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Software · head to head

Athenahealth vs Updox

Athenahealth logo

Athenahealth

Software

Cloud-based medical practice management

From
$140/month
Rated
-
U

Updox

Software

Healthcare communications platform for eFax, telehealth and patient reminders

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Athenahealth high implementation costs ranging up to $50,000+ for enterprise deployments; Updox standard plan caps at 1,000 fax pages and 75 telehealth sessions, requiring Enterprise for 10,000 pages and 500 sessions, as of August 2026

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Athenahealth and Updox actually diverge.

Attributes where Athenahealth and Updox differ
AttributeAthenahealthUpdox
Starting price$140/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded1997Unknown

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
  • Telehealth
  • Analytics
  • Labs
  • Pharmacies
  • Clearinghouses

Only in Updox

Nothing recorded that Athenahealth does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Athenahealth

  • Patient Carenot Updox
  • Medical Recordsnot Updox
  • Practice Managementnot Updox
  • Telehealthnot Updox

Updox

No use cases recorded yet. See the Updox review.

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

Updox

  • Standard plan caps at 1,000 fax pages and 75 telehealth sessions, requiring Enterprise for 10,000 pages and 500 sessions, as of August 2026
  • Pricing page names Standard and Enterprise tiers and their usage limits but publishes no dollar figures, requiring a scheduled demo for a quote, as of August 2026

Pricing, plan by plan

Athenahealth

$140/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Athenahealth review.

Updox

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Updox 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 Updox if

Nothing in the data separates Updox from Athenahealth on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Questions people ask

Is Athenahealth or Updox better?
Neither clearly leads. Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Updox at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Athenahealth or Updox?
Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Updox at On request.
Does Athenahealth or Updox run on more platforms?
Athenahealth runs on Web, iOS, Android. Updox runs on Web.
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 Updox is typically brought in for.
What can Athenahealth do that Updox cannot?
Athenahealth covers Electronic Health Records, Medical Billing, Patient Engagement, Telehealth.

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
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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