Software · head to head
Athenahealth vs Cliniko
Cliniko
Software
Clinic management software for health practitioners
- From
- $59/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Athenahealth high implementation costs ranging up to $50,000+ for enterprise deployments; Cliniko priced in practitioner bands rather than per seat, so a clinic adding a sixth practitioner jumps from $95 to $145 a month
- They diverge on capability: Athenahealth covers Electronic Health Records, Cliniko covers Appointment Scheduling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Athenahealth and Cliniko actually diverge.
| Attribute | Athenahealth | Cliniko |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $140/month | $59/month |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 1997 | 2012 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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
- Analytics
- Labs
- Pharmacies
- Clearinghouses
- Health Information Exchanges
Only in Cliniko
- Appointment Scheduling
- Online Booking
- Client Management
- Invoicing
- Patient Portal
- Payment processors
- Online forms
Both cover
- Telehealth
- SOC2
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- Mobile support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Athenahealth
- Patient Carenot Cliniko
- Medical Recordsnot Cliniko
- Practice Managementnot Cliniko
- Telehealthnot Cliniko
Cliniko
- Practice management for allied health clinicsnot Athenahealth
- Appointment scheduling and online bookingsnot Athenahealth
- Clinical notes and patient recordsnot Athenahealth
- Telehealth consultationsnot Athenahealth
- Invoicing and payment tracking for a multi-practitioner clinicnot Athenahealth
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
Cliniko
- Priced in practitioner bands rather than per seat, so a clinic adding a sixth practitioner jumps from $95 to $145 a month
- The top published band stops at 200 practitioners
- SMS is charged separately at 10 cents a message
- Telehealth requires entering card details before it unlocks, even during the trial
- There is no free tier, only a 30 day trial
Pricing, plan by plan
Athenahealth
$140/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Athenahealth review.
Cliniko
$59/month- Professional$59/month
- Scheduling
- Patient portal
- Invoicing
Which should you pick?
Choose Athenahealth if
- You need electronic health records.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want medical billing.
Choose Cliniko if
- You need appointment scheduling.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want online booking.
Questions people ask
- Is Athenahealth or Cliniko better?
- Neither clearly leads. Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Cliniko at $59/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Athenahealth or Cliniko?
- Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Cliniko at $59/month.
- Does Athenahealth or Cliniko run on more platforms?
- Athenahealth runs on Web, iOS, Android. Cliniko runs on Web, Mobile.
- What is Athenahealth best used for?
- Athenahealth is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth. Of those, patient care and medical records are not what Cliniko is typically brought in for.
- What can Athenahealth do that Cliniko cannot?
- Athenahealth covers Electronic Health Records, Medical Billing, Patient Engagement, Analytics. Cliniko covers Appointment Scheduling, Online Booking, Client Management, Invoicing. Both handle Telehealth, SOC2, Cloud deployment, Web support.
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