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Veterinary · head to head

AVImark vs Instinct Science

AVImark logo

AVImark

Veterinary

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Instinct Science logo

Instinct Science

Veterinary

Veterinary EMR built for emergency and specialty hospitals, plus Plumbs drug reference

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.; Instinct Science no pricing is published at all, so a practice cannot compare it against published competitors without a demo and a sales conversation.
  • They diverge on capability: AVImark covers Medical records, Instinct Science covers Instinct Treatment Plan.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AVImark and Instinct Science actually diverge.

Attributes where AVImark and Instinct Science differ
AttributeAVImarkInstinct Science
PlatformsWindowsWeb, iOS, Android

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

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

Only in Instinct Science

  • Instinct Treatment Plan
  • Charge capture from treatments
  • Instinct EMR
  • Primary care edition
  • Plumbs drug reference
  • ScribbleVet
  • Standards

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 Instinct Science
  • A practice whose staff are fast in AVImark and where retraining cost outweighs the benefits of movingnot Instinct Science
  • A rural clinic with poor connectivity that cannot depend on a browser based systemnot Instinct Science
  • A practice buying Covetrus pharmacy and supplies that wants prescription workflow in the same systemnot Instinct Science

Instinct Science

  • A twenty four hour emergency hospital where treatments are ordered on a sheet and currently reconciled to invoices by hand at dischargenot AVImark
  • A specialty referral centre running multiple services on one hospitalised patient that needs a shared, current treatment plan across shiftsnot AVImark
  • A hospital losing measurable revenue to missed charge capture on inpatient treatments and fluidsnot AVImark
  • A practice that already relies on Plumbs for dosing and wants drug reference and interaction checking inside the record rather than in a separate tabnot 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.

Instinct Science

  • No pricing is published at all, so a practice cannot compare it against published competitors without a demo and a sales conversation.
  • The design centres on inpatient treatment sheets, so an appointment driven general practice pays for strength in a workflow it barely uses and should evaluate the primary care edition on its own merits rather than the hospital reputation.
  • Retail, inventory and reminder marketing workflows are thinner than in long established general practice systems, so a practice with a significant shop or food business may need workarounds.
  • Plumbs and ScribbleVet are separately licensed even though the same company owns them, so the tidy single vendor story still arrives as more than one line on the invoice.
  • It is a smaller vendor than the corporate owned incumbents, which is an advantage on responsiveness and a risk on acquisition, and veterinary software has consolidated heavily in recent years.

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

Instinct Science

On request
  • Instinct EMR$undefined/year
    • Quoted through a demo and sales process, nothing published
    • Priced by practice size and modules taken
    • Plumbs and ScribbleVet are separately licensed products from the same company

Which should you pick?

Choose AVImark if

  • You need medical records.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want appointment scheduling.
AVImark review

Choose Instinct Science if

  • You need instinct treatment plan.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want charge capture from treatments.
Instinct Science review

Questions people ask

Is AVImark or Instinct Science better?
Neither clearly leads. AVImark starts at On request and Instinct Science at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AVImark or Instinct Science?
AVImark starts at On request and Instinct Science at On request.
Does AVImark or Instinct Science run on more platforms?
AVImark runs on Windows. Instinct Science runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Instinct Science is typically brought in for.
What can AVImark do that Instinct Science cannot?
AVImark covers Medical records, Appointment scheduling, Invoicing and estimates, Inventory and controlled drugs. Instinct Science covers Instinct Treatment Plan, Charge capture from treatments, Instinct EMR, Primary care edition.

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.

Instinct Science: Is Instinct only for emergency hospitals?

No, there is a primary care edition, but the product design and its main advantage come from inpatient treatment sheets and hospital workflows.

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.

Instinct Science: Is pricing published?

No. Everything runs through a demo and a quote.

AVImark: Can AVImark be run in the cloud?

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

Instinct Science: Does it include Plumbs?

Instinct Science owns Plumbs, but it is licensed separately rather than bundled into the EMR by default.

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.

Instinct Science: What is the main reason practices switch to it?

Charge capture. Treatments recorded on the digital treatment sheet become charges automatically, which recovers revenue that paper sheets lose.

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