.
- 02
Complete clinical platform
Grounded Scribe goes far beyond AI notes. Built-in clinical assessments, treatment plans and task management — all in one platform.
- 03
Built for all professions
With 70+ profession profiles, Grounded Scribe serves psychologists, counsellors, social workers, OTs, speech pathologists, physiotherapists, educators, and more. Upheal is primarily designed for therapists and psychologists.
- 04
Validated assessment tools
33 validated clinical assessment tools included on all plans at no extra cost. PHQ-9, GAD-7, DASS-21, PCL-5, and more — with scoring, progress tracking, and outcome reports built in.
Cost
What each one costs.
Our plans are published in full. Read Upheal’s current figures on their own pricing page rather than here.
| Plan level | Grounded Scribe | Upheal |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 10 healthcare-grade sessions and unlimited dictations every month | Free notes from text, dictation and manual uploads |
| Entry paid plan | Plus, 30 sessions | Premium at US$1 per session |
| Top plan | Max, unlimited sessions | Premium capped at US$69/month |
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.
Moving over
Moving from Upheal.
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 Upheal: common questions
Is Grounded Scribe a good Upheal alternative?
If you are a therapist who wants session insights and a genuinely useful free tier, Upheal is a strong choice. If you need Australian data residency, MBS documentation, or one platform across more than therapy, Grounded Scribe is built for that.
How does Upheal 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. Read Upheal’s current figures on their own pricing page rather than here.
Where is my data stored with Grounded Scribe and Upheal?
Grounded Scribe: Records stored in Australia, APPs compliant. Upheal: HQ in Prague, Czech Republic. Lists Australia in regional coverage; no Australian storage region stated in the reviewed sources.
How do I switch from Upheal?
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 Upheal 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 with the provider. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. Grounded Scribe Pty Ltd is the publisher of this comparison and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Upheal.
Try Grounded Scribe free.
10 healthcare-grade sessions and unlimited dictation notes every month. No credit card, no lock-in.
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