Veterinary · head to head
AVImark vs Nookal
AVImark
Veterinary
Long-running Windows practice management software for veterinary clinics, now part of Covetrus
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Nookal
Healthcare
Australian allied health practice management priced per practitioner with usage charges on top
- From
- 49/month
- Rated
- -
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.; Nookal the features most multi-practitioner clinics need, including advanced reporting, custom forms and automated recalls, are held back to the Professional tier, so the AUD 49 entry price is not a realistic budget for anything beyond a solo practice.
- They diverge on capability: AVImark covers Medical records, Nookal covers Per practitioner pricing.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which AVImark and Nookal actually diverge.
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Nookal
- Per practitioner pricing
- Clinical notes
- Online booking
- Automated recalls
- KPI dashboards
- Claiming
- Patient portal
- AI and voice
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 Nookal
- A practice whose staff are fast in AVImark and where retraining cost outweighs the benefits of movingnot Nookal
- A rural clinic with poor connectivity that cannot depend on a browser based systemnot Nookal
- A practice buying Covetrus pharmacy and supplies that wants prescription workflow in the same systemnot Nookal
Nookal
- A three to ten practitioner physiotherapy clinic in Australia that wants Medicare claiming and published pricing rather than a quote processnot AVImark
- A New Zealand practice that needs ACC claim submission integrated with its clinical notes and billingnot AVImark
- A chiropractic group opening a second location that wants shared patient records and one reporting view across sitesnot AVImark
- A UK or Irish allied health clinic that wants an Australian-style clinical workflow with GBP or EUR billingnot 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.
Nookal
- The features most multi-practitioner clinics need, including advanced reporting, custom forms and automated recalls, are held back to the Professional tier, so the AUD 49 entry price is not a realistic budget for anything beyond a solo practice.
- Add-ons stack quickly: AI and voice at about USD 25 per active licence, the patient portal from USD 10 per location and secure messaging from USD 1.50 per user can push a seat close to double its list price.
- Pricing is not a simple currency conversion, with the USD Essentials tier at 65 and Professional at 89 against AUD 49 and 59, so overseas clinics pay a meaningful premium for the same software.
- Messaging and claiming are metered per SMS and per claim, so a clinic that leans on reminders to control no-shows finds a variable line item that grows with appointment volume and is easy to underestimate at purchase.
- Single sign-on is quoted rather than listed and sits with the Enterprise tier, which puts basic identity governance out of reach for mid-sized groups that would otherwise stay on Professional.
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
Nookal
49/month- Essentials$49/month
- Per practitioner per month
- Appointments, patient records and invoicing
- Online booking
- Professional$59/month
- Per practitioner per month
- Advanced reporting and KPI dashboards
- Custom forms
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Quoted pricing
- Multi-account management
- Dedicated support
Which should you pick?
Choose AVImark if
- You need medical records.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want appointment scheduling.
Choose Nookal if
- You need per practitioner pricing.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want clinical notes.
Questions people ask
- Is AVImark or Nookal better?
- Neither clearly leads. AVImark starts at On request and Nookal at 49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, AVImark or Nookal?
- AVImark starts at On request and Nookal at 49/month.
- Does AVImark or Nookal run on more platforms?
- AVImark runs on Windows. Nookal 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 Nookal is typically brought in for.
- What can AVImark do that Nookal cannot?
- AVImark covers Medical records, Appointment scheduling, Invoicing and estimates, Inventory and controlled drugs. Nookal covers Per practitioner pricing, Clinical notes, Online booking, Automated recalls.
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.
Nookal: How much does Nookal cost per practitioner?
Essentials is AUD 49 per practitioner per month and Professional is AUD 59, with published equivalents of GBP 29 and 39, EUR 65 and 89, and USD 65 and 89. Enterprise is quoted.
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.
Nookal: What is not included in the subscription?
SMS from about 7 cents per message, Medicare claims from about 10 cents, ACC claims at about 12 cents, the patient portal, secure messaging, AI and voice, and single sign-on are all charged separately.
AVImark: Can AVImark be run in the cloud?
Only by hosting it on a remote Windows server. It is not a browser application.
Nookal: Is there a contract?
No lock-in contract, and the free trial does not require a credit card.
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.
Nookal: Which countries does the claiming work in?
Medicare claiming is Australian and ACC claiming is New Zealand. Elsewhere the software works but you invoice and reconcile manually.
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