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Veterinary · head to head

Animana vs IDEXX Cornerstone

Animana logo

Animana

Veterinary

Browser-based practice management for European small-animal clinics, owned by IDEXX

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IDEXX Cornerstone logo

IDEXX Cornerstone

Veterinary

On-premise veterinary practice management software tied to the IDEXX diagnostics ecosystem

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Animana it runs only in a browser, so a broadband outage stops consulting, invoicing and dispensing at the same time, and there is no offline mode to fall back on.; IDEXX Cornerstone the system runs on a server in the building, so the practice pays for hardware, backups and an IT provider, costs that never appear in a comparison against browser based competitors.
  • They diverge on capability: Animana covers Cloud clinical records, IDEXX Cornerstone covers Medical records.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Animana and IDEXX Cornerstone actually diverge.

Attributes where Animana and IDEXX Cornerstone differ
AttributeAnimanaIDEXX Cornerstone
PlatformsWebWindows

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Veterinary).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Animana

  • Cloud clinical records
  • IDEXX diagnostics integration
  • Multi-country financials
  • Inventory and dispensing
  • Multi-location support
  • Reporting

Only in IDEXX Cornerstone

  • Medical records
  • Diagnostics integration
  • Estimates and invoicing
  • Inventory control
  • Boarding and grooming
  • Wellness plans

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Animana

  • A Dutch or Belgian clinic replacing an ageing on-premise system without buying a new servernot IDEXX Cornerstone
  • A multi-country European group that needs one system handling several VAT regimesnot IDEXX Cornerstone
  • A practice already committed to IDEXX analysers and reference laboratory servicesnot IDEXX Cornerstone
  • A clinic wanting staff to work from home or a second site without remote desktop softwarenot IDEXX Cornerstone

IDEXX Cornerstone

  • A multi-doctor general practice already running IDEXX in-house analysers that wants results in the record automaticallynot Animana
  • A clinic with unreliable internet where an on-site server keeps the practice working during an outagenot Animana
  • A practice that boards and grooms as well as treating, and wants those bookings on the same invoicenot Animana
  • A group needing consolidated reporting across a small number of owned locationsnot Animana

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Animana

  • It runs only in a browser, so a broadband outage stops consulting, invoicing and dispensing at the same time, and there is no offline mode to fall back on.
  • The diagnostics integration is deepest with IDEXX equipment, so a practice that later switches laboratory supplier keeps software built around the supplier it left and loses the smoothest part of the workflow.
  • It is not sold in North America, where IDEXX offers a different cloud product, so a group with clinics on both continents runs two systems and consolidates reporting manually.
  • Reporting is functional rather than deep, and practices wanting detailed business analysis typically export to a spreadsheet or a separate tool.
  • Imaging is handled through integrations rather than natively, so radiography and ultrasound workflows depend on which PACS the practice already owns and how well it connects.

IDEXX Cornerstone

  • The system runs on a server in the building, so the practice pays for hardware, backups and an IT provider, costs that never appear in a comparison against browser based competitors.
  • It is Windows only with no meaningful mobile access, which rules it out for house call and ambulatory work and leaves staff tied to workstations.
  • The interface is dense and dated, so training a new receptionist or technician takes materially longer than on newer systems.
  • Commercial gravity runs towards IDEXX diagnostics, and a practice that later moves its laboratory work to a competitor loses the automation that justified the software.
  • IDEXX is directing new customers towards its cloud products, so investment in Cornerstone is maintenance oriented and buyers should assume a migration conversation within the life of the purchase.

Pricing, plan by plan

Animana

On request
  • Animana$undefined/year
    • Per-user subscription
    • Implementation and data migration quoted separately
    • Support included

IDEXX Cornerstone

On request
  • Cornerstone$undefined/year
    • Licence priced by number of workstations and modules
    • Annual support and maintenance charged separately
    • Server hardware and IT support are the responsibility of the practice

Which should you pick?

Choose Animana if

  • You need cloud clinical records.
  • You also want idexx diagnostics integration.
Animana review

Choose IDEXX Cornerstone if

  • You need medical records.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want diagnostics integration.
IDEXX Cornerstone review

Questions people ask

Is Animana or IDEXX Cornerstone better?
Neither clearly leads. Animana starts at On request and IDEXX Cornerstone at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Animana or IDEXX Cornerstone?
Animana starts at On request and IDEXX Cornerstone at On request.
Does Animana or IDEXX Cornerstone run on more platforms?
Animana runs on Web. IDEXX Cornerstone runs on Windows.
What is Animana best used for?
Animana is most often used for a dutch or belgian clinic replacing an ageing on-premise system without buying a new server, a multi-country european group that needs one system handling several vat regimes, a practice already committed to idexx analysers and reference laboratory services, a clinic wanting staff to work from home or a second site without remote desktop software. Of those, a dutch or belgian clinic replacing an ageing on-premise system without buying a new server and a multi-country european group that needs one system handling several vat regimes are not what IDEXX Cornerstone is typically brought in for.
What can Animana do that IDEXX Cornerstone cannot?
Animana covers Cloud clinical records, IDEXX diagnostics integration, Multi-country financials, Inventory and dispensing. IDEXX Cornerstone covers Medical records, Diagnostics integration, Estimates and invoicing, Inventory control.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Animana: Can I use Animana with non-IDEXX laboratory equipment?

Yes, but the integration is shallower. IDEXX analysers and reference lab results flow in automatically; other suppliers usually need a separate integration and sometimes manual result entry.

IDEXX Cornerstone: Is Cornerstone cloud based?

No. It is installed on a server at the practice. IDEXX sells separate browser based products for clinics that want cloud.

Animana: Is Animana available in the United States?

No. IDEXX sells a different cloud practice management system in North America, so Animana is a European purchase only.

IDEXX Cornerstone: Does it work with laboratories other than IDEXX?

Results can be handled, but the automatic requisition and result return that make Cornerstone worth its price are built around IDEXX.

Animana: Do I need a server in the practice?

No. Everything runs in the browser. You need reliable internet and enough bandwidth for imaging, not local server hardware.

IDEXX Cornerstone: What is the real total cost?

The licence and annual support are only part of it. Add the server, backup, workstation refreshes and an IT contract before comparing with cloud systems.

IDEXX Cornerstone: Can it be accessed from home?

Only through remote desktop or similar, set up and secured by the practice IT provider.

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