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Veterinary · head to head

AVImark vs IDEXX Cornerstone

AVImark logo

AVImark

Veterinary

Long-running Windows practice management software for veterinary clinics, now part of Covetrus

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: AVImark the owner markets a different cloud platform as its strategic product, so AVImark development is maintenance paced and buyers should expect a migration conversation rather than a long roadmap.; 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: AVImark covers Appointment scheduling, IDEXX Cornerstone covers Diagnostics integration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where AVImark and IDEXX Cornerstone differ
AttributeAVImarkIDEXX Cornerstone

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), platforms (Windows), 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 AVImark

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Invoicing and estimates
  • Inventory and controlled drugs
  • Reminders
  • Add-on modules

Only in IDEXX Cornerstone

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

Both cover

  • Medical records

What people use each for

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

AVImark

  • A single site clinic that wants the lowest ongoing software cost and already has a server and an IT providernot IDEXX Cornerstone
  • A practice whose staff are fast in AVImark and where retraining cost outweighs the benefits of movingnot IDEXX Cornerstone
  • A rural clinic with poor connectivity that cannot depend on a browser based systemnot IDEXX Cornerstone
  • A practice buying Covetrus pharmacy and supplies that wants prescription workflow in the same systemnot IDEXX Cornerstone

IDEXX Cornerstone

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

Where each one falls short

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

AVImark

  • The owner markets a different cloud platform as its strategic product, so AVImark development is maintenance paced and buyers should expect a migration conversation rather than a long roadmap.
  • Meaningful capabilities including imaging, client communication and wellness plans are separately priced modules, so the quoted base licence understates what a working configuration costs.
  • It is Windows and server based, which pushes hardware, backup and IT support costs onto the practice and rules out browser or tablet use in the examination room.
  • The interface is keyboard driven and dated, which suits long-serving staff but slows new hires and makes onboarding relief staff harder.
  • Data lives in a local database with limited export tooling, so extracting a clean history when moving to another system is a paid conversion project rather than a download.

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

AVImark

On request
  • AVImark$undefined/year
    • Licence plus annual maintenance and support agreement
    • Add-on modules priced individually
    • Server, backup and workstation costs borne by the practice

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 AVImark if

  • You need appointment scheduling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want invoicing and estimates.
AVImark review

Choose IDEXX Cornerstone if

  • You need diagnostics integration.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want estimates and invoicing.
IDEXX Cornerstone review

Questions people ask

Is AVImark or IDEXX Cornerstone better?
Neither clearly leads. AVImark 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, AVImark or IDEXX Cornerstone?
AVImark starts at On request and IDEXX Cornerstone at On request.
Does AVImark or IDEXX Cornerstone run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is AVImark best used for?
AVImark is most often used for a single site clinic that wants the lowest ongoing software cost and already has a server and an it provider, a practice whose staff are fast in avimark and where retraining cost outweighs the benefits of moving, a rural clinic with poor connectivity that cannot depend on a browser based system, a practice buying covetrus pharmacy and supplies that wants prescription workflow in the same system. Of those, a single site clinic that wants the lowest ongoing software cost and already has a server and an it provider and a practice whose staff are fast in avimark and where retraining cost outweighs the benefits of moving are not what IDEXX Cornerstone is typically brought in for.
What can AVImark do that IDEXX Cornerstone cannot?
AVImark covers Appointment scheduling, Invoicing and estimates, Inventory and controlled drugs, Reminders. IDEXX Cornerstone covers Diagnostics integration, Estimates and invoicing, Inventory control, Boarding and grooming. Both handle Medical records.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AVImark: Who owns AVImark now?

Covetrus, following its spin-out from Henry Schein in 2019 and its move to private ownership in 2022. It was originally a McAllister Software Systems product.

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.

AVImark: Is AVImark being discontinued?

No announcement of that, but Covetrus positions Pulse as its cloud platform. Ask for written roadmap commitments before signing a multi-year agreement.

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.

AVImark: Can AVImark be run in the cloud?

Only by hosting it on a remote Windows server. It is not a browser application.

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.

AVImark: Is it cheaper than cloud practice management systems?

On licence cost yes, but add server, backup, IT support and paid modules before making the comparison.

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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