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Software · head to head

CareStack vs Epic Systems

CareStack logo

CareStack

Software

All-in-One Cloud Dental Software

From
$829/month per location
Rated
-
Epic Systems logo

Epic Systems

Software

Leading electronic health records system for healthcare organizations

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CareStack essentials plan starting price $829/month is per location, not per user; Epic Systems no free version or trial; enterprise pricing only with custom negotiation required
  • They diverge on capability: CareStack covers Cloud-based platform, Epic Systems covers Electronic Health Records.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CareStack and Epic Systems actually diverge.

Attributes where CareStack and Epic Systems differ
AttributeCareStackEpic Systems
Starting price$829/month per locationOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Desktop, Mobile
Founded20151979

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 CareStack

  • Cloud-based platform
  • Patient scheduling
  • Clinical charting
  • Revenue cycle management
  • Patient communication
  • Online booking
  • Insurance verification
  • Business intelligence

Only in Epic Systems

  • Electronic Health Records
  • Revenue Cycle Management
  • Patient Portal
  • Clinical Decision Support
  • Population Health
  • Lab Systems
  • Imaging Systems
  • Pharmacy Systems

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

CareStack

  • Dental practice management and patient schedulingnot Epic Systems
  • Multi-specialty charting and digital imagingnot Epic Systems
  • Insurance eligibility verification and claims managementnot Epic Systems
  • AI-powered clinical notes and diagnosis assistancenot Epic Systems

Epic Systems

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

Where each one falls short

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

CareStack

  • Essentials plan starting price $829/month is per location, not per user
  • Intelligence plan adds $470/month minimum to base Essentials cost
  • Pricing based on number of locations, chairs, and providers (not per-user)
  • Core charting and imaging capabilities limited to base Essentials plan
  • AI-powered clinical features require Intelligence plan upgrade

Epic Systems

  • No free version or trial; enterprise pricing only with custom negotiation required
  • Lengthy implementation timeline: 12-24 months for single hospitals, 3-5 years for multi-system rollouts
  • Customization and workflow adaptation requires extensive consulting services
  • Very high licensing costs ranging from 100,000 to 30 million USD depending on organization size

Pricing, plan by plan

CareStack

$829/month per location

No published plan breakdown. See the CareStack review.

Epic Systems

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Epic Systems review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CareStack if

  • You need cloud-based platform.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want patient scheduling.

Choose Epic Systems if

  • You need electronic health records.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want revenue cycle management.

Questions people ask

Is CareStack or Epic Systems better?
Neither clearly leads. CareStack starts at $829/month per location and Epic Systems at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CareStack or Epic Systems?
CareStack starts at $829/month per location and Epic Systems at On request.
Does CareStack or Epic Systems run on more platforms?
CareStack runs on Web, Ios, Android. Epic Systems runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
What is CareStack best used for?
CareStack is most often used for dental practice management and patient scheduling, multi-specialty charting and digital imaging, insurance eligibility verification and claims management, ai-powered clinical notes and diagnosis assistance. Of those, dental practice management and patient scheduling and multi-specialty charting and digital imaging are not what Epic Systems is typically brought in for.
What can CareStack do that Epic Systems cannot?
CareStack covers Cloud-based platform, Patient scheduling, Clinical charting, Revenue cycle management. Epic Systems covers Electronic Health Records, Revenue Cycle Management, Patient Portal, Clinical Decision Support. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Epic Systems: What is Epic's market position?

Epic holds 36 percent of the U.S. EHR market and manages over 280 million patient records across 1,200+ healthcare organizations. Among hospitals with over 300 beds, Epic has 52 percent market share, and 71 percent market share in major academic medical centers as of 2026.

Source
Epic Systems: Is there a free trial or demo available?

Epic does not offer a free version or trial. The software is enterprise-only with custom pricing negotiated directly with organizations. Typical implementation timelines for single hospitals range from 12 to 24 months, and multi-hospital systems can take 3 to 5 years for phased rollouts.

Source
Epic Systems: How does Epic integrate with third-party systems?

Epic provides multiple integration pathways: FHIR R4 APIs, HL7 v2 messaging, CCDA document exchange, and proprietary APIs through Epic Showroom (formerly App Orchard). Over 1,000 certified apps are available in the marketplace, enabling real-time data synchronization and interoperability.

Source
Epic Systems: What is included in Epic's unified platform?

Epic provides a truly unified system spanning inpatient, outpatient, emergency department, surgical, pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, billing, and population health on a single database. It includes appointment scheduling, medical billing, clinical decision support, patient portal (MyChart), telehealth capabilities, and analytics.

Source

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