Healthcare & Medical · head to head
Athenahealth vs Cerner PowerChart
Athenahealth
Healthcare & Medical
Cloud-based medical practice management
- From
- $140/month
- Rated
- -
Cerner PowerChart
Healthcare & Medical
Advanced clinical charting and documentation system within Cerner EHR
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Athenahealth high implementation costs ranging up to $50,000+ for enterprise deployments; Cerner PowerChart oracle Health's own company timeline, as captured by the Internet Archive around 2022, states that the Oracle purchase of Cerner was approved that year, describing Cerner as the world's largest electronic health record provider joining Oracle Corporation; no per-seat or per-facility pricing is disclosed on the vendor's page, only enterprise contact-sales
- They diverge on capability: Athenahealth covers Electronic Health Records, Cerner PowerChart covers Clinical Documentation.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Athenahealth and Cerner PowerChart actually diverge.
| Attribute | Athenahealth | Cerner PowerChart |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $140/month | On request |
| Pricing model | Unknown | quote |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, Desktop |
| Founded | 1997 | 1979 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Healthcare & Medical).
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 Athenahealth
- Electronic Health Records
- Medical Billing
- Patient Engagement
- Telehealth
- Analytics
- Labs
- Pharmacies
- Clearinghouses
Only in Cerner PowerChart
- Clinical Documentation
- Intelligent Templates
- Evidence-Based Content
- Clinical Decision Support
- Workflow Automation
- Real-time Alerts
- HL7
- FHIR
Both cover
- HIPAA
- HITRUST
- SOC2
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Athenahealth
- Patient Care
- Medical Records
- Practice Management
- Telehealth
Cerner PowerChart
- Patient Care
- Medical Records
- Practice Management
- Telehealth
Both are used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Athenahealth
- High implementation costs ranging up to $50,000+ for enterprise deployments
- Pricing tiers not transparently listed, requiring custom quotes
Cerner PowerChart
- Oracle Health's own company timeline, as captured by the Internet Archive around 2022, states that the Oracle purchase of Cerner was approved that year, describing Cerner as the world's largest electronic health record provider joining Oracle Corporation; no per-seat or per-facility pricing is disclosed on the vendor's page, only enterprise contact-sales
Pricing, plan by plan
Athenahealth
$140/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Athenahealth review.
Cerner PowerChart
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Cerner PowerChart review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Athenahealth if
- You need electronic health records.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want medical billing.
Choose Cerner PowerChart if
- You need clinical documentation.
- You work on Web, Desktop.
- You also want intelligent templates.
Questions people ask
- Is Athenahealth or Cerner PowerChart better?
- Neither clearly leads. Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Cerner PowerChart at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Athenahealth or Cerner PowerChart?
- Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Cerner PowerChart at On request.
- Does Athenahealth or Cerner PowerChart run on more platforms?
- Athenahealth runs on Web, iOS, Android. Cerner PowerChart runs on Web, Desktop.
- What is Athenahealth best used for?
- Athenahealth is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth.
- What can Athenahealth do that Cerner PowerChart cannot?
- Athenahealth covers Electronic Health Records, Medical Billing, Patient Engagement, Telehealth. Cerner PowerChart covers Clinical Documentation, Intelligent Templates, Evidence-Based Content, Clinical Decision Support. Both handle HIPAA, HITRUST, SOC2, Cloud deployment.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Athenahealth: What platforms does Athenahealth serve?
Athenahealth's athenaOne serves small to medium-sized physician practices and hospitals with integrated clinical, financial, and operational workflows.
SourceAthenahealth: What is the pricing model for athenaOne?
Athenahealth uses customized pricing with percent-based or encounter-based models. Starting price reported at $140/month with implementation costs ranging from $5,000-$20,000 for small businesses.
SourceAthenahealth: Does Athenahealth include revenue cycle management?
Yes, athenaOne includes network-driven claims scrubbing with 95%+ first-pass rates, denial management, and A/R optimization.
SourceAthenahealth: What patient engagement features does Athenahealth offer?
Athenahealth provides athenaCommunicator for patient portals, automated appointment reminders, online scheduling, telehealth integration, digital intake, and broadcast messaging.
SourceAthenahealth: How many pre-built integrations does Athenahealth have?
Athenahealth's marketplace includes over 250 pre-integrated third-party apps, allowing practices to extend functionality without custom development.
Source