8 Best HIPAA-compliant phone services for therapists

Reaching out for therapy takes courage. An outdated phone system that makes it hard to schedule appointments shouldn’t be what stops patients from getting help. And for you, you could be leaving money on the table. 

Switching to a HIPAA-compliant cloud phone system can help you stay connected with patients and manage high call volume. A good provider will also help you streamline scheduling. 

To help you save time, we’ve narrowed down the best HIPAA-compliant phone services for therapists. We also compare their pros, cons, and pricing, and explain how to choose a HIPAA-compliant VoIP system based on your needs.

What is a HIPAA-compliant phone service?

A HIPAA-compliant phone system protects healthcare information when you communicate with patients. It follows specific technical and administrative HIPAA regulations for data storage and transmission. This ensures your private practice can securely handle protected health information, or PHI.

A compliant phone service provider also signs a Business Associate Agreement, or BAA, to document these obligations. This lets you protect your patients’ PHI and ePHI across communication channels like:

• Calls
• Call recordings
• Voicemail
• Call transcripts
• Fax
• Video
• SMS and MMS*

8 key characteristics of HIPAA-compliant VoIP services

Here’s what growing therapy practices need in a HIPAA-compliant VoIP solution:

1. A BAA. This agreement ensures both you and your vendor are accountable in the event of a PHI breach. It defines your responsibilities as the healthcare provider. It also sets security expectations for both parties.
2. End-to-end encryption. Turn sensitive information into unreadable data while it’s being sent or stored. Even if someone intercepts a call, they can’t access the patient information.
3. Access controls. Limit access to patient communications based on job duties. That way, only the people who need patient information can see it. This also reduces unnecessary exposure to PHI,  helping avoid HIPAA violations.
4. Audit logs. Keep records of all calls, messages, and account activity. You can quickly see who on your team viewed or sent what, spot unusual activity, and keep records for compliance reviews.
5. Secure storage. Your provider must have features in place to prevent unauthorized access. This includes secure configuration standards for servers, cloud platforms, and networks handling PHI.
6. Notification procedures in case of data breaches. These define how quickly your phone provider must alert you if patient data is compromised. They may be required to contact individuals, the Department of Health and Human Services, and/or media outlets, depending on the severity of the breach.
7. Automatic logoff and session timeouts. Sign users out after a period of inactivity. This prevents unauthorized users from viewing patient information on an unlocked or unattended device.
8. Contingency planning and backups. A compliant provider stores your data in multiple secure locations. If one system fails or gets corrupted, a backup can keep your practice running.

8 best HIPAA-compliant VoIP providers

Here’s a comparison of the best HIPAA-compliant phone services for therapists:

Provider	Starting price	Best for	Key features
Quo	$15 per user per month	Growing practices	Unlimited calls and texts in Canada and the US, SMS/MMS support, shared phone numbers, business hours, call routing, IVR, call recording, voicemail transcriptions, scheduled texts, internal threads, auto-replies, templated messages
iPlum	$8.99 per user per month	Healthcare providers needing email support	Unlimited inbound and outbound calls, auto-replies, email support, Live Zoom support, supports 23 languages, toll-free numbers with add-ons, call recording on the most expensive plan
Spruce Health	$24 per user per month	Mental health practices wanting in-app payments	Video calls, in-app digital payments, clinical questionnaires, EHR integrations, API access
Dialpad	$15 per user per month	Large companies needing HIPAA-compliant video calls	Unlimited calls in the US and Canada, video conferencing, AI-powered meeting transcriptions, Slack, and CRM integrations with an upgrade
RingCentral	$20 per user per month	Desk phone rentals	Local or toll-free phone numbers, unlimited calling in the US and Canada, desk phone rentals, real-time data and reporting, limited SMS and toll-free minutes per user per month
Google Voice	$10 per user per month, plus $7 per user per month for a Google Workspace subscription	Therapists with a Google Workspace subscription	Unlimited calling to the US, free SMS for US users, integrations with Google Workspace apps, ring groups with an upgrade
RingRX	$15 per user per month	Offices needing web or machine faxing	Unlimited inbound and outbound calling, free desk phones with upgrade, HIPAA-compliant faxing with an upgrade, texting with an upgrade, call recording with an add-on
Vonage	$13.99 per user per month	Organizations building custom healthcare applications	Unlimited domestic calling, video meetings with limited storage, communication APIs for calling, texting, and telehealth

Keep reading for an in-depth breakdown of the best HIPAA-compliant providers.

1. Quo: The best HIPAA-compliant provider for growing therapist offices

Pros

• Unlimited calls and texts in the US and Canada
• One free local or toll-free number per user
• Mobile app
• Secure call recordings
• Team collaboration features like internal threads and shared numbers
• Auto-attendant functions or IVR for inbound calls
• Granular user access and permission controls

Cons

• Can’t verify accounts through two-factor authentication*

*Nearly all virtual phone numbers share this problem. For safety reasons, companies like Facebook, Uber, and Google rarely let you authenticate accounts through a virtual phone number.
Quo helps reliably build both customer relationships and their businesses without sacrificing patient privacy

Our Business and Scale plans offer a signed BAA upon request. This secures PHI storage and transmission across calls and voicemails. You can get started within days — no additional setup required.

Set up access controls with three workspace roles that control who does what. Only some users, like Owners, will have full administrative control. Others, like Member users, can only access calls and texts. You can instantly revoke user access if someone quits or loses their work device, adding another layer of protection to patient data.

You can also easily add other authorized personnel to your account, like an assistant, to make sure you never miss calls and potential new patients.

Quo provides a HIPAA-compliant platform for managing calls, texts, and voicemails from a single place. Want to split responsibility for incoming calls? Use our smart call routing and shared inboxes. Short on time? Use text automations to schedule texts, like appointment reminders. 

You can also use our AI voice agent, Sona, to help patients book appointments after hours. For patients who’ve already opted into SMS communications through your intake process, Sona can text them a link to your scheduling page during the call.

As your practice scales,  set up custom phone menus with Quo’s drag-and-drop call flow builder. That way, you can set rules for where calls go and who on your team should pick up the phone. For example, you can let the front desk handle rescheduling questions.

You can also set up call flows for specific situations. For example, set up a call flow for when your practice is closed for a holiday and another for everyday situations. Easily toggle between them from your call flow settings.

Quo offers all these features without the enterprise pricing. Our HIPAA-compliant phone service for therapists starts at $23 per user per month.

See why 90,000 customers and counting believe Quo is the #1 small business phone system.

You can get started in 15 minutes or less with a seven-day free trial. We’ll give you a temporary phone number to test the platform. Once you’ve confirmed we’re a great fit, move any existing US, Canadian, or North American toll-free number over to Quo.

You can also request a BAA in 15 seconds after you’ve activated a paid Quo account.

Key features of Quo

• Free calls and texts in the US and Canada
• Text from your computer, smartphone, or tablet 
• Shared numbers
• Business hours
• Call routing
• Phone menus, or IVR

• Voicemail transcriptions
• Call forwarding and transfers
• Call hold

• Automatic call recording notifications
• Free calls and texts in Canada and the US
• On-demand and automatic call recording

• Direct team messaging and internal threads
• Snippets, or templated messages, and auto-replies

Quo pricing

Quo’s pricing plans are designed to scale as your business grows. HIPAA compliance is available on our Business and Scale plans:

• Starter: $15 per user per month for unlimited calling and texting in Canada and the US, on-demand call recording, Sona, our AI voice agent, voicemail transcriptions, texting automations, and more
• Business: $23 per user per month for HIPAA compliance, analytics and reporting, IVR, call transfers, custom ring groups, and more
• Scale: $35 per user per month for priority chat and email support, inbound phone support, dedicated onboarding, and AI call tags

2. iPlum: Best for healthcare providers needing email support

Pros

• Includes auto-replies
• Text signature
• Live Zoom support requires an upgrade
• Supports 23 languages

Cons

• Toll-free numbers are add-ons
• Call recording is only available on the most expensive plan
• No third-party integrations
• Web calling and texting, shared numbers, and voicemail transcription require an upgrade

iPlum lets you call and text patients in the US or Canada from more than 200 countries. You can also set up basic automations on the base plan, like auto-replies and out-of-office messages. Upgrading to the Professional plan unlocks HIPAA compliance, BAA agreements, and encrypted texting. . 

Just know that iPlum’s HIPAA-compliant plan comes with some limitations, like:

• SMS archives are only stored for 12 months, so you’ll need to manually export and store messages if you need them for compliance or documentation. You can upgrade to the Enterprise plan for 10 years of archiving, but there’s no option for unlimited storage.
• Call recording isn’t available unless you upgrade to the most expensive plan.
• You’ll never have access to third-party integrations, no matter how much you upgrade.

There is a REST API, but it only lets you add calling and texting to other apps. You can’t actually send call and text data to other platforms in your stack, like you can with iPlum alternatives like Quo.

iPlum pricing

There are three iPlum pricing plans to choose from:

• Standard: $8.99 per user per month for calling and texting in the US and Canada, auto-replies, business hours, phone trees, voicemail, spam blocking, and iOS and Android apps
• Professional: $14.99 per user per month for HIPAA compliance and BAAs, web calling and texting, voicemail transcriptions, scheduled texts, text templates, and one year of text archiving
• Enterprise: $25.99 per user per month for call recording and consent announcements, 10-year storage for call recordings and texts, toll-free numbers instead of local numbers, and support via live Zoom calls

3. Spruce Health: Best for mental health practices wanting in-app payments

Pros

• Video calls for telehealth
• Offers in-app digital payments
• Clinical questionnaires for patients
• EHR integrations and API access

Cons

• Phone menus require an upgrade
• Time-based call routing requires an upgrade
• Integrations require an upgrade

Spruce Health lets you call, text, and hold video meetings with patients from the mobile app or VoIP desk phones. You can also collect clinical questionnaires from patients and forward the results through a secure team chat. If you upgrade your plan, you can collect in-app digital payments from patients. 

That said, Spruce Health’s features are quite limited on the base plan. You’ll have to upgrade for features that typically come standard on base plans. These include:

• Auto-replies
• Business hours
• Call routing

Plus, integrations are only available on the highest-tier plan — which is more expensive than many providers on this list. You’ll pay $49 per user per month just to connect your account with Calendly, for example. 

Spruce also offers secure, in-app messaging. But to maintain HIPAA compliance, patients must create an account. Some patients may do this, but others might not. This limits who you can reach with in-app messaging.

Here’s what one mental health professional had to say about Spruce’s messaging portal:

“The biggest downside here is that clients MUST make an account for messages to be HIPAA compliant. I get clients who text the number but won’t make an account…Also, when they do make an account, any messages they sent prior do not show up for easy archiving. I can send an invite, but many do not make an account, limiting its functionality.” — G2

Spruce Health pricing

There are only two Spruce Health plans to pick from:

• Basic: $24 per user per month for two-way texting, video conferencing, user access controls, auto-replies, e-fax, and dedicated support
• Communicator: $49 per user per month for IVR, VoIP desk phones, call routing, after-hours triage, bulk messaging, integrations, and API access

4. Dialpad: Best for larger therapy offices needing HIPAA-compliant video calls

Pros

• Unlimited calls in your country, the US, and Canada
• Video meetings are available
• Real-time transcripts and instant call summaries

Cons

• Additional numbers require an upgrade
• Slack and CRM integrations are only available for higher tiers
• Time-consuming to set up as an admin
• Limited texting and productivity features

Dialpad offers unlimited video calls and domestic calling on every plan. Telemedicine practices can record video, use the whiteboard, and book meetings via Google or Microsoft. For patients who prefer phone calls, you’ll also have access to real-time transcripts and call summaries.

While every Dialpad plan is HIPAA compliant, not all of them make sense for growing therapy clinics. Texting, for example, is limited to 250 outbound texts per user per month in the US. You also won’t have access to scheduled messages or text templates to automate reminders or to answer frequently asked questions. This means you have to manually send every reminder, which adds to your administrative load. It can also increase no-shows if you forget to send timely reminders or can’t text outside business hours.

Dialpad also comes with a steep learning curve. Users complain about unexpected default settings and a clunky user interface. Here’s what one user had to say:

“[It] requires quite a bit of a learning curve for the Admin to take in to become fully proficient with everything. It also takes some time to work with and train the users … One of the key user preferences to receive notifications appears to be hidden deep in the app’s UI. That made it difficult to diagnose an issue that one of our users was having.” — G2

See for yourself:

Dialpad pricing

HIPAA compliance is available on all three Dialpad pricing plans:

• Standard: $15 per user per month for unlimited domestic calling, limited texting, toll-free number support, call recording, multi-level phone menus, and call and voicemail transcriptions
• Pro: $25 per user per month for three seats minimum, 25 ring groups, additional phone numbers, international texting support, and third-party integrations
• Enterprise: Call for pricing for SSO, additional integrations, 100% uptime guarantee, unlimited ring groups, and number extensions

5. RingCentral: Best for healthcare professionals needing desk phone rentals

Pros

• Unlimited calls to the US and Canada
• Provides local or toll-free phone numbers
• Desk phone rental options

Cons

• Major texting limits
• Storage limits
• Automatic call recordings are available only after upgrading
• Only includes 100 toll-free minutes per month on the base plan

RingCentral lets you rent VoIP-powered desk phones if you’re still using legacy equipment. You’ll have support for local and toll-free numbers, plus unlimited calls in Canada and the US. You’ll need to ask your RingCentral rep for a BAA before using the software in your therapy practice.

But compared to many RingCentral alternatives, many features are limited. For example, you’ll only have access to 100 toll-free minutes and 25 texts on the base plan per month. Even the most expensive plan caps you at 200 messages per user per month.

Plus, you can’t get “unlimited” storage without upgrading to the most expensive plan. Even if you do, your data is subject to time-based deletion policies. For example, RingCentral deletes all data on HIPAA-compliant accounts after 30 days. This could cause problems if you need to retain data longer for clinical or legal reasons. 

RingCentral pricing

There are four different tiers of RingCentral’s pricing:

• Core: $20 per user per month for 100 toll-free minutes, 25 texts, 100 video meeting participants, and on-demand call recording
• Advanced: $25 per user per month for 1,000 toll-free minutes, 100 texts, automatic call recording, 100 texts, and advanced call monitoring tools
• Ultra: $35 per user per month for 10,000 toll-free minutes, 200 texts, device alerts and analytics, and “unlimited” storage, with time-based deletion policies
• Customer Engagement Bundle: Custom pricing for the Business SMS Booster, the Call Queues Booster, and SMS compliance management

6. Google Voice: Best for therapists with a Google Workspace subscription

Pros

• Free unlimited calling to the US from anywhere — and to Canada from the US
• Integrates with other Google Workspace apps
• Access to ring groups with an upgrade

Cons

• Texting is available in the US only
• No desktop app is available
• No integrations outside Google Workspace
• No support for toll-free numbers

Paid Google Voice plans offer unlimited calls in Canada and the US and unlimited text messaging for US users. You can integrate with apps like Google Calendar and Google Meet. With an upgraded plan, you can also set up ring groups for different staff members and counselors. To get Google Voice HIPAA compliance, you need to buy a Google Voice and a Google Workspace subscription. Then, you can sign a BAA agreement. It’s unclear how long this process will take. So you’ll need to contact support for a clearer timeline.

But Google Voice wasn’t built for healthcare-specific use cases. For one thing, there are no integrations outside of Google Workspace. That means you can’t connect your phone system to the software you’re already using. Plus, you won’t have access to automations like auto-replies or scheduled texts. Even following up on conversations with Google Voice is difficult. All calls, texts, and voice messages are in separate folders. Compare this to Google Voice alternatives like Quo, which combine calls, texts, and recordings into a single shared inbox.

Google Voice pricing

Google Voice’s pricing has three tiers for HIPAA compliance:

• Starter: $10 per user per month for calls in the US and Canada, US text messaging, SLA agreements, voicemail transcriptions, and integrations with Google Calendar and Meet, for a maximum of 10 users
• Standard: $20 per user per month for SIP Link, multi-level auto attendants, eDiscovery, and on-demand call recording, for unlimited users
• Premier: $30 per user per month for automatic call recording, BigQuery access, and unlimited international locations

Remember: you need a Google Workspace subscription on your Google Voice subscription to activate HIPAA compliance. Prices start at $7 per user per month.

7. RingRX: Best for offices needing web or machine faxing

Pros

• Unlimited inbound and outbound calling
• Free desk phone on the most expensive plan
• HIPAA-compliant faxing with an upgrade

Cons

• Texting requires an upgrade
• Voicemail transcription requires an upgrade
• Call recording is an add-on
• Some users report texting unreliability

RingRX can help you connect with customers via phone, text, video meetings, and fax. You can easily send and receive faxes without violating HIPAA safeguards. Plus, you’ll have access to RingRX On-Call. This lets you route after-hours calls to specific team members and devices, depending on shifts or availability.

But keep in mind, nearly all these features require at least one or two upgrades to unlock. For example:

• The base plan doesn’t offer texting, voicemail transcriptions, or faxing. You must upgrade to the second tier to unlock them.
• Video meetings require multiple upgrades. They’re only available on the most expensive plan, starting at $25 per user per month.
• Call recording requires an extra $5 per month. Compare this to Quo, which offers call recording on all its plans.

You should also know that many users report that texting through RingRX is unreliable. Messages may not show up correctly or, in a worst-case scenario, not go through at all. See for yourself from these reviews:

“I do not recommend this app. Texts do not work properly, nor are people able to leave voicemails. Customer service was also either unresponsive or rude.” — Google Play

“Yes, my internet is fast. The messaging is intermittent, and the messages do not go through at times. It doesn’t work with Android well and constantly glitches on my phone.” — Google Play

“For the entirety of my private practice, I’ve used RingRx for calling and texting with clients. But the texting service has become too unreliable, too many times me not receiving client texts, or clients not receiving mine.” — Reddit

RingRX pricing

There are three RingRX pricing plans:

• Lite: $15 per user per month for unlimited inbound and outbound calling, one business phone number per user, and one HIPAA secure voicemail box

• Grow: $19 per user per month for web-based faxing, team and patient texting, voicemail transcriptions, and RingRX On-Call
• Clinic: $25 per user per month for free desk phones, two HIPAA-compliant voicemail boxes, web and machine faxing, and virtual conference rooms

Keep in mind that features like call recording and call queues require add-on fees.

8. Vonage: Best for organizations building custom healthcare applications

Pros

• Unlimited domestic calling
• Video meetings with limited storage
• Communication APIs to build custom communication workflows

Cons

• On-demand call recording requires multiple upgrades
• Limited SMS and MMS
• Add-on needed for shared inboxes
• Visual voicemail requires an upgrade

Vonage offers two products for therapy practices: an out-of-the-box phone system and APIs. You can use the built-in phone system to make unlimited calls in the US and Canada. But if you want HIPAA-compliant communications in apps you already own, you’ll need APIs. These let you call, text, and video call patients from your own therapy apps. Just keep in mind, they require a lot of technical expertise. Plus a few weeks to months to set up.

There are several Vonage limitations to consider:

• SMS support only for US and Canadian numbers. There’s also no out-of-the-box support for MMS, which means you can’t send files or documents back and forth. 
• Essential business phone features with Vonage are costly. Automatic call recording, for example, requires an add-on with an undisclosed price.
• On-demand recording requires a separate add-on unless you upgrade to the Advanced plan at $27.99 per user per month. 
• Call groups and voicemail transcriptions require upgrades. Vonage alternatives like Quo let you access call recordings and voicemail transcriptions on the base plan.

Vonage pricing

Vonage doesn’t explicitly state its pricing for HIPAA-compliant APIs. To get specific VoIP phone costs, you’ll have to reach out to sales.

Vonage’s pricing for its out-of-the-box phone plans depends on how many users you have.

For a team of four or fewer, here’s how much you’ll pay:

• Mobile: $13.99 per number per month for domestic calling, texting support, virtual receptionists, voicemail services, and access to the desktop and mobile apps
• Premium: $20.99 per number per month for desk phone support, video meetings, CRM integrations, team messaging, and single sign-on 
• Advanced: $27.99 per number per month for visual voicemail with transcriptions, on-demand call recording, and simultaneous ring

What features to look for in a HIPAA-compliant phone system for therapists 

Beyond a BAA and necessary security features, a cloud phone system for healthcare should have:

• Texting and texting automations. This includes the option to text patients for appointment confirmations and reminders. Then use automations to automatically schedule or trigger messages. 

• Phone menus or IVR. Help patients reach the right person or department without manually routing their calls. IVR also automatically handles simple requests, like sharing your office locations or hours.
• Auto-replies. Reply to missed calls and texts with a message letting patients know you’ll get back with them soon so you don’t lose clients. You can also include helpful resources like your online booking link or intake forms to keep the conversation moving forward.
• HIPAA-secure call recordings and transcriptions. Automatically capture important details, like treatment discussions and consent conversations. That way, you’ll have records of verbal authorizations.

• Voicemail transcripts. Get up to speed fast with what patients want or need. Then triage callers with team members to streamline questions and requests.
• Mobile accessibility. Stay in touch with patients from anywhere with an internet connection. You should be able to make calls from any laptop, desktop, or mobile phone.
• Customizable call routing. Handle calls differently during and after hours so you don’t leave revenue on the table. Then, set up routing based on shifts or availability.

How to choose a HIPAA-compliant VoIP system: A checklist

Some compliant VoIP systems are better suited for therapists than others.

Here’s how to pick the best medical office phone system for your practice:

✅ BAA offered. Any platform that claims HIPAA compliance must provide a Business Associate Agreement. If they don’t, they’re not meeting Privacy Rule requirements, which puts your practice at risk for HIPAA violations.

✅ Efficient setup. You shouldn’t need a full onboarding team to activate your phone system. The right provider lets you get started quickly, without waiting weeks or months for implementation.

✅ Transparent security protocol and safeguards. Ensure your phone system clearly explains how its security processes work. It should explain where its data centers are, how it encrypts and backs up data, and more.

✅ Third-party audits and certifications. The provider should meet more than just HIPAA standards. Certifications like SOC 2 Type II, for example, show that a third party has tested and verified their security controls.

✅ Scalability. As your practice grows, you should be able to add features, users, and numbers without friction.

✅ Reliable calling and texting. Make sure patients always have access to your team. Look for providers with reliable uptime and positive user reviews on sites like G2 and Trustpilot.

✅ Transparent pricing. Quo’s HIPAA-compliant pricing is transparently listed on the Business and Scale plans. Easily get started in 15 minutes or less.

Quo: The best HIPAA-compliant phone service for therapists

HIPAA-compliant phone systems help therapy practices connect with clients without sacrificing their privacy. They also make it easier to manage scheduling, follow-ups, and day-to-day coordination as your caseload grows.

Quo gives you the features you need to improve customer relationships while scaling your practice. Download apps you can use on any device, like your phone, tablet, or computer. Then, make unlimited calls and texts in the US and Canada from toll-free and local numbers. Each plan comes with compliance certifications, collaboration tools, and HIPAA-required security features.

See why fast-growing therapy practices switch to Quo by signing up for a seven-day free trial.

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