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AI medical scribe alternatives

AI medical scribe alternatives compared on review, consent and price.

AI scribes all draft notes. They differ in how they listen, what you can check before you sign, and what they cost per clinician. Some are free: Heidi and Tandem both list free plans with unlimited notes. Here are honest options, Sondeas included.

Sources checked 22 Oct 2026

Heidi, Freed and Tandem prices are as listed on their own pricing pages on that date. Feature facts link to the vendor page we read. We make Sondeas. Tell us if anything is out of date.

What people look for

What to compare before you choose a scribe

The questions that separate one scribe from another.

  • Consent

    Is consent asked and logged for every visit, and does an objection stop the recording?

  • Evidence for each sentence

    Can you see where each sentence of the draft came from, and what is not in the recording?

  • Review before signing

    What is checked before you sign, and can a signed note still change without a trace?

  • Dictation and visits

    Can you dictate after the visit as well as record it, and dictate into your record system?

  • Price per clinician

    Is there a free plan, a public monthly price and a practice price you can buy online?

  • Languages

    Does it handle the languages your patients speak, and write instructions in the patient's language?

The short list

Five options worth a look

Prices are list prices per clinician, in US dollars unless noted.

  • Sondeas

    That's us

    Every sentence linked to the second of the recording it came from, checks before you sign, sign and lock, and an optional passphrase lock.

    Best for
    Clinicians who dictate and want to check every sentence before signing.
    Price
    7 days free on Pro and Clinician. Clinician $49 a month, or $39 a month billed yearly. 25 fast hours a month, then unlimited standard speed. Founding price $29 a month, locked for life for clinicians who join.
    Good to know
    Works in the browser, with an extension that dictates into web EHR fields. No dictation into desktop apps outside the browser yet.
  • Heidi

    Ambient scribe, dictation on the desktop, coding suggestions and tasks, in 110+ languages.[2][3][4]

    Best for
    Clinicians who want free, unlimited scribing.
    Price
    Free plan with unlimited scribing. Clinician $150 a month, or $110 billed yearly; 14-day Clinician trial.[1]
    Good to know
    Registered as a Class I medical device in the UK. Practice seats are $180 a month, billed yearly only.[5][1]
  • Tandem Health

    Ambient scribe with referrals, sick notes and visit summaries, plus coding suggestions.[7][8]

    Best for
    Clinics that want ambient notes with a free plan, priced in euros.
    Price
    Free plan with unlimited notes. Pro €125 per user a month, billed yearly.[6]
    Good to know
    States CE MDR class IIa on its site.[8]
  • Freed

    Ambient visit notes, pre-visit summaries and a Chrome extension that maps notes into browser EHRs.[10][11][12]

    Best for
    Clinicians who want an ambient scribe that pushes notes into browser EHRs.
    Price
    Starter $39 a month (up to 40 notes), Core $79 (unlimited notes), Premier $119, or $104 billed yearly. 7-day trial, no card.[9]
    Good to know
    EHR push, coding and letters are on Premier.[9]
  • Dragon Medical One

    Speech recognition that types what you say, with voice commands, auto-texts with fields and a Dictation Box.[14]

    Best for
    Clinicians who want to type by voice into the applications they already use.
    Price
    Not published; Microsoft asks you to contact sales.[13]
    Good to know
    Microsoft offers ambient note-writing as a separate product, Dragon Copilot.[15]

Side by side

Three scribes and Sondeas, side by side

Facts from each vendor's own pages. Prices per clinician per month, in US dollars unless noted.

Heidi, Freed and Tandem Health compared with Sondeas, sources read 22 October 2026
FeatureHeidi(public pages, 22 Oct 2026)Freed(public pages, 22 Oct 2026)Tandem Health(public pages, 22 Oct 2026)Sondeas
Price
Free planHeidiFree forever, with unlimited scribing.[1]FreedNo free plan listed; 7-day trial, no card.[9]Tandem HealthFree plan with unlimited notes.[6]SondeasNo free plan; 7 days free on Pro and Clinician, card required.
Paid planHeidi$150 a month, or $110 billed yearly.[1]Freed$39 (up to 40 notes), $79 (unlimited notes) or $119 a month.[9]Tandem HealthPro €125 a month, billed yearly.[6]Sondeas$49 a month, or $39 a month billed yearly. 25 fast hours a month, then unlimited standard speed. Founding price $29 a month, locked for life for clinicians who join.
PracticeHeidi$180 per seat a month, billed yearly only.[1]FreedGroups: custom price with a volume discount.[9]Tandem HealthNot checkedSondeas$45 per clinician seat a month billed yearly ($55 monthly), secretary seats $19, from 3 seats, with fast hours pooled.
Listening and languages
CaptureHeidiAmbient scribe, and dictation anywhere on the desktop.[2][3]FreedAmbient scribe for the visit.[10]Tandem HealthAmbient scribe for in-person, video and phone visits.[7]SondeasDictate in the browser after the visit, with voice commands and punctuation modes (automatic, spoken or mixed) in English and Spanish, or upload a recording.
LanguagesHeidi110+ languages.[2]Freed90+ languages.[16]Tandem HealthNot checkedSondeasTranscription and translation in 100 languages; patient instructions in the patient's language.
Review and status
Evidence for each sentenceHeidiNot checkedFreedNot checkedTandem HealthNot checkedSondeasEvery sentence links to the second of the recording it came from. Anything not in the recording is flagged.
CodingHeidiSNOMED and ICD-10 suggestions.[4]FreedICD-10, CPT and E&M suggestions.[17]Tandem HealthICD-10, ICPC-2 and SNOMED.[8]SondeasNot offered yet.
Regulatory statusHeidiRegistered MHRA Class I medical device (UK).[5]FreedNot checkedTandem HealthStates CE MDR class IIa.[8]SondeasDocumentation support, not a medical device.

When Sondeas fits better

Sondeas is the better fit when you want to check every line before you sign.

  • Evidence on every lineClick any sentence to hear where it came from. What the recording does not support is flagged, not filled in.
  • Checks before you signMedications, doses, allergies, laterality, sex and identity are checked, and possibly missing items are listed.
  • Sign and lockA signed note cannot change silently. Amendments keep a reason and an audit trail.
  • A passphrase only you knowLock your notes with a key we never hold, so our staff cannot read them.
  • Public prices for a practiceClinician $49 a month, Practice from $45 a clinician seat. Buy online or book a demo; no sales call needed.

When another scribe fits better

If free, unlimited scribing matters most, Heidi and Tandem both list free plans. If you need coding suggestions today, Heidi, Freed and Tandem list them. If you need a registered medical device, Heidi (MHRA Class I, UK) and Tandem (CE MDR class IIa) state that status.

Questions

AI medical scribe alternatives: questions

Which AI medical scribes are free?
Heidi and Tandem both list free plans with unlimited scribing or notes on their pricing pages (read 22 Oct 2026). Freed offers a 7-day trial with no card. Sondeas has no free plan. Pro and Clinician start with 7 days free, card required.
What should I compare before choosing a scribe?
Consent for every visit, evidence for each sentence, what is checked before you sign, whether signed notes are locked, how it fits your record system, the price per clinician and for a practice, and its regulatory status where you work.
How do I compare two scribes fairly?
Dictate the same non-identifiable test case into both, then compare the drafts, what each one flags, and how long review takes.
Does Sondeas work with my EHR?
Copy into any EHR section by section, or dictate into web EHR fields with the browser extension. Direct integrations are planned; ask us about yours.
Is Sondeas a medical device? Is it HIPAA compliant?
Documentation support, not a medical device: Sondeas drafts, you review and sign. We do not offer a BAA at launch and do not claim HIPAA compliance. Contact us before using US patient data.
What does Sondeas cost for a practice?
$45 per clinician seat a month billed yearly ($55 monthly), secretary seats $19, from 3 seats, with fast hours pooled. One invoice for the practice.

Sources

  1. [1] heidihealth.com/en-us/pricing, Heidi plans and prices. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  2. [2] heidihealth.com/changelog/july-2025-updates, Heidi languages, Chrome side panel and desktop app. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  3. [3] heidihealth.com/en-au/product/dictate, Heidi dictation. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  4. [4] support.heidihealth.com, medical coding, Heidi coding suggestions. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  5. [5] heidihealth.com/blog/uk-clinicians-using-heidi-satisfy-nhs-guidance, Heidi MHRA Class I registration (UK). Read 22 Oct 2026.
  6. [6] tandemhealth.ai/product/pricing, Tandem plans and prices. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  7. [7] tandemhealth.ai/product/ai-scribe, Tandem scribe outputs. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  8. [8] tandemhealth.ai/ai-info, Tandem regulatory status and coding. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  9. [9] getfreed.ai/pricing, Freed plans and prices. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  10. [10] getfreed.ai, Freed product overview. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  11. [11] help.getfreed.ai, frequently asked questions, Freed chat edits, pre-visit summaries and retention. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  12. [12] getfreed.ai/ehr-push, Freed Chrome extension for browser EHRs. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  13. [13] microsoft.com, Dragon Medical One, Dragon Medical One (no price published; contact sales). Read 22 Oct 2026.
  14. [14] support.microsoft.com, Dragon Medical One quick reference guide, Dragon Medical One voice commands, auto-texts and Dictation Box. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  15. [15] microsoft.com, Dragon Copilot, Dragon Copilot ambient notes. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  16. [16] getfreed.ai/resources/ai-scribe-multilingual-visits, Freed languages. Read 22 Oct 2026.
  17. [17] getfreed.ai/press, coding assistant, Freed coding suggestions. Read 22 Oct 2026.

Related

Heidi, Freed, Tandem Health and Dragon Medical One are trademarks of their owners, used only to identify their products. Facts about them come from public pages read on 22 Oct 2026 and may have changed. Tell us if something is out of date.

Dictate one patient. See the note, and where every line came from.

7 days free on Pro and Clinician. Card required, cancel any time. Founding Clinician price $29 a month, locked for life.