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Healthcare · head to head

Athenahealth vs Epocrates

Athenahealth logo

Athenahealth

Healthcare

Cloud-based medical practice management

From
$140/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Epocrates logo

Epocrates

Healthcare

Mobile clinical reference and decision support app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Epocrates has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Athenahealth high implementation costs ranging up to $50,000+ for enterprise deployments; Epocrates pricing page not publicly accessible
  • They diverge on capability: Athenahealth covers Electronic Health Records, Epocrates covers Drug Reference.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Athenahealth and Epocrates actually diverge.

Attributes where Athenahealth and Epocrates differ
AttributeAthenahealthEpocrates
Starting price$140/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidMobile
Founded19972000

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Healthcare).

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 Epocrates

  • Drug Reference
  • Interactions
  • Dosing Calculators
  • Disease Information
  • Medical Procedures
  • Patient Education
  • EHR Systems

Both cover

  • HIPAA
  • Cloud deployment
  • Mobile 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

Epocrates

  • 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

Epocrates

  • Pricing page not publicly accessible

Pricing, plan by plan

Athenahealth

$140/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Athenahealth review.

Epocrates

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Drug references
    • Calculators
    • Interactions
  • Premium$99/year
    • Enhanced content
    • Offline access

Which should you pick?

Choose Athenahealth if

  • You need electronic health records.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want medical billing.
Athenahealth review

Choose Epocrates if

  • You need drug reference.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mobile.
  • You also want interactions.
Epocrates review

Questions people ask

Is Athenahealth or Epocrates better?
Neither clearly leads. Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Epocrates at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Athenahealth or Epocrates?
Epocrates has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $140/month for Athenahealth and Free for Epocrates.
Does Athenahealth or Epocrates run on more platforms?
Athenahealth runs on Web, iOS, Android. Epocrates runs on Mobile.
Can I use Epocrates for free?
Yes. Epocrates has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Athenahealth starts at $140/month.
What is Athenahealth best used for?
Athenahealth is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth.
What can Athenahealth do that Epocrates cannot?
Athenahealth covers Electronic Health Records, Medical Billing, Patient Engagement, Telehealth. Epocrates covers Drug Reference, Interactions, Dosing Calculators, Disease Information. Both handle HIPAA, Cloud deployment, Mobile 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.

Source
Epocrates: How much does Epocrates cost?

Epocrates pricing information is not available to public access. Users must authenticate or contact the vendor to view pricing details.

Source
Athenahealth: 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.

Source
Athenahealth: Does Athenahealth include revenue cycle management?

Yes, athenaOne includes network-driven claims scrubbing with 95%+ first-pass rates, denial management, and A/R optimization.

Source
Athenahealth: 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.

Source
Athenahealth: 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
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