MyTCM vs Smart TCM for acupuncture and TCM clinics in Canada
2026 pricing and feature comparison. By Oscar Poon, founder of MyTCM.
The short answer
Smart TCM is clinic management software for TCM, acupuncture and remedial massage, based in Australia, with English and Chinese support and TCM diagnosis templates. Its pricing was not available when we checked, so this page compares features. MyTCM is built for Canadian clinics: ICBC billing available today, Mandarin and English dictation, and pairing that suggests acupoints and herbs from the ICD code and pattern.
Features compared
Smart TCM's pricing page did not load when we checked, so this is a feature comparison. It advertises a 30 day free trial with no credit card.
| MyTCM | Smart TCM | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Canadian TCM and acupuncture clinics | TCM, acupuncture and remedial massage clinics, based in Burwood, NSW, Australia |
| Pricing | Single License $56 a month for up to 5 users at 1 location. $99 for 2 locations and up to 10 users | Not available when we checked |
| Language | Interface in English, Traditional and Simplified Chinese. Mandarin and English dictation | English and Chinese. Prescriptions print in pinyin, characters or both. Symptom translation uses Google Translate |
| Diagnosis and herbs | Suggests acupoints and herbs from the ICD code and pattern | TCM diagnosis templates with herbal formulas and acupoints |
| Insurance billing today | ICBC available today (email on every license, web portal on Site License). More insurers and MSP are being added | Insurance-compliant receipts for private health claims. No Canadian payers named |
| Compliance | Data stored in Montreal. Designed to the ten principles of PIPEDA and BC PIPA | States AHPRA compliance (Australia). No PIPEDA or PHIPA mention found |
| Free trial | 30 days | 30 days, no card |
Smart TCM details are from its home page.
Anyone can build an EMR with AI. Solving day-to-day clinic problems requires real clinic management experience.
A chart, a calendar and an invoice are the easy part of clinic software. What makes practitioners choose MyTCM is that it was designed around the specific problems of a TCM clinic, so each one takes a fraction of the time and effort.
Oscar Poon, MyTCM's founder, is in the process of becoming certified as a CIPP/C, the Canadian privacy professional designation. He has not passed the exam yet. He also spent 10 years managing 3 acupuncture clinics, and that experience shaped how every part of MyTCM works.
Problems MyTCM is built to solve
Where a Smart TCM cell says "not described", the pages we read did not mention it. Ask Smart TCM before you decide.
| Problem | How MyTCM solves it | Smart TCM |
|---|---|---|
| Charting in Chinese when records and insurers need English | Mandarin and English voice dictation, a Chinese to English SOAP report, and a trilingual interface (English, Traditional and Simplified Chinese) | English and Chinese. Prescriptions print in pinyin, characters or both |
| Building presets before the software saves you time | Pairs an ICD code and a TCM pattern with suggested acupoints and herbs without presets, built from more than 10 Canadian and Chinese textbooks and 20 years of clinical documentation from three Vancouver clinics | TCM diagnosis templates with herbal formulas and acupoints. Pairing from an ICD code and pattern is not stated |
| Paying more every time you add a practitioner | One flat price covers up to 5 users at a location | Not described on the pages we read |
| Splitting revenue and paying practitioners | One-click payment, payroll and revenue-split reports | Not described on the pages we read |
| Getting help fast when something breaks | Direct tech support on WhatsApp, 6 AM to 9 PM Pacific | Not described on the pages we read |
| Owning and keeping your patient data | You own the database, set up on accounts in your name, stored in Montreal. MyTCM accesses it only as the Data Processing Agreement you sign before set up allows | States AHPRA compliance (Australia). No PIPEDA or PHIPA mention found |
Where Smart TCM is strong
- Built for TCM and acupuncture, with Chinese language support and printable prescriptions in pinyin or characters.
- A 30 day free trial with no card.
- Automated SMS and email reminders.
Where MyTCM is strong
- Charting built around TCM: ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes, TCM patterns, 361 acupuncture points and Pinyin plus Latin herb names.
- Auto diagnosis and treatment pairing that suggests acupoints and herbs from the ICD code and pattern, without presets.
- Mandarin and English voice dictation and a Chinese to English SOAP report.
- Unlimited appointments and one flat price for up to 5 users at a location, so adding practitioners costs nothing extra.
- Direct tech support on WhatsApp, 6 AM to 9 PM Pacific.
- You own the database. Your data is stored in Montreal, Canada.
- ICBC billing available today, with more insurers being added.
Choose Smart TCM if
- You practise in Australia or want its printed pinyin prescriptions.
- You want to try it free before seeing pricing.
Choose MyTCM if
- You practise in Canada and want Canadian privacy handling and data storage.
- You bill ICBC and want Canadian insurer billing added over time.
- You want dictation and pairing rather than templates.
Ask any vendor before you sign
These questions apply to us too.
- Which Canadian payers can I bill directly today, and which are still planned?
- What is the total monthly price for my number of practitioners and staff?
- Where is my patient data stored, and can I export it if I leave?
Frequently asked questions
Is Smart TCM available in Canada?
Its home page describes AHPRA compliance and it is based in Australia. It does not mention Canadian payers or PIPEDA and PHIPA.
How much does Smart TCM cost?
Its pricing page did not load when we checked. The site advertises a 30 day free trial with no card.
Sources
MyTCM is not affiliated with Smart TCM. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm current pricing on their site.