SimplePractice lets you charge clients using services and products, each designed for a different type of billing scenario. Understanding the difference helps ensure charges appear correctly on appointments, invoices, and documentation.
Services
Services represent billable appointments that appear on the calendar. Common examples include 90834 – Psychotherapy, 45 minutes or Art Therapy.
Services are used when:
- An appointment takes place
- Documentation, such as a progress note, is required
- The charge should be tied to a specific date of service
Services can be used for insurance or private-pay billing.
To learn more about using services in SimplePractice, see Creating and using service codes.
Products
Products are billable items that aren’t tied to an appointment. They’re added directly to invoices and don’t appear on the calendar or include documentation.
Products are commonly used for:
- Supplies, books, or materials
- Reports or administrative fees
- Workshops or non-session charges
- One-time or recurring non-appointment fees
To learn more about using products in SimplePractice, see Creating and charging products.
Important: You may choose to add credit card processing fees as a product. Before doing so, confirm whether passing credit card fees on to clients is legal in your state. To learn more, see Am I able to add a credit card processing fee to an invoice?