Spruce Health is the best HIPAA compliant messaging app for most practices in 2026, and Hushmail for Healthcare is the best budget pick for a solo practitioner who works by email. Spruce puts patient texts, team chat, calls, and faxes in one inbox and signs a BAA on every plan.
Other picks fit specific settings. TigerConnect is built for hospital care teams, OhMD ties patient texting to more than 85 EHRs, Klara suits specialty groups, and Doximity gives individual clinicians a free way to reach patients from their own phones.
A secure app is only half of compliance. You still need a signed business associate agreement, staff training, and rules about what goes in a message. Ask every vendor for its BAA before anyone sends patient information.
Our top pick
Spruce Health
Patient texts, team chat, and fax in one inbox, with a BAA on every plan.
Quick picks
Best overall
Best for hospitals
Best for EHR-linked texting
Best free option
Best on a budget
How we ranked these tools
We scored each app on five criteria: fit for clinical and patient communication, depth of security and messaging features, pricing and value, ease of use, and support. We based the scores on vendor documentation, published pricing, and public user reviews. We did not accept payment for placement. Prices reflect published rates as of October 2026, so confirm the current price with the vendor before you sign.
The 6 best HIPAA compliant messaging apps
1. Spruce Health
Best for small and midsize practices
Our rating4.7 / 5
Starting price$24 / user / month
Free planNo (14-day trial)
Spruce Health is a HIPAA compliant communication app that puts patient texts, secure messages, calls, video visits, faxes, and internal team chat in one shared inbox. It signs a BAA on every plan and trial. Basic costs $24 per user per month, and Communicator costs $49 per user per month with phone trees, after-hours triage, and API access. The 14-day trial skips SMS texting, which needs a one-time $19.50 registration fee once you pay. Large practices may be asked for an annual commitment.
Pros
- BAA included on every plan
- Patient and team messaging in one app
- Month-to-month pricing for small teams
Cons
- Texting is not part of the free trial
- Per-user pricing adds up for large staffs
- Fewer hospital workflows than TigerConnect
Key features
- Secure patient messaging
- Internal team chat
- Medical phone lines
- Digital fax
2. TigerConnect
Best for hospitals and health systems
Our rating4.5 / 5
Starting priceCustom pricing
Free planNo
TigerConnect is a clinical collaboration platform built for hospitals and health systems. Care teams message each other securely, route calls through on-call and physician scheduling, and receive alarms and nurse call alerts on their phones. It connects to more than 200 devices, EHRs, and communication systems, and the company says more than 6,000 healthcare organizations use it. Pricing comes through a demo. Smaller clinics will find it more than they need.
Pros
- Built for hospital care team workflows
- Physician scheduling and alarm routing in one platform
- Connects to EHRs, nurse call, and devices
Cons
- No published pricing
- Enterprise rollout takes planning
- Too much for a small clinic
Key features
- Secure clinical messaging
- Physician scheduling
- Alarm management
- Nurse call integration
3. OhMD
Best for patient texting tied to the EHR
Our rating4.4 / 5
Starting price$500 / month
Free planNo
OhMD focuses on HIPAA compliant texting between practices and patients. Conversations sync to the chart through integrations with more than 85 EHRs, including athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, NextGen, and ModMed, and staff can push a conversation into the patient record in one click. A BAA comes standard. OhMD says pricing starts at $500 per month for its Automate tier, with AI voice and chat available as you grow. That price is high for a solo clinician who only needs secure messages.
Pros
- Deep EHR integration for patient texts
- BAA included by default
- Adds AI phone and chat as you grow
Cons
- Higher starting price than app-based tools
- Focused on patient texting, not team chat
Key features
- Two-way patient texting
- EHR chart sync
- Automated reminders
- AI phone answering
4. Doximity
Best free option for individual clinicians
Our rating4.3 / 5
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Doximity is a professional network for U.S. clinicians, and its mobile app bills itself as free, HIPAA-compliant, and built for clinicians. The Dialer lets you call, video chat, or text patients from your own phone without showing your personal number, and DocFax sends and receives faxes on mobile. It also includes AI tools for clinical questions and note drafting. It suits an individual physician or nurse practitioner, but it is not a shared practice inbox, so front-desk staff cannot work it as a team.
Pros
- Free for clinicians
- Calls and texts patients without exposing your cell number
- Mobile fax built in
Cons
- Built for individuals, not practice teams
- No shared inbox or patient intake tools
Key features
- Dialer calls, video, and texts
- Mobile DocFax
- Clinical AI assistant
- Clinician network
5. Hushmail for Healthcare
Best for solo practitioners who need encrypted email
Our rating4.2 / 5
Starting priceFrom $11.99 / month
Free planNo (14-day trial)
Hushmail for Healthcare is encrypted email built for small practices, therapists, and solo providers. You send secure messages that clients open without installing anything, and the higher tiers add HIPAA compliant web forms and e-signatures for intake and consent. Hushmail signs a BAA, and plans start at $11.99 per month with a 14-day free trial and discounts for yearly billing. It works best for email-based communication. If your patients expect text messages, a texting app such as Spruce Health fits better.
Pros
- Low starting price for a solo practice
- BAA provided
- Secure forms and e-signatures on higher tiers
Cons
- Email-based, with no patient texting
- Forms and e-signatures need a higher tier
Key features
- Encrypted email
- Secure web forms
- E-signatures
- Signed BAA
6. Klara
Best for specialty groups that text patients at volume
Our rating4.1 / 5
Starting priceCustom pricing
Free planNo
Klara is a secure patient messaging platform used by specialty groups such as dermatology and pain management practices. Patients text the practice without a portal or app, calls can convert to text conversations, and staff work from a shared inbox with assignments. It also handles reminders, pre-visit instructions, and online forms, and it works with a range of EHRs. Klara does not publish prices and sells through a demo, so it suits practices ready for a formal evaluation more than a quick sign-up.
Pros
- Portal-free texting for patients
- Call-to-text reduces phone volume
- Shared inbox with team assignments
Cons
- No published pricing
- Demo required before you see a quote
Key features
- Two-way patient texting
- Call-to-text
- Appointment reminders
- Online forms
Compare the top HIPAA compliant messaging apps
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spruce Health | Small and midsize practices | $24 / user / month | No (14-day trial) | 4.7 |
| TigerConnect | Hospitals and health systems | Custom pricing | No | 4.5 |
| OhMD | Patient texting tied to the EHR | $500 / month | No | 4.4 |
| Doximity | Best free option for individual clinicians | Free | Yes | 4.3 |
| Hushmail for Healthcare | Solo practitioners who need encrypted email | From $11.99 / month | No (14-day trial) | 4.2 |
| Klara | Specialty groups that text patients at volume | Custom pricing | No | 4.1 |
How to choose a HIPAA compliant messaging app
Decide who is messaging whom
Clinician-to-clinician messaging in a hospital calls for TigerConnect. Practice-to-patient texting points to Spruce Health, OhMD, or Klara. A solo provider who mostly emails clients can do well with Hushmail. Pick the tool built for your main conversation.
Get the BAA before you send anything
A vendor that markets itself as HIPAA compliant still needs to sign a business associate agreement with you. Spruce Health and Hushmail state that they provide one. Read it and keep a signed copy on file.
Check where messages end up
Clinically relevant messages often belong in the chart. OhMD pushes conversations into the EHR in one click. With other tools, confirm how you export or document messages so nothing important lives only on a phone.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a messaging app HIPAA compliant?
A HIPAA compliant messaging app encrypts messages, controls who can see them, keeps audit logs, and comes from a vendor that signs a business associate agreement. The app alone is not enough. Your practice also needs policies and training on how staff use it.
Can you text patients with regular SMS?
Standard text messages are not encrypted, and wireless carriers do not sign business associate agreements, so regular SMS is risky for protected health information. A secure app such as Spruce Health or OhMD keeps the conversation inside an encrypted platform and gives you an audit trail.
Is there a free HIPAA compliant messaging app?
Doximity is free for clinicians and describes its app as HIPAA-compliant. It lets you call, video chat, and text patients without revealing your number. It is built for individuals, so practices that need a shared team inbox should budget for a paid tool.
How much does HIPAA compliant messaging cost?
Prices start at $11.99 a month for Hushmail for Healthcare and $24 per user per month for Spruce Health. OhMD starts at $500 per month. TigerConnect and Klara quote prices on request, usually for larger organizations with more complex needs.
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