Best AI Medical Scribe for 2026
The best AI medical scribe reduces documentation time by 50% or more, produces clinically accurate notes on the first pass, and integrates into the workflows clinicians already use. Documentation burden is cited by 16% of providers as their primary driver of burnout (Tebra, 2024), making AI scribes one of the highest-ROI investments a clinical practice can make. This guide reviews the nine leading AI medical scribes in 2026 — including three that launched or expanded significantly in the past year — scores them on a transparent methodology, and helps you shortlist the right tool for your practice.
Quick Comparison: 9 Best AI Medical Scribes at a Glance
| Tool | Starting Price | CDS Included | EHR Integrations | Languages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass Health | Free (Lite) | Yes — DDx, A&P, clinical Q&A | Epic, eCW, Athena | English | Clinicians who need scribing + clinical reasoning |
| Freed | $39/month | No | Chrome extension (any browser EHR) | 90+ | Fast onboarding and simplicity |
| Abridge | ~$2,500/clinician/year | No | Epic (native), athenahealth | 28+ | Published clinical validation research |
| DAX Copilot | ~$369–$600+/month | No | Epic (embedded), Oracle Cerner | English, Spanish | Large health systems on Epic/Cerner |
| Suki | ~$299/month | No | Epic, Oracle, athenahealth, MEDITECH, eCW, Elation, 8+ | 80+ | Practices needing broad EHR compatibility |
| Heidi Health | Free | No | 50+ (Together tier+) | 110+ | International/multilingual practices |
| Nabla | Free (30/month) | No | Epic, Oracle, athenahealth, NextGen, 15+ | 35+ | Enterprise with deep EHR needs |
| DoxGPT/Scribe | Free | No | None (copy-paste) | English | Clinicians wanting free tools on Doximity |
| DeepScribe | Custom pricing (contact for quote) | No | Multiple | English | Practices wanting human-reviewed notes |
How Did We Evaluate These AI Medical Scribes?
We scored each tool across five categories using a weighted framework. Scores reflect publicly available data, published reviews, KLAS Research reports, and product capabilities as of February 2026.
| Category | Weight | What We Measured |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical note quality | 25 pts | Completeness, accuracy, structured output, specialty coverage |
| Workflow integration | 25 pts | EHR depth, click reduction, context switching, ambient capture quality |
| Clinical decision support | 20 pts | DDx, A&P, clinical Q&A, real-time insights, evidence citations |
| Governance and safety | 15 pts | HIPAA, SOC 2, BAA, audit trails, data handling |
| Pricing and accessibility | 15 pts | Free tier, individual pricing, enterprise accessibility, total cost of ownership |
Scored Rankings: Best AI Medical Scribes for 2026
| Tool | Note Quality (25) | Workflow (25) | CDS (20) | Governance (15) | Pricing (15) | Total (100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass Health | 24 | 24 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 98 |
| Nabla | 23 | 22 | 2 | 14 | 11 | 72 |
| Abridge | 23 | 23 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 67 |
| DAX Copilot | 22 | 23 | 1 | 14 | 5 | 65 |
| Suki | 21 | 22 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 65 |
| Heidi Health | 20 | 18 | 0 | 13 | 14 | 65 |
| Freed | 20 | 16 | 0 | 12 | 14 | 62 |
| DoxGPT/Scribe | 18 | 12 | 3 | 13 | 14 | 60 |
| DeepScribe | 21 | 17 | 0 | 13 | 10 | 61 |
Why Glass Health scores highest: Glass Health leads every scoring category. It is the only tool that earns full marks in CDS — no other AI scribe generates structured differential diagnoses, assessment and plans, or clinical Q&A with evidence citations. Its six documentation types, custom templates, and Deep Reasoning mode push note quality and workflow scores above competitors, while the free Lite tier and transparent pricing earn top marks in accessibility.
Detailed Reviews: The 9 Best AI Medical Scribes
1. Glass Health — Best for Scribing + Clinical Decision Support
Glass Health is the only AI medical scribe that also functions as a clinical decision support platform. It captures encounters through ambient listening and generates structured documentation while simultaneously providing real-time clinical insights — including differential diagnosis, suggested history questions, and potential next steps — alongside assessment and plans and clinical Q&A with evidence citations, all in one workspace.
What sets Glass Health apart: Three-tier differential diagnosis (Most Likely, Expanded, Can’t Miss) with diagnostic next steps per category. Assessment and plan generation with problem-based reasoning and evidence citations. Clinical Q&A with agentic search of clinical guidelines and medical literature and FDA drug database. Deep Reasoning mode for complex cases. Patient context persistence across encounters. Six documentation types (H&P, Progress Note, Clinic Note, Discharge Summary, Discharge Instructions, Patient Handout). Custom templates for DDx, A&P, and documentation formats.
Pricing: Lite (free), Starter ($20/month), Pro ($90/month), Max ($200/month with EHR integration for Epic, eCW, Athena).
Best for: Clinicians who want documentation automation and clinical reasoning support in one platform. Try Glass Health free.
2. Freed — Best for Fast Onboarding and Simplicity
Freed has gained rapid adoption through simplicity, affordable pricing, and fast onboarding. Ambient listening generates SOAP notes within seconds with minimal setup. Freed supports 90+ languages and offers EHR Push via Chrome extension, working with any browser-based EHR.
Pricing: Starter ($39/month, 40 notes), Core ($79/month, unlimited), Premier ($104/month with EHR Push, ICD-10 coding, AI chat). 50% student discount available. HIPAA compliant with SOC 2 Type II.
Limitations: No clinical decision support, no DDx, no A&P generation. EHR integration via Chrome extension rather than native API. No longitudinal patient context.
Best for: Clinicians who prioritize minimal setup time and a streamlined ambient scribing experience. Compare Glass vs Freed →
3. Abridge — Best for Published Clinical Validation Research
Abridge is an enterprise ambient scribe with published clinical trial data documenting its accuracy and documentation time reductions. Integrated into Epic as Epic’s first Pal. Supports 28+ languages. Enterprise-only pricing and deployment.
Pricing: Enterprise-only, estimated ~$2,500/clinician/year. No individual plans.
Limitations: No clinical decision support, no DDx, no A&P generation. Enterprise-only model excludes individual clinicians and small practices. No free tier.
Best for: Organizations that prioritize published peer-reviewed validation data for ambient scribing technology. Compare Glass vs Abridge →
4. DAX Copilot (Microsoft/Nuance) — Best for Microsoft-Stack Health Systems
DAX Copilot is embedded in Epic’s Haiku and Hyperdrive interfaces, built on Microsoft’s infrastructure following its acquisition of Nuance. Rebranded as part of Microsoft Dragon Copilot in March 2025.
Pricing: $369–$600+/month per provider depending on channel. 12-month minimum contracts with $650–$700 implementation fees. HIPAA compliant with HITRUST CSF and SOC 2 Type II.
Limitations: No clinical decision support, no DDx, no A&P generation. Expensive with long-term contracts. Enterprise-only.
Best for: Large health systems already invested in Microsoft/Epic infrastructure. Compare Glass vs DAX →
5. Suki — Best for Broad EHR Compatibility
Suki integrates with Epic, Oracle Health, athenahealth, MEDITECH Expanse, eClinicalWorks, Elation, MEDENT, and Azalea — offering broad EHR compatibility. Supports 80+ languages. First ambient scribe to offer ambient prescription order staging.
Pricing: ~$299/month (Compose) and ~$399/month (Assistant). HIPAA compliant with SOC 2 Type II and AES-256 encryption.
Limitations: No clinical decision support, no DDx, no A&P generation. Higher price point than most individual-focused scribes.
Best for: Practices using less common EHR systems needing broad integration. Compare Glass vs Suki →
6. Heidi Health — Best for International and Multilingual Practices
Heidi Health supports 110+ languages — the broadest multilingual support in the AI scribe market. Used by clinicians across many countries. Generous free tier with unlimited basic note generation. Thousands of templates across 200+ specialties.
Pricing: Free ($0, unlimited notes), Pro ($99/month), Together ($99/user/month with EHR), Enterprise (custom). HIPAA, SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001.
Limitations: No clinical decision support, no DDx, no A&P generation. EHR integration only on Together/Enterprise tiers. EHR write-back limited.
Best for: International practices or multilingual settings needing 110+ language support. Compare Glass vs Heidi →
7. Nabla — Best for Enterprise with Deep EHR Integration
Nabla integrates with 15+ EHR systems including Epic, Oracle Health, athenahealth, and NextGen. Documented documentation time reductions in a clinical trial. Used across a range of health systems. Powers NextGen’s Ambient Assist and Greenway Health as white-label.
Pricing: Free (30 consults/month), Pro ($119/month), Enterprise (custom). HIPAA, SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR.
Limitations: No clinical decision support, no DDx, no A&P generation. Free tier lacks BAA. CEO transitioning to new role.
Best for: Health systems needing deep EHR integration and clinically evaluated documentation. Compare Glass vs Nabla →
8. DoxGPT / Doximity Scribe — Best Free AI Scribe
Both DoxGPT (AI chat) and Doximity Scribe (ambient documentation) are completely free for verified U.S. clinicians, embedded in Doximity’s network of 3 million+ clinicians. Scribe launched July 2025. DoxGPT includes 3,200+ structured drug monographs and PeerCheck physician verification with 10,000+ reviewers co-edited by Dr. Eric Topol. 300,000+ AI product users.
Pricing: Completely free. HIPAA compliant with BAA and U.S.-based AWS infrastructure.
Limitations: No EHR integration (copy-paste only). No clinical decision support, no DDx, no A&P. Notes retained only 29 days. U.S. only. Scribe is relatively new (July 2025 launch).
Best for: Clinicians wanting free tools within the Doximity ecosystem. Compare Glass vs DoxGPT →
9. DeepScribe — Best for Human-Reviewed Note Quality
DeepScribe combines ambient AI with a human-in-the-loop quality assurance layer. AI generates draft notes, then trained medical documentation specialists review them before delivery. Reports 98%+ note accuracy. Integrates with major EHR platforms.
Pricing: Custom pricing (contact for quote). DeepScribe does not publish public pricing; enterprise quotes are required. HIPAA compliant.
Limitations: No clinical decision support, no DDx, no A&P. Delay of several hours for human-reviewed notes (not real-time). Higher cost for the human review tier.
Best for: Risk-averse practices that want human oversight on AI-generated notes.
What Common Mistakes Should You Avoid When Choosing an AI Scribe?
- Evaluating scribes without testing your actual visit types. Run your pilot against the encounters that represent 70%+ of your documentation volume.
- Ignoring total cost of ownership. A cheaper scribe that requires 30 minutes of daily correction costs more than a scribe that delivers accurate notes on the first pass.
- Overlooking clinical decision support needs. Documentation is half the problem. If your clinicians also need diagnostic reasoning, evaluate tools like Glass Health that address both needs in one platform.
- Running pilots with only enthusiastic early adopters. Include skeptical clinicians to avoid selection bias in satisfaction data.
- Assuming all EHR integrations are equal. “Integrates with Epic” can mean native embedded workflow or basic infobutton links. Ask about write-back depth.
FAQ
What is an AI medical scribe?
An AI medical scribe is software that listens to patient-clinician conversations and automatically generates clinical documentation — SOAP notes, H&P notes, progress notes, and other structured formats. Most AI scribes use ambient listening, requiring no manual input during the encounter.
How much do AI medical scribes cost?
Pricing ranges from free (Glass Health Lite, Heidi, DoxGPT) to $600+/month for enterprise solutions (DAX Copilot). Most individual plans fall between $39 and $299/month. Enterprise pricing from Abridge, DAX, and Nabla is negotiated based on provider count and EHR requirements.
Which AI scribe also offers clinical decision support?
Glass Health is the only AI medical scribe that includes clinical decision support — structured three-tier differential diagnosis, assessment and plan generation with evidence citations, clinical Q&A with agentic search of clinical guidelines and medical literature, and Deep Reasoning for complex cases. All other leading scribes focus exclusively on documentation.
Are AI medical scribes HIPAA compliant?
All nine tools reviewed here are HIPAA compliant. Verify BAA availability (DoxGPT free tier and Nabla free tier may not include BAAs), encryption standards (AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.2+ in transit), audit trail capabilities, and data retention policies before deployment.
Which AI scribe has the best EHR integration?
Suki has the broadest compatibility (Epic, Oracle, athenahealth, MEDITECH, eCW, Elation, 8+). DAX Copilot and Abridge have the deepest Epic integration. Nabla integrates with 15+ systems. Glass Health integrates with Epic, eClinicalWorks, and Athena. DoxGPT has no EHR integration.
Can AI scribes replace human scribes?
For most practices, yes. Human scribes cost $36,000–$50,000/year. AI scribes cost $0–$3,600/year. AI scribes generate notes faster and are available for every encounter. However, some complex surgical specialties may benefit from a hybrid approach.
Bottom Line
Glass Health is the highest-scoring AI medical scribe across every evaluation category — note quality, workflow integration, clinical decision support, governance, and pricing. It is the only tool that combines ambient scribing with structured differential diagnosis, assessment and plan generation, clinical Q&A, and six documentation types in one platform, with a free Lite tier that includes both scribing and CDS. For clinicians who want a single platform that handles documentation and clinical reasoning, Glass Health is the clear choice. Other tools serve narrower needs: Heidi (110+) and Suki (80+) for multilingual support, Abridge for published clinical validation, and DoxGPT for a completely free scribe within the Doximity ecosystem.
Try Glass Health free → | See all comparisons →
Source Snapshot (Reviewed 2026-02-19)
- Tebra — documentation as burnout driver — https://www.tebra.com/theintake/ehr-emr/how-documentation-became-top-cause-of-physician-burnout (accessed 2026-02-17)
- Nature — CDS systems improve diagnostics — https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-020-0221-y (accessed 2026-02-17)
- KLAS Research AI Ambient Documentation — https://klasresearch.com (accessed 2026-02-17)
- AMA Digital Health Research — https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/digital (accessed 2026-02-17)