How Much Does an AI Medical Scribe Cost?
Complete 2026 pricing comparison for AI medical scribes. From $50/month AI solutions to $6,000/month human scribes. Find the right option for your budget and calculate your ROI.
Save up to 98%
vs human scribes
2026 Medical Scribe Cost Summary
AI Medical Scribe Pricing 2026
Detailed pricing for the top AI medical scribe solutions. All prices verified for 2026.
PatientNotes
AI Ambient Scribe
$79/mo if monthly
Save $2,340/year vs Freed AI
Key Features:
- Unlimited visits
- SOAP note generation
- Multiple note templates
- HIPAA compliant
Best for: Solo practitioners and small practices
Freed AI
AI Ambient Scribe
$149/mo if monthly
Key Features:
- Unlimited visits
- SOAP note generation
- Visit summaries
- HIPAA compliant
Best for: Tech-savvy physicians
Suki AI
AI Voice Assistant
$299/mo if monthly
Key Features:
- Voice commands for EHR
- Note generation
- Information lookup
- EHR integrations
Best for: Small to mid-size practices
Nuance DAX Copilot
Enterprise AI Scribe
$400/mo if monthly
Key Features:
- Ambient capture
- Deep EHR integration
- Clinical decision support
- Enterprise analytics
Best for: Large health systems
DeepScribe
AI Scribe + Human QA
$500/mo if monthly
Key Features:
- Ambient capture
- Human quality review
- EHR integration
- Custom templates
Best for: Specialty practices requiring high accuracy
Abridge
AI Ambient Scribe
$300/mo if monthly
Key Features:
- Ambient documentation
- Epic integration
- Patient summaries
- Research partnerships
Best for: Academic medical centers
AI Scribe vs Human Scribe Cost Comparison
Side-by-side cost analysis for 2026
| Cost Category | PatientNotes | Freed AI | Suki | Nuance DAX | DeepScribe | Human Scribe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $50 | $99 | $199 | $300 | $400 | $3,000-6,000 |
| Annual Cost | $600 | $1,188 | $2,388 | $3,600 | $4,800 | $36,000-72,000 |
| Setup/Training | $0 | $0 | $500 | $2,500 | $1,000 | $2,000-5,000 |
| First Year Total | $600 | $1,188 | $2,888 | $6,100 | $5,800 | $40,000-75,000 |
| Per Visit Cost* | $0.05 | $0.10 | $0.20 | $0.30 | $0.40 | $3-6 |
| 5-Year Total | $3,000 | $5,940 | $12,440 | $20,500 | $25,000 | $180,000-360,000 |
*Per visit cost assumes 1,000 visits/month (typical full-time provider)
Human Medical Scribe Costs 2026
Full breakdown of traditional scribe options
In-Person Medical Scribe
Pros
- + Real-time accuracy
- + Can assist with tasks
- + No technology learning curve
Cons
- - High turnover
- - Scheduling challenges
- - Limited availability
- - Ongoing training costs
Virtual Medical Scribe
Pros
- + Flexible scheduling
- + No physical space needed
- + Backup scribes available
Cons
- - Technology requirements
- - Time zone differences
- - HIPAA compliance complexity
- - Internet dependency
Scribe Service Company
Pros
- + No HR burden
- + Quality guarantees
- + Replacement scribes
Cons
- - Premium pricing
- - Less control
- - Variable quality
- - Contract commitments
AI Scribe Return on Investment
Calculate your potential savings and productivity gains from AI medical scribes
Time Saved Per Day
AI scribes save 2-3 hours of documentation time daily
Additional Patient Visits
See 2-4 more patients per day with faster documentation
Reduced Burnout
Lower physician turnover and recruitment costs
After-Hours Work Eliminated
No more "pajama time" documentation
Improved Coding Accuracy
Better documentation supports proper billing codes
Sample ROI Calculation
Assumptions (Typical Primary Care)
- Physician hourly value: $150/hour
- Documentation time saved: 2 hours/day
- Additional patients seen: 3/day
- Revenue per visit: $150
- Working days/month: 20
Monthly Value Generated
Hidden Costs to Consider
Beyond the sticker price: what you really pay
Human Scribes
AI Scribes
Recommended AI Scribe by Specialty
Best value options based on specialty needs
| Specialty | Recommended | Price | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Care | PatientNotes | $50/mo | High volume, straightforward notes |
| Family Medicine | PatientNotes | $50/mo | Varied visit types, good template support |
| Internal Medicine | PatientNotes or Suki | $50-199/mo | Complex patients, need flexibility |
| Psychiatry | PatientNotes | $50/mo | Longer visits, narrative-heavy notes |
| Cardiology | DeepScribe or DAX | $300-400/mo | Complex procedures, specialized terminology |
| Orthopedics | DeepScribe | $400/mo | Procedure-heavy, needs human QA |
| Urgent Care | PatientNotes | $50/mo | Fast turnaround, straightforward visits |
| Dermatology | Suki or PatientNotes | $50-199/mo | Procedure notes, image documentation |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an AI medical scribe cost per month?
AI medical scribe costs range from $50-500 per month per provider in 2026. PatientNotes is the most affordable at $50/month (annual plan), while enterprise solutions like DeepScribe cost $350-500/month. Most AI scribes offer unlimited visits, making the per-visit cost extremely low compared to human scribes.
How much does a human medical scribe cost?
Human medical scribes cost $36,000-72,000 per year ($3,000-6,000/month) for full-time support. This includes salary, benefits, training, and management overhead. Virtual scribe services charge $18-40/hour. When factoring in turnover (40-60% annually), the true cost often exceeds initial estimates.
Is an AI scribe worth the cost?
For most physicians, AI scribes provide exceptional ROI. At $50-150/month, AI scribes pay for themselves if they save just 15-30 minutes of documentation time daily. Typical physicians report saving 2-3 hours/day, seeing 2-4 more patients, and eliminating after-hours "pajama time" documentation. The cost savings vs human scribes is 90-98%.
What is the cheapest AI medical scribe?
PatientNotes is the most affordable AI medical scribe at $50/month with annual billing ($79/month monthly). It includes unlimited visits, SOAP note generation, multiple templates, and works with any EHR. The 7-day free trial requires no credit card.
How much does DeepScribe cost?
DeepScribe costs approximately $350-500 per provider per month, making it one of the more expensive AI scribe options. However, DeepScribe includes human quality assurance review and direct EHR integrations. They typically require annual contracts and may have setup fees of $500-1,000.
How much does Nuance DAX cost?
Nuance DAX Copilot costs $200-400 per provider per month for enterprise customers. Implementation fees range from $2,000-5,000, and contracts typically span 1-3 years. DAX is best suited for large health systems using Epic or Cerner with deep EHR integration needs.
Are there any free AI medical scribes?
There are no truly free HIPAA-compliant AI medical scribes for ongoing clinical use. However, most AI scribes offer free trials: PatientNotes offers 7 days free, Freed AI offers 7 days, and Suki offers 14 days. Free consumer voice-to-text tools (Google, Apple) are NOT HIPAA compliant and should never be used for patient information.
How do I calculate AI scribe ROI?
Calculate AI scribe ROI by: (1) Time saved × hourly physician rate, (2) Additional patients × average visit revenue, (3) Reduced burnout/turnover value, (4) Improved coding accuracy value. For a physician making $200/hour who saves 2 hours/day, the daily value is $400. At $50-150/month, AI scribes pay for themselves in 1-2 days.
Start Saving with the Most Affordable AI Scribe
PatientNotes is just $50/month - that's less than $2/day for professional AI medical documentation.
No credit card required • HIPAA compliant • Cancel anytime