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Veterinary · head to head

AVImark vs Onward Vet

AVImark logo

AVImark

Veterinary

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Onward Vet logo

Onward Vet

Veterinary

Small-vendor cloud practice management sold on flat subscription with unlimited users

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.; Onward Vet the vendor is small, so support depth, release pace and the ability to absorb a serious outage are all limited compared with IDEXX, Covetrus or the larger cloud vendors.
  • They diverge on capability: AVImark covers Medical records, Onward Vet covers Flat practice subscription.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AVImark and Onward Vet actually diverge.

Attributes where AVImark and Onward Vet differ
AttributeAVImarkOnward Vet
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 Onward Vet

  • Flat practice subscription
  • Cloud hosted
  • Medical records and SOAP
  • Estimates and treatment plans
  • Client communication
  • Laboratory integration

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

Onward Vet

  • A clinic with a large rota of part-time technicians and receptionists where per-seat pricing is disproportionatenot AVImark
  • A single-site practice leaving an ageing on-premise system that no longer wants to maintain a servernot AVImark
  • A new practice that needs a working record system quickly without a long configuration projectnot AVImark
  • A cost-sensitive clinic that wants cloud practice management without paying for integration breadth it will not usenot 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.

Onward Vet

  • The vendor is small, so support depth, release pace and the ability to absorb a serious outage are all limited compared with IDEXX, Covetrus or the larger cloud vendors.
  • The integration catalogue is short, so specialist imaging, communication or wellness plan tools that connect to ezyVet or Provet Cloud may need manual handling here.
  • Reporting is basic, so a practice that wants production analysis by veterinary surgeon, detailed inventory valuation or multi-site consolidation will be exporting data to a spreadsheet.
  • There is no on-premise option, so a clinic with an unreliable internet connection has no fallback when the link goes down and the appointment book becomes unreachable.
  • Concentration risk is real with a supplier of this size: acquisition, a change of direction or a funding problem would put your record system into other hands, so test the data export before committing.

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

Onward Vet

On request
  • Onward Vet$undefined/year
    • Quoted as a flat monthly practice subscription
    • Unlimited user accounts
    • Cloud hosting, backup and updates included

Which should you pick?

Choose AVImark if

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

Choose Onward Vet if

  • You need flat practice subscription.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want cloud hosted.
Onward Vet review

Questions people ask

Is AVImark or Onward Vet better?
Neither clearly leads. AVImark starts at On request and Onward Vet at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AVImark or Onward Vet?
AVImark starts at On request and Onward Vet at On request.
Does AVImark or Onward Vet run on more platforms?
AVImark runs on Windows. Onward Vet 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 Onward Vet is typically brought in for.
What can AVImark do that Onward Vet cannot?
AVImark covers Medical records, Appointment scheduling, Invoicing and estimates, Inventory and controlled drugs. Onward Vet covers Flat practice subscription, Cloud hosted, Medical records and SOAP, Estimates and treatment plans.

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.

Onward Vet: How is it priced?

As a flat practice subscription with unlimited users, quoted rather than published, which is why it suits clinics with many part-time staff.

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.

Onward Vet: Is it suitable for a multi-site group?

Not really. It is built for single-site independent clinics; consolidated reporting and cross-site inventory are not its strength.

AVImark: Can AVImark be run in the cloud?

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

Onward Vet: What happens if the internet goes down?

You lose access to the appointment book and records. There is no on-premise fallback, so a secondary connection is a sensible precaution.

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.

Onward Vet: Can I get my data out?

Ask for a full export during evaluation and check what format it comes in. With a small vendor this is a question to answer before you sign, not afterwards.

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