Top HIPAA-compliant text messaging apps in 2025

Is a text messaging app a HIPAA-compliant option for healthcare communication? According to HIPAA, the answer is generally ‘no’. But there are some exceptions. While HIPAA prohibits sending Protected Health Information (PHI) through unsecured channels like WhatsApp and SMS, platforms built with HIPAA-grade security features at the core can qualify as regulation-compliant.

In this article, our development team has curated a list of the top HIPAA-compliant texting tools for 2025 and beyond that enable secure, real-time interaction between healthcare professionals and patients.

Key takeaways

• Standard SMS and consumer chat apps aren’t compliant for use in healthcare, yet text messaging is not prohibited by HIPAA — provided it’s handled by a HIPAA-compliant text messaging app.
• Top HIPAA-compliant messaging platforms, such as TigerConnect, Weave, QliqChat, and others, combine security, usability, and integration.
• Healthcare organizations of larger size or those with complex workflows might need a custom text messaging solution to meet their needs.

Why HIPAA compliance matters for messaging in healthcare

Text messaging in healthcare has many practical uses. Using this channel, doctors can send appointment reminders, notify patients about delays, or coordinate care with other healthcare professionals. But text messaging in the industry can be justified only when it’s secure and in compliance with HIPAA standards.

Let’s imagine a not-so-uncommon situation: a doctor loses their phone in the hospital. A patient finds it, opens the doctor’s WhatsApp, and sees chats with patients, including PHI. That’s a major privacy risk and a HIPAA violation waiting to happen. 

That’s why HIPAA forbids the use of standard SMS and chat apps — these lack encryption and leave PHI vulnerable to interception during transmission. However, this doesn’t mean that all text messaging is off-limits for healthcare. 

HIPAA allows the use of secure text messaging for healthcare, provided the necessary safeguards are implemented to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of ePHI. According to the HIPAA Security Rule, these safeguards include: 

• End-to-end encryption – the only feasible way to secure the data both in transit and at rest.
• Access controls – these make sure only authorized individuals can send and receive the PHI.
• Audit trails – provide comprehensive activity logs, tracking who accessed and modified the messages.
• Automatic log-offs and remote wipe – even if the device is stolen or lost, this functionality makes sure the PHI remains safe.
• Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) – set the responsibilities for vendors handling PHI.

Although many consumer-grade messengers claim to use end-to-end encryption, this feature alone doesn’t make them safe to use in healthcare. Such platforms need a comprehensive set of safeguards to ensure safe messaging and check all the HIPAA boxes. 

Top HIPAA-compliant messaging apps in 2025

The best regulation-ready texting platforms in 2025 do more than just encrypt messages. They plug into the existing IT landscape, support role-based access, operate seamlessly across platforms, and have logs readily available for auditors. 

TigerConnect

TigerConnect, formerly known as TigerText, is a leading tool for patient engagement and collaboration between medical staff, which makes it an excellent choice for healthcare providers who want a universal tool for both. Currently, the tool is used by over 7,000 healthcare organizations and 700,000 care team members.

This HIPAA-compliant messaging platform receives positive user feedback for its ease of use, regulatory compliance, and seamless integration with EHRs, physician scheduling, and care workflows. Since the app is focused mainly on secure text messaging, it can’t boast built-in telemedicine workflows or patient intake capabilities like some other apps on our list.

Key features of TigerConnect:

• Supports both team collaboration and patient-provider interactions.
• No-app patient access, allowing patients to join a secure conversation via a simple SMS link.
• Secure text, video, and voice, including 1-on-1 and group messaging.
• File and media sharing, group/broadcast messaging, message lifespan, and recall.

Security and compliance features:

• TigerConnect is HIPAA-compliant and HITRUST-certified.
• Adheres to HIPAA technical, administrative, and physical safeguards
• The platform is MDM-compatible, offering message archiving, device-level protections, remote user lockout, and other centralized security features even for BYOD.
• Comes with a full-featured administrative console for user onboarding/management, security policy enforcement, and role configuration.
• Provides a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) as part of the contract process.

Best for:

• Organizations looking for a single channel of communication among clinical staff, administrative teams, and patients.
• Care networks with distributed teams, such as telehealth providers and home health agencies.

Less suitable for:

• Small practices or solo providers might find TigerConnect excessive for their needs.
• Healthcare organizations with very specific, non-standard workflows.

Pricing: Custom pricing according to a subscription-based model, with a free trial.

Weave

Weave is an all-in-one patient communication platform that caters to healthcare and dental practices. Weave is billed as an ‘all-in-one’ tool for a reason: it bundles phone, texting, reminders, forms, payments, and patient outreach within a single interface. 

Designed with HIPAA regulations in mind, Weave mainly integrates with practice management software, so the patient context and schedule pull up automatically when calls and texts come through.

Key features of Weave:

• Two-way texting between practice and patient, using the practice’s phone number.
• Strong AI engine under the hood, including sentiment analysis of call recordings, appointment reminders, an AI response assistant, and an email assistant.
• Phone system (VoIP), integrated caller ID with the practice management system, text-to-pay, and mailing/faxing capabilities.
• Robust analytics capabilities that break down core metrics, including texting engagement, call volume, and more.

Security and compliance features:

• Weave is HIPAA-aware, but the platform doesn’t disclose all certifications publicly.
• Employs industry-standard TLS 1.2+ and HTTPS encryption.
• Engages independent third-party security experts to run regular penetration tests.
• Hosted on a secure Google Cloud Platform infrastructure, with built-in ISO 27001 and SOC2 Type 2 compliance.
• BAA is not automatically signed and is provided upon request.

Best for:

• Small to medium practices that want their calls, texts, and payments workflows in one place.
• Healthcare providers that need canned functionality versus custom enterprise-grade integrations.
• Practices that rely on texting for patient engagement and want to integrate their efforts with PMS.

Less suitable for:

• Since Weave doesn’t offer deep integration capabilities, larger healthcare organizations might find it challenging to integrate the tool with existing healthcare workflows.
• The tool will likely not suffice for organizations with high-volume, multi-disciplinary communication and very large patient bases.

Pricing: Modular pricing; costs depend on the exact services and the size of the practice.

OhMD

Another HIPAA-compliant texting app is OhMD, a whole-package solution that brings two-way secure messaging, call-to-text, voicemail transcription, and more under one roof. Trusted by over 40,000 healthcare professionals, OhMD integrates with over 85 electronic health record (EHR) systems, so patient information syncs automatically.

Key features of OhMD:

• Omnichannel communication capabilities (voice, text, chat, video, forms), via SMS or encrypted message links, with messages sent from the practice’s phone number.
• Hero-in-the-loop voice AI assistant for self-service call resolution.
• Special delivery API that helps users embed the tool into any software.
• Live website chat that can be integrated into the practice’s website.
• Automated messaging workflows (OhMD Autopilot), including appointment reminders, recall messages, and more.

Security and compliance:

• OhMD supports the general rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act within the scope of the Business Associate Agreement.
• The app uses TLS RSA with ARIA-256-CBC/SHA-384 for message delivery and AES-256 for web service callouts.
• Sensitive patient data is encrypted at rest. Role-based access is implemented.
• OhMD’s hardware is hosted on secure Amazon infrastructure, using their HIPAA-compliant EC2 service, and is encrypted with AES-256.
• A BAA is provided upon request.

Best for: 

• Small to medium-sized practices that need multi-channel AI with staff context preserved.

Less suitable for:

• Large hospital systems that run on complex integrations or custom workflows.
• Healthcare organizations with heavy, large-scale telehealth video demands.
• Care teams that need deep analytics and comprehensive reporting tools.

Pricing: starts at $500/mo, live in ~1 week.

Spruce

Spruce is another text messaging app that implements comprehensive security controls for PHI. Like other apps on this list, Spruce offers an all-in-one approach, bundling text messaging, video calls, telemedicine, and task management. Over 25,000 healthcare professionals favor Spruce for its ability to securely text patients without having to use a third-party app. 

Key features of Spruce:

• Patient texting via SMS and encrypted messaging links, plus a single box to store both provider-patient and team conversations.
• Secure file sharing capabilities, including document exchange and e-faxing.
• The Spruce API allows for integrations with internal tools, electronic health records (EHRs), and other third-party tools.
• Out-of-the-box tools for task management and workflow automation.

Security and compliance:

• Spruce is a HIPAA-compliant, HITRUST-certified, and SOC 2 Type II audited patient engagement platform.
• Spruce’s Business Associate Agreement (BAA) is provided by default when applicable.
• Comprehensive security measures, including end-to-end encryption, role-based access, and 2FA.
• Spruce is hosted on a secure virtual private cloud, with restricted access and audit logs for all system access.
• Redundant systems at both the application and database layers.

Best for:

• Small- and mid-sized practices looking for a comprehensive communication tool with texts, calls, and videos integrated.
• Clinics searching for HIPAA-compliant options with seamless integrations into existing PMS and EHRs.

Less suitable for:

• Large healthcare providers and enterprise-level organizations with a need for niche integrations with multiple EHRs, billing tools, and advanced telemedicine tools.
• Organizations that require detailed insights into communication metrics, since Spruce prioritizes simplicity over deep analysis.
• Multi-location practices and networks.

Pricing: Starts at $24 per user per month, with a free trial.

QliqCHAT

QliqCHAT is a secure communication platform and one of the flagship products of QliqSOFT. The application is designed for the unique communication and engagement needs of healthcare professionals. Over 1000 hospitals, health systems, and home health organizations trust QliqSOFT products.

As for the texting app itself, QliqCHAT can be integrated with existing clinical systems, including EHRs, via its interface engine or API.

Key features of QliqCHAT:

• Enables one-on-one, group, and broadcast messaging among care teams.
• No dedicated app needed — patients and providers can communicate via SMS or web links.
• Media sharing, document uploading, e-signature, and self-serve tools.
• On-call scheduling, caller-ID masking, and workflow automation, including chatbots and care campaigns.

Compliance and security:

• QliqCHAT has SOC 2 Type 1 Certification and positions itself as a HIPAA-compliant app for secure patient communication.
• All media and data streams are encrypted by default (2048-bit RSA encryption for messages and 256-bit AES bulk encryption for attachments).
• Access to all public-facing webpages is secured over TLS (HTTPS).
• Designed with Cloud Pass-ThruTM messaging architecture and Public/Private Key security architecture at the core, exceeding HIPAA and HITECH requirements.
• Mobile device management controls (remote lock/wipe) and session security.
• A BAA is not signed automatically and is provided upon request.

Best for:

• Mid-sized to large healthcare organizations with multiple locations and departments.
• Integrated care teams.

Less suitable for:

• Solo or small practices, because QliqCHAT offers more customizable features.

Pricing: Custom per-user pricing on a subscription basis, with a free trial.

Klara

Another secure messaging solution in our list is Klara — an app trusted by thousands of medical professionals. At first glance, Klara is not much different from other contenders: similar to others, the app brings an all-in-one experience, bundling texting, appointment scheduling, and video calls.

What sets Klara apart from other solutions is the app’s focus on intake workflows and automated scheduling, integrated directly into the practice management software. As for other integrations, Klara connects with popular EHR providers, including athenahealth, AdvancedMD, and others.

Key features of QliqCHAT:

• Complete patient engagement suite, including two-way messaging, patient intake flows, appointment scheduling, and telehealth.
• App-less multi-channel communication via text, web chat, and phone.
• Call-to-text and voicemail transcriptions.
• Automated message triaging and workflow automation tools, such as appointment reminders, personalized pre- and post-visit instructions, and follow-ups.

Compliance and security:

• Safe, HIPAA-compliant interactions reinforced through end-to-end encryption, role-based access, 2FA, and audit logs.
• A BAA is not provided by default, but Klara will sign their standard BAA with covered entities/business associates upon request.

Best for:

• Small to medium-sized practices that want a universal patient engagement module integrated into their stack.
• Clinics and healthcare providers looking for a unified solution for messaging, intake, and telemedicine.

Less suitable for:

• Larger healthcare organizations or those with complex, multi-location setups.
• Providers that expect deep customization capabilities or seamless integration with uncommon workflows.

Wellapp by Artera 

Part of the larger Artera ecosystem, Wellapp by Artera allows healthcare providers to securely text patients from their business number. Unlike other tools in our list, Wellapp is focused exclusively on patient conversations and doesn’t consolidate any other workflows. However, the application integrates natively with the larger Artera ecosystem for additional capabilities. 

As for integration with clinical systems, the app marries well with popular EHR providers. 

Key features of Wellapp by Artera:

• HIPAA-compliant patient-provider communication via SMS or encrypted links.
• Multi-channel communication over text, voice, and email is united into a single thread.
• Self-scheduling and patient intake through messages.
• Secure document sharing, including photos of IDs, prescriptions, and other documents.
• The ability to star important patients.
• Internal communication tool for provider-provider interaction.

Compliance and security:

• Committed to HIPAA compliance through its security controls, including end-to-end AES-256 encryption, role-based access, 2FA, single sign-on (SSO) via SAML, and more.
• Artera holds HITRUST CSF Certification and follows OWASP and SANS security principles.
• All patient data is de-identified in accordance with HIPAA de-identification standards.
• All data is hosted on Artera’s servers and housed in on-shore, SOC 2-accredited data centers.
• Independent, third-party audits are conducted to evaluate and audit our practices against security frameworks such as ISO and HITRUST.
• A BAA is available for healthcare providers.

Best for:

• Small to medium-sized practices that need a patient-first messaging app without the complexity of team collaboration or admin tools.

Less suitable for:

• Practices looking for a universal tool that bridges patient and internal collaboration or telehealth features.
• Large healthcare networks with multi-department workflows.

Pricing: Custom pricing model.

Celo 

Celo is a HIPAA-compliant collaboration platform for healthcare teams that helps them orchestrate care across all touchpoints. Serving over 500 healthcare organizations, Celo consolidates everything a healthcare team needs to coordinate care effectively, from file sharing and task assignment to patient communication.

Like most other messaging apps in this list, Celo is plug-and-play. It can seamlessly connect with EHRs via proprietary FHIR-enabled APIs.

Key features of Celo:

• Secure messaging, including 1-1 conversations, group conversations, patient cases, multimedia sharing, and document sharing.
• Advanced communication options, including Celo role-based messaging, external chats, video and audio calling, and broadcasting.
• Team сollaboration features, such as file sharing, task assignment, and real-time updates.
• In-app camera for labeling and annotating patient photos.

Compliance and security:

• The exact set of safeguards depends on the plan: the Enterprise plan, which is the most advanced, includes the most comprehensive set of HIPAA-required security features. However, all plans, including the Free plan, are HIPAA-compliant.
• Data encryption at rest and in transit.
• Biometric authentication and identity verification.
• ISO 27001-certified data center, ICO registration, SOC2 certified hosting, NHS DSP toolkit certified, and HISO compliant.
• Celo signs a BAA.

Best for:

• Mid to large healthcare practices with multiple providers and locations.
• Organizations requiring multilingual support, since this capability is built in.

Less suitable for:

• Telehealth-centric practices since Celo’s out-of-the-box telehealth capabilities might not be enough.

Pricing: from $0 for up to 10 users in the workspace.

Solutionreach

Solutionreach is a universal patient engagement platform that works for healthcare practices of all kinds, including dental, vision, dermatology, and primary care. The application shines in the category due to a wide range of canned features — from patient chats and scheduling to recall and payments. As for integrations, Solutionreach works with over 400 PM and EHR systems.

Key features of Solutionreach:

• HIPAA-compliant communication, including two-way texting, online scheduling, and patient surveys.
• Robust automation capabilities, such as personalized messaging, appointment reminders, and follow-ups with post-appointment education.
• End-to-end revenue cycle messaging capabilities.
• Patient referral and reputation management tools.

Security and compliance:

• According to Solutionreach, all data and communications are HIPAA-compliant and are secured through administrative, physical, and technical safeguards.
• Data stored in the Solutionreach platform is encrypted.
• Solutionreach signs a BAA.
• The platform also adheres to TCPA compliance and CASL compliance.

Best for:

• Medium to large healthcare organizations with complex financial workflows.
• Multi-location healthcare groups.

Less suitable for:

• Solo practitioners or small practices.
• Telehealth-focused providers.

Pricing: Custom pricing. Healthcare providers need to request a quote.

Doctible

Last but not least in our roundup of the best HIPAA-compliant apps is Doctible, which is a full-fledged patient engagement and practice management platform. Touted as the growth engine for healthcare practices, Doctible is designed with an ambitious goal in mind: helping healthcare practices handle patient communication, admin, and marketing, all from a single, seamless platform. 

This compound approach is what sets Doctible apart from the rest. On a quest to connect all facets of patient care, Doctible integrates with 60+ practice management and EHR systems.

Key features of Doctible:

• Secure, two-way texting and image messaging (SMS, email, or voice calls).
• Tailored, automated appointment reminders and after-care instructions.
• Integrated communication hub, with all patient interactions consolidated and organized in one place.
• Real-time location-based directions to patients (traffic alerts).
• Multi-practice communication support.

Security and compliance:

• HIPAA and TCPA-compliant messaging.
• All PHI is securely stored with encryption (AES-256), firewall protection, and 24/7 surveillance.
• Data infrastructure is HITRUST CSF certified.
• Multiple layers of security at the building and network levels.
• Every practice must sign a BAA with Doctible.

Best for:

• Small to medium-sized patient-centric practices looking to improve patient engagement metrics.
• Multi-site practices that need to manage communications and patient data across locations.

Less suitable for:

• Large enterprise health systems that have complex needs for multi-layered customization or advanced features.

Pricing: Custom pricing. Providers need to schedule a demo.

Head-to-head comparison of the best HIPAA-compliant messaging platforms

For your convenience, our healthcare software development team has put together a comparison table with all the core differentiators of each out-of-the-box solution.

Checklist for evaluating HIPAA-compliant messaging apps 

Before you finalize the selection of a healthcare-focused text messaging service, make sure to use the following checklist:

1. Security and tech safeguards

• End-to-end encryption — Make sure the encryption covers attachments, metadata, and notifications in addition to message bodies.
• Encryption at rest — Check the encryption algorithm and key storage mechanisms the vendor uses (for example, AES-256 with keys in a dedicated KMS or HSM).
• Authentication controls — A good sign would be if the vendor has SSO via SAML or OIDC integrated with your IdP (Azure AD, Okta, etc). Also, check whether 2FA is applied at the policy level.
• Remote wipe and lock — See whether admins can force logout and wipe cached PHI from both mobile and desktop clients.
• Data center and infrastructure security — Ask for a recent SOC 2 Type II report and penetration test summary, plus look into data residency options.

2. Compliance and administrative safeguards

• Signed Business Associate Agreement — Reputable and truly compliant text messaging apps offer a standard BAA template upfront.
• Audit trails — Logs should be deep (message views, downloads, etc.), tamper-evident, exportable, and immutable.
• Retention and lifecycle management — Ensure the solution includes granular retention controls and that PHI can be programmatically purged after retention expiry.
• User lifecycle and access management — Check automated user provisioning and deprovisioning.

3. Functionality and operational match

• The depth of PM and EHR integration — Study how exactly the app integrates with clinical systems, including read/write capability and event triggers.
• Patient communication experience — Make sure that session expiration, link throttling, and PHI redaction are available for outbound communications.
• Automation and workflow hooks — Check for webhooks, API access, and workflow triggers.

4. Vendor maturity and support

• Security certifications and third-party audits — Opt for vendors with HITRUST CSF certification (not just SOC 2).
• Transparent security architecture — Trusted vendors perform annual third-party penetration testing and disclose the results.
• Incident response and support readiness — Analyze incident response SLAs and check breach notification under HIPAA timelines.
• Scalability — Makes sure the platform supports multi-tenant isolation, role-based access at scale, and high user concurrency.

Custom messaging solutions: when off-the-shelf isn’t enough

Being able to text your patients instead of taking office calls is convenient and, in most cases, can be handled with ready-made text messaging solutions. That’s especially true for small and mid-sized practices that don’t need deep EHR integrations and run on standard workflows.

“But what if a larger health organization wants to be alerted when a patient message mentions a critical symptom or juggles appointment management across different specialties and calendars? In cases when workflows are complex, integrations are nuanced, and analytics need to be extra, a commercial solution proves insufficient.

A custom text messaging module, on the other hand, can precisely align with the workflows of larger organizations and seamlessly integrate into the existing IT estate. Tailored solutions can also break down any metrics needed, whether that’s patient engagement, response times, or workflow specs. And let’s not forget a fully branded patient experience and personalized messaging threads that make the entire interaction feel like it’s truly coming from your clinic, not a generic platform.

At Orangesoft, we can help you with either. As a custom healthcare software development company, Orangesoft designs and implements messaging solutions that fit your exact needs, whether that’s bringing an off-the-shelf solution into your practice or developing a custom text messaging solution from scratch.

When developing a custom text messaging solution, we make sure it’s built with the following considerations in mind:

• Secure architecture — Every component of our messaging system is developed with security in mind, from end-to-end encryption to detailed audit logs and role-based access.
• Compliance-first design — Audit trails, retention policies, BAAs, remote wipe, and other HIPAA-aware features are a bare minimum.
• Mobile-friendly — Solutions we deliver are optimized for iOS and Android devices.
• Integration-ready — Our team builds with API-first and FHIR-enabled interoperability in mind to ensure real-time data exchange between systems.

Conclusion

Being able to text your provider is a baseline expectation for many patients. While standard apps and SMS put patient data at risk, HIPAA-compliant solutions protect it and connect both sides of care in real time. However, not all off-the-shelf text messaging apps are equally secure and make maintaining HIPAA compliance easier for providers.

Also, some practices may find the features provided by TigerConnect, Weave, QliqChat, and other ready-made solutions sufficient for their complex workflows. In cases like this, a custom text messaging module might be the right fit.