Cadence ABA vs Catalyst
Catalyst is a long-established, highly configurable ABA data-collection tool, now sold within the Ensora Health ABA suite. Cadence ABA takes a different approach to the clinical core: voice-first capture and agentic reasoning, with a licensed clinician signing every output.
Cadence ABA
- Approach
- Voice-first capture + agentic reasoning
- Pricing
- $15/active client + $12/seat per mo (Capture); $99/mo platform on Clinical
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial, self-serve
- Best for
- Clinical teams who want presence with the child and notes that draft themselves
Catalyst
- Approach
- Tap-based data collection on tablet/phone
- Pricing
- Quote-based / subscription
- Free trial
- Demo required
- Best for
- Teams that want granular, highly customizable tap-based data collection and graphing.
Cadence ABA vs Catalyst, side by side
| Capability | Cadence ABA | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|
| Primary data captureHow a clinician records trial-by-trial data during a session. | ✓Voice-first ambient capture — speak naturally, or tap | ~Tap-based data collection on tablet/phone |
| Offline captureWhether data can be captured with no connection in the room. | ✓Fully offline; nothing lost with no signal | ✓Offline data collection |
| Agentic clinical reasoningWhether the software proactively proposes phase changes and interprets trends, not just plots them. | ✓Agents propose phase changes and interpret trends in plain language | ~Automated mastery flags; no trend interpretation |
| Auto-drafted session notesWhether billable SOAP/session notes are drafted for the clinician to review and sign. | ✓Auto-drafted SOAP notes with CPT mapped — review & sign | ~Notes via the Ensora ABA suite |
| Automatic mastery / phase detectionWhether mastery criteria are evaluated automatically as data comes in. | ✓Proposed the moment criteria are met | ✓Automated mastery determination |
| Automatic graphsEqual-interval and cumulative graphs generated from session data. | ✓Auto equal-interval & cumulative, with the trend read for you | ✓Highly customizable graphs |
| Practice management & billingScheduling, claims, and revenue-cycle management alongside clinical data. | ~Compliance, auth/units, CPT & pre-billing validation — not full-service RCM | ~Data-collection focus; PM via the Ensora suite |
| Human sign-off enforcedWhether a licensed clinician must review and sign before anything reaches a claim. | ✓Nothing reaches a claim unsigned — the agent proposes, you decide | ✓E-signature in the suite |
| PricingPublished, public pricing vs. quote-only. | $15/active client + $12/seat per mo (Capture); $99/mo platform on Clinical | Quote-based / subscription |
| Free trial / self-serveWhether a team can start without a sales call. | 14-day free trial, self-serve | Demo required |
Where Catalyst stands out
- Extremely customizable data collection and graphing
- Automated mastery — define criteria and Catalyst flags mastered targets automatically
- A large installed base and years of clinical refinement
Where Cadence is different
- Cadence captures by voice — no tapping through forms target by target during a live session.
- Cadence doesn't just plot the graph; its agents interpret the trend and draft the note from the same data.
- Self-serve signup and transparent pricing instead of a suite quote and configuration project.
Which should you choose?
Choose Catalyst if…
Teams that want granular, highly customizable tap-based data collection and graphing.
Choose Cadence ABA if…
Your priority is the clinical core — capturing data fast without losing presence with the child, getting phase-change and trend reads proposed for you, and walking away with a billable note ready to sign.
Cadence focuses on clinical capture, reasoning, documentation, and compliance — not full revenue-cycle billing. Teams that need managed claim submission may pair it with a dedicated billing system.
Cadence ABA vs Catalyst: questions
- What's the difference between Cadence ABA and Catalyst?
- Both capture trial-by-trial ABA data, but the input model differs: Catalyst is tap-based data collection with deep customization and automated mastery flagging, while Cadence is voice-first — clinicians speak naturally and Cadence structures the trials, proposes phase changes, interprets the trend, and drafts the session note. Catalyst is now part of the Ensora Health suite.
- Is Cadence ABA HIPAA compliant?
- Yes. Cadence is HIPAA-compliant and BAA-backed, with encryption in transit and at rest, role-based access for RBTs, BCBAs, and directors, and audit-defensible data lineage from the spoken trial to the signed note.
- How much does Cadence ABA cost?
- Cadence pricing is public and self-serve. The Capture plan starts at $15 per active client and $12 per clinical seat per month with a 14-day free trial; the Clinical plan adds a $99/month platform fee for the clinical-reasoning agents. An active client is any client with at least one session that month.
Catalyst details reflect publicly available information and may change; verify current specifics with the vendor. Cadence figures come from our published pricing.
Cadence ABA vs other ABA software
Prefer the full picture first? Explore the product or see transparent pricing.
Try Cadence on your own session.
Capture by voice, watch the data structure itself, and draft a billable note — start free, no sales call required.