Lockbin guide · Updated November 3, 2026
Short answer
Therapists need email that encrypts client information, works for clients without an app or account, collects intake paperwork securely, and comes with a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA). Lockbin does all four for $10 a month, billed monthly, and you keep your current email address.
Why ordinary email isn't enough for client information
Treatment summaries, intake forms, insurance cards and superbills are protected health information (PHI). When you attach them to an ordinary email, a copy lands in your client's mailbox and in every server along the way, and you have no way to pull it back or see who opened it.
HIPAA expects you to protect PHI you send, and to have a signed BAA with any vendor that handles it for you. Most counselors don't need a new email system for that. They need a secure way to send and receive the sensitive pieces.
What to look for
- A signed BAA you can get today. Lockbin's paid plans include one. You sign it in your dashboard in about two minutes, and Lockbin countersigns instantly and emails you the PDF.
- Nothing for clients to install. Your client gets a notice, opens the message in a browser on their phone or computer, and can reply securely from the same page.
- A way to collect intake paperwork. With a Lockbin Information Request, the client gets a secure link and uploads signed consent forms, IDs and insurance cards. They don't create an account.
- Encryption at rest, not just in transit. Lockbin stores message bodies and attachments encrypted with AES-256, each message with its own key, and uses TLS 1.2 or higher in transit.
- A record of what happened. Lockbin records when each message is opened and from what IP address, and you can set messages to delete automatically.
- A price that fits a small practice. $10 a month for one counselor, $10 per user a month for a group, billed monthly, with no setup fee or yearly contract.
Why therapists choose Lockbin
You keep the email you have. Lockbin works alongside Gmail, Outlook or whatever you use now. Use Lockbin only when something sensitive has to go out or come in.
Clients can send to you, not just receive. Besides Information Requests, Premium includes your own file-drop link to share with anyone and a secure form you can put on your practice website. Everything arrives in your encrypted Lockbin inbox instead of as ordinary attachments.
It grows with a group practice. Each counselor gets their own login under one office account. The owner manages users and billing, can receive a copy of team messages for compliance, and applies the practice's branding to team emails.
It's been doing this a long time. Lockbin has protected sensitive email for healthcare, finance and government offices since 2006, and runs on Amazon Web Services in the United States.
Getting set up
- Sign up for Premium ($10 a month) or start free with 10 secure emails and one Information Request.
- Open HIPAA BAA in the left menu of your inbox and sign it.
- Send your first secure message, or send a new client an Information Request for their intake paperwork.
One habit to keep: put client names and details in the message body or an attachment, not the subject line. Subject lines and file names aren't encrypted at the message level.
Questions
Is Lockbin HIPAA compliant for therapists?
Yes. Lockbin encrypts messages and attachments at rest with AES-256 and in transit with TLS, records when messages are opened, and signs a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement on Premium and Enterprise plans.
Do my clients need an account or app to read secure email?
No. Clients open Lockbin messages in a web browser on their phone or computer and can reply securely without installing anything.
How much does HIPAA-compliant email cost for a solo therapist?
Lockbin Premium is $10 a month for one user, billed monthly, and includes the signed BAA. A group practice pays $10 per user a month.
Do I have to change my email address?
No. Lockbin works alongside your current email. Keep your address and use Lockbin when you send or collect client information.
Or start free with 10 secure emails and one document request. Questions? Email support@lockbin.com.
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