Is Headway Worth it For Your Private Practice in 2026?
When you're starting a therapy practice, you face a mountain of decisions. Which EHR should you use? How do you get credentialed with insurance panels? What's the best telehealth platform? And—perhaps most pressing when you're just getting started—how do you afford all of this?
Enter Headway.
If you've spent any time in private practice Facebook groups or therapist entrepreneurship circles, you've definitely heard the buzz. Free tools. Easy credentialing. Everything you need in one place. It sounds like the promised land for new practice owners.
But here's the thing about promises that sound too good to be true: they usually require a closer look.
I'm not here to tell you Headway is terrible or that it's perfect. What I want to do is give you the complete picture—the tools, the benefits, the real limitations—so you can make an informed decision about whether Headway fits your practice model. Because the right answer isn't the same for everyone.
What Exactly Is Headway?
Headway is a startup company that's built a comprehensive suite of practice management tools specifically for therapists. Their big selling point? It's entirely free for clinicians.
Think of Headway as a one-stop shop that handles many of the administrative headaches that come with running a private practice. They've packaged together credentialing, billing, an electronic health record system, telehealth capabilities, and even a therapist directory—all at no cost to you.
Sounds pretty compelling, right? Especially when you're comparing it to paying $50-$200+ per month for various software subscriptions.
But before we get swept up in the appeal of "free," let's break down exactly what you're getting.
The Complete Headway Tool Suite
Here's (almost) everything Headway offers to therapists:
Credentialing and Insurance Billing
This is arguably Headway's strongest feature. They handle the entire credentialing process with insurance providers and manage all your billing. If you've ever tried to navigate insurance credentialing on your own, you know it's about as enjoyable as a root canal. Headway removes that obstacle completely.
Electronic Health Record (EHR) System
Headway provides a fairly built-out EHR that includes:
Customizable intake forms
Clinical assessments (PHQ-9, GAD-7, and other standard measures)
Intake notes and session documentation
Treatment plan builders
Secure client messenger
Telehealth Platform
They've integrated a telehealth solution directly into their system, which has become essential in today's practice landscape. No need for a separate Zoom account —it's all built in.
AI-Assisted Note Taking
Headway has jumped on the AI bandwagon with automated note-taking features. This can be a real time-saver if you're seeing back-to-back clients and drowning in documentation.
Therapist Directory
Similar to Psychology Today or TherapyDen, Headway operates a directory where potential clients can find you.
Clinical Academy and CEUs
Headway has partnered with PESI and other continuing education providers to offer CEU opportunities through their platform. It's a nice add-on for maintaining your licensure requirements.
Group Practice Management
If you're running a group practice, Headway offers management tools. However—and this is important—they don't support incident-to billing. This means every provider needs to be fully licensed and individually credentialed. More on why this matters in the cons section.
The Real Advantages: Why Therapists Choose Headway
It's Completely Free
Let's not dance around this: free is powerful. When you're starting out and every dollar counts, eliminating monthly software costs matters. You're not paying for an EHR subscription, a separate telehealth platform, or credentialing services. For a brand-new practice owner, that's significant financial breathing room.
Credentialing Is Ridiculously Easy
Anyone who's gone through traditional insurance credentialing knows it's a special kind of torture. Forms. Waiting. More forms. Follow-ups. Months of limbo. Headway handles this entire nightmare for you, and they do it fast. You can be seeing insurance clients within weeks instead of months.
Nearly Everything in One Place
There's something to be said for simplicity. Instead of juggling five different software subscriptions, multiple logins, and disparate systems, you've got most of what you need under one roof. For solo practitioners who just want to see clients without becoming tech administrators, this consolidation has real value.
The Limitations You Need to Understand
Here's where we need to have an honest conversation about what Headway can't do and what concerns you should consider.
It's a Startup
Headway is venture-funded and relatively young in the healthcare technology space. I always encourage therapists to do their homework on any startup they're considering. Who's funding them? What's their business model long-term? Does their approach align with your values around healthcare?
Being a startup also raises legitimate questions about longevity. What happens to your practice if Headway pivots, gets acquired, or shuts down? That's not fear-mongering—it's practical business planning.
The Directory Is Saturated
Headway's therapist directory has become incredibly crowded. Many therapists report that it doesn't generate substantial client referrals. If you're counting on the directory as your primary marketing channel, you'll likely be disappointed. It's similar to Psychology Today in that respect—being listed is fine, but it shouldn't be your entire lead generation strategy.
You Can't Really Scale
This is the big one that catches people. If you're planning to grow beyond a solo practice, Headway has significant limitations. Because they don't support incident-to billing, you can't bring on provisionally licensed clinicians or use typical group practice structures. Every single provider needs to be fully licensed and separately credentialed.
For someone with group practice aspirations, this is a dealbreaker. You're essentially capping your growth potential.
Your Credentialing Leaves When You Leave
When you credential through Headway, those panel spots are technically theirs, not yours. If you decide to leave the platform, you lose your credentialing and have to start the entire process again independently. You can't take those panels with you.
This creates a dependency that's worth considering carefully. It's like building your house on rented land—convenient until you need to move.
So Should You Use Headway?
Here's my take after working with hundreds of therapists building their practices:
Headway can be an excellent starting point, particularly if you're testing out private practice or need to get up and running quickly without significant capital investment.
However—and this is crucial—I recommend viewing Headway as a set of tools rather than the foundation of your entire practice.
What does that mean practically?
Use Headway for:
Getting credentialed quickly when you're starting out
Handling billing with insurance panels
Getting listed in their directory (with appropriate expectations)
Don't rely on Headway for:
Your complete practice management system if you plan to scale
Your primary client acquisition strategy
Your long-term credentialing approach if you value independence
In my own practice, I use Headway selectively—primarily for directory listing and some billing functions. But I've built my core systems, client relationships, and marketing strategies independently. That way, if Headway changes their model or I decide to move on, my practice continues without disruption.
Action Steps: Making the Headway Decision
If you're considering Headway, ask yourself:
Am I just starting out and need the simplest, most cost-effective path to seeing clients?
Do I plan to remain a solo practitioner, or do I have group practice ambitions?
What's my timeline for building independence from any single platform?
Do I have other marketing and client acquisition strategies beyond directory listings?
How important is it to me to "own" my insurance credentialing?
Your answers will guide your decision.
Ready to build a sustainable, scalable therapy practice? Whether you're using Headway or another platform, you need a solid marketing and business foundation. Book a free strategy call to discuss your specific practice goals and create a customized growth plan that doesn't depend on any single platform or tool.
