Quick answer
For therapists and counsellors on WordPress, our pick is Quill Booking, our own plugin, for session booking with discreet reminders, cancellation controls and video links from $39 a year. DoubleScale adds client records and a private client portal, LatePoint takes payments for free and Amelia suits group practices. No plugin alone makes you HIPAA compliant.
Booking for therapy has extra requirements: clients expect privacy, reminders must be discreet, and your cancellation policy needs to be agreed before the first session. A self-hosted WordPress plugin keeps booking data on your own server rather than with a third-party scheduler.
Disclosure: Quill Booking is our plugin, so we put it first. DoubleScale is a sister product from the same team. We list the same facts for every product, including what each one does not do well, so you can make your own call.
Compared at a glance
| Plugin | Best for | Free version | Paid from (1 site) | Lifetime from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quill Booking | Best overall for private practice | One-on-one meetings | $39/year | $109 |
| DoubleScale | Best for client records and a portal | Yes, booking pages and group events | $99/year | $299 |
| LatePoint | Best free option | Yes, with payments | $99/year ($79 intro) | $249 ($199 intro) |
| Amelia | Best for group practices | Yes (Lite) | $49/year (Starter) | $299 (Standard) |
| Simply Schedule Appointments | Simplest for solo therapists | Yes, unlimited calendars | $129/year ($99 intro) | None |
| Bookly | Best for text reminders | Yes, up to 5 services | $99/year (Pro) | $129 (Pro) |
What therapists and counsellors need from a booking plugin
- Discreet reminders that do not mention therapy or the reason for the visit.
- A cancellation policy clients agree to before booking (see our cancellation policy template).
- Recurring weekly slots for ongoing clients.
- Secure video links for online sessions.
- Minimal intake on the booking form; detailed intake through a secure channel.
No WordPress booking plugin makes your practice HIPAA compliant on its own. Under HIPAA, any vendor that creates, receives, maintains or transmits protected health information for you is a business associate and needs a Business Associate Agreement (HHS guidance). With a self-hosted plugin, booking data sits on your own server, so your hosting provider, email service and any SMS provider are the vendors to review. Keep diagnoses and visit reasons out of booking forms and reminders unless your whole setup is covered.
How we chose
We checked every product’s own pricing and feature pages and its WordPress.org listing, then judged it on what matters most for this use:
- Privacy: where booking data is stored and what reminders reveal.
- Cancellation controls: notice periods and whether clients can cancel online.
- Video sessions with automatic links.
- Recurring weekly sessions.
- Price for a solo or small group practice.
1. Quill Booking: best overall for private practice
Quill Booking lets you write discreet reminder emails and texts, lock rescheduling or cancelling so late changes come to you, ask only the intake questions you choose, and add Zoom, Meet or Teams links for online sessions.
- Free version
- One-on-one meetings
- Paid from
- $39/year, or $109 lifetime
- Calendar sync
- Google, Outlook, Apple (Pro)
- WordPress.org
- 5.0★ (1 rating)
What you get
The free plugin covers one-on-one meetings with availability rules, buffers, booking questions and email confirmations and reminders. Pro adds group, round-robin and collective events, Google, Outlook and Apple Calendar sync, Zoom, Meet and Teams links, Stripe, PayPal and WooCommerce payments, Twilio SMS and WhatsApp, and Zapier, Make and webhooks. Every Pro plan includes every feature; plans differ by the number of sites.
Pros
- Every Pro feature from $39 a year
- Lifetime licence from $109, the lowest here
- Works with Quill Forms for longer intake forms
Cons
- Young plugin with a small WordPress.org user base
- Free version is limited to one-on-one meetings
- Latest WordPress.org release is tested up to WordPress 6.9
Best for: Best overall for private practice. Visit Quill Booking
2. DoubleScale: best for client records and a portal
DoubleScale stores each client’s bookings, notes and invoices on a private record and offers a client portal where clients see their own appointments and documents.
- Free version
- Booking pages, group events
- Paid from
- $99/year, 1 site
- Calendar sync
- Google, Outlook, Apple (Basic)
- WordPress.org
- 5.0★ (7 ratings)
What you get
DoubleScale is a WordPress CRM with a built-in booking module, so every booking creates or updates a contact record. The free version includes one-to-one and group events, booking pages, buffers, attendee reschedule and cancel, and email reminders. The Basic plan adds round-robin and collective events, a waiting list, calendar sync, Meet, Zoom and Teams, custom booking questions, SMS and Stripe and PayPal payments.
Pros
- Bookings land in a full CRM with email and automations
- Group events and rescheduling in the free version
- Round-robin and collective team events
Cons
- Small user base
- Calendar sync and custom questions need Basic
- More than you need if you only want a booking page
Best for: Best for client records and a portal. Visit DoubleScale
3. LatePoint: best free option
LatePoint takes session payments with deposits in its free version and supports recurring appointments on Pro.
- Free version
- Unlimited appointments, payments
- Paid from
- $99/year ($79 intro)
- Calendar sync
- Google, Outlook, Apple (Pro)
- WordPress.org
- 4.9★ (107 ratings), 100,000+ sites
What you get
The free plugin includes unlimited appointments, events with capacity, a customer dashboard, email notifications and Stripe, PayPal and Razorpay payments with deposits. Pro adds multiple staff and locations, group and recurring bookings, rescheduling, calendar sync, Zoom, Meet and Teams, SMS and WhatsApp, custom fields and webhooks.
Pros
- Online payments in the free version
- Most installed booking plugin on WordPress.org
- No Wordfence vulnerability reports in 2025 or 2026
Cons
- Custom fields and rescheduling are Pro-only
- Email-only notifications in the free version
- Introductory price renews at full price
Best for: Best free option. Visit LatePoint
4. Amelia: best for group practices
Amelia manages several therapists, rooms and locations, with recurring appointments on the Standard plan.
- Free version
- Yes (Lite)
- Paid from
- $49/year; most need Standard at $99
- Calendar sync
- Google, Outlook, Apple (Standard)
- WordPress.org
- 4.6★ (793 ratings), 90,000+ sites
What you get
Amelia is built around employees, services and locations, and also sells events. Lite includes a back-end calendar, events, email and SMS notifications and free Square payments. The Standard plan ($99 a year) adds calendar sync, Zoom, Meet and Teams, Stripe, PayPal and WooCommerce, reminders, recurring appointments, custom fields and multiple locations.
Pros
- Strong employee, service and location management
- Square payments in the free version
- Large, active user base
Cons
- Reminders and calendar sync need Standard
- Customer panel is not in the free version
- About 20 Wordfence vulnerability reports in 2025 and 2026, so keep it updated
Best for: Best for group practices. Visit Amelia
5. Simply Schedule Appointments: simplest for solo therapists
Simply Schedule Appointments is simple to run and its makers publish guidance on HIPAA-ready hosting, though compliance still depends on your full setup.
- Free version
- Unlimited calendars
- Paid from
- $129/year ($99 intro)
- Calendar sync
- Google (Plus)
- WordPress.org
- 5.0★ (155 ratings), 50,000+ sites
What you get
Simply Schedule Appointments is built for a fast setup. The free version includes unlimited booking calendars and appointment types, blackout dates and email notifications. Plus adds Google Calendar, custom fields, Zoom, Meet and group events; Professional ($249) adds Stripe, PayPal, Twilio SMS and webhooks; team scheduling needs Business ($499).
Pros
- Very quick to set up
- 5.0-star rating on WordPress.org
- Unlimited calendars in the free version
Cons
- Payments need the $249 Professional plan
- Team scheduling needs the $499 Business plan
- No lifetime licence
Best for: Simplest for solo therapists. Visit Simply Schedule Appointments
6. Bookly: best for text reminders
Bookly sends SMS reminders even on its free version; keep the wording discreet.
- Free version
- Up to 5 services
- Paid from
- $99/year (Pro); payments need Business
- Calendar sync
- Google (Pro), Outlook (Business)
- WordPress.org
- 4.4★ (586 ratings), 60,000+ sites
What you get
Bookly sells features in Pro, Business and Ultimate tiers plus add-ons. The free version allows five services with local payments and SMS and WhatsApp notifications through Bookly Cloud (pay as you go). Pro adds unlimited staff and services, Google Calendar, Zoom and Meet. Stripe, PayPal, group and recurring bookings and the customer cabinet need Business ($129 a year).
Pros
- SMS and WhatsApp notifications without a paid plan
- Large add-on catalogue
- Lifetime licences from $129
Cons
- Stripe and PayPal need the Business plan
- Free version capped at five services
- Features spread across many tiers and add-ons
Best for: Best for text reminders. Visit Bookly
Frequently asked questions
Is a WordPress booking plugin HIPAA compliant?
No plugin is HIPAA compliant on its own. Compliance depends on your hosting, email, SMS providers, agreements with each vendor and your own policies. Keep health details out of booking forms and reminders unless your whole setup is covered by Business Associate Agreements.
What should a therapy appointment reminder say?
Keep it neutral: “Hi [First name], a reminder of your appointment on [Date] at [Time]. Reply or call [Phone] to reschedule.” Avoid naming the practice type or the reason for the visit.
Can clients book recurring therapy sessions?
LatePoint, Amelia and Bookly offer recurring appointments on paid plans. Otherwise, book the next session at the end of each appointment.
Should therapists charge for late cancellations?
Many do, with 24 hours’ notice being typical according to APA practice guidance. Agree the policy in writing at the start of treatment.
Related guides
- Appointment cancellation policy template
- 30 appointment reminder templates
- How to book Zoom, Google Meet and Teams meetings in WordPress
- 9 best WordPress appointment booking plugins
Try Quill BookingBooking pages, calendar sync, video links, payments and reminders on your own WordPress site.
See pricingSources
Checked on November 5, 2026: the WordPress.org plugin directory and the official pricing or product pages of Quill Booking, DoubleScale, LatePoint, Amelia, Simply Schedule Appointments, Bookly. Prices change often; if you spot an outdated figure, tell us and we will update this page.
