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Time & cost calculatorBy Lee · 6 November 2026 · 6 min read
Heidi alternatives for physios on Nookal and Cliniko
Six alternatives compared on price and where the note lands in Nookal or Cliniko.
The short answer
If your clinic runs on Nookal or Cliniko, compare two things: where the note lands, and what the plan with that connection costs. Heidi with a Nookal or Cliniko connection is about A$130 a month, or A$85 a month billed yearly, with a 12-month minimum. 8 Scribe fills your Nookal template fields, or saves to Cliniko, in one tap for A$39 per clinician per month, GST included, month to month.
When Heidi is still a strong pick
Heidi has a free plan and a much wider feature set than a focused allied health scribe. A large organisation that wants one AI suite across many specialties is better served by it.
Physio clinics usually care about a narrower list: their own templates, body charts, mixed-language consults and a note that lands in the right place in the practice system.
The alternatives at a glance
Prices and integrations come from each vendor’s public pages, checked 6 November 2026, except Heidi’s integrated price, which Heidi quotes to clinics rather than publishing. A dash means the vendor’s public pages did not state it.
| AI scribe | Price | Nookal | Cliniko |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Scribe | A$39 per clinician/month, GST included. Unlimited consults. | Fills your Nookal template fields; one tap | Saves to the patient record in your template; one tap |
| Heidi | Free plan. With Nookal or Cliniko: about A$130/month, or A$85/month billed yearly; 12-month minimum. Quoted, not published. | Practice plan; support guide describes a PDF under History | Practice and Enterprise plans |
| Lyrebird Health | Pro: $240/month or $1,920/year, excluding GST. Free plans available. | — | — |
| Grounded Scribe | Free 10 sessions. Plus A$19 to Max A$99/month, excluding GST. | Clinical note push-back | Clinical note push-back |
| CliniScribe | Per practitioner/month in AUD, excluding GST. See vendor pricing. | Sends documentation to Nookal | Sends documentation to Cliniko |
| Hanah | Free Basic plan. Practice A$100 per practitioner/month, or A$80 billed annually. | API connection and browser extension | Browser extension within Cliniko |
| Nookal JAN AI | A$34 per practitioner/month add-on, excluding GST, plus a Nookal plan. | Built into Nookal | Not a Cliniko option |
Each product is a trademark of its owner. A dash means the vendor has not stated it publicly.
What to test in a free trial
Run the same fictional consult through each scribe, using your own template. Then open the patient record in Nookal or Cliniko and count the steps left for you.
- Does the note land in your template fields or as an attachment?
- Which plan includes the connection, and what does it cost with GST?
- Does it handle a patient switching languages mid-sentence?
- Does it draw a body chart from the consult?
- Who helps you set up templates and the connection?
Where 8 Scribe fits
8 Scribe is built for allied health and physiotherapy. Speak naturally in English, Mandarin or Cantonese, even mid-sentence, and get one English note in your existing template with an AI body chart. File to Nookal or Cliniko in one tap. Our local team helps set up your templates and connection.
Common questions
What is the best Heidi alternative for Nookal?
For notes that land in your Nookal template fields, 8 Scribe files in one tap for A$39 per clinician per month. Nookal’s own JAN AI is an add-on if you want everything inside Nookal.
How much does Heidi cost in Australia?
Heidi has a free plan. With a Nookal or Cliniko connection it is about A$130 a month, or A$85 a month billed yearly, with a 12-month minimum. Heidi quotes these prices to clinics; its pricing page does not publish them.
Is there a free Heidi alternative?
Grounded Scribe has a free 10-session plan and Lyrebird has free plans. 8 Scribe offers a seven-day free trial, then A$39 per clinician per month.