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Healthcare · head to head

Cliniko vs RxWorks

Cliniko logo

Cliniko

Healthcare

Clinic management software for health practitioners

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
R

RxWorks

Veterinary

Server-based practice management with a corporate group heritage in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cliniko has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cliniko priced in practitioner bands rather than per seat, so a clinic adding a sixth practitioner jumps from $95 to $145 a month; RxWorks it is a legacy line inside Covetrus, which promotes Pulse as its strategic cloud product, so the practical question is not capability but how long the system will be supported and on what notice.
  • They diverge on capability: Cliniko covers Appointment Scheduling, RxWorks covers Multi-site group operation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cliniko and RxWorks actually diverge.

Attributes where Cliniko and RxWorks differ
AttributeClinikoRxWorks
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, MobileWindows
CategoryHealthcareVeterinary
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Cliniko

  • Appointment Scheduling
  • Online Booking
  • Client Management
  • Invoicing
  • Patient Portal
  • Telehealth
  • Payment processors
  • Online forms

Only in RxWorks

  • Multi-site group operation
  • Dispensing and stock control
  • Client accounts
  • On-premise database
  • Regional configuration
  • Laboratory integration

What people use each for

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

Cliniko

  • Practice management for allied health clinicsnot RxWorks
  • Appointment scheduling and online bookingsnot RxWorks
  • Clinical notes and patient recordsnot RxWorks
  • Telehealth consultationsnot RxWorks
  • Invoicing and payment tracking for a multi-practitioner clinicnot RxWorks

RxWorks

  • A practice joining an Australian, New Zealand or United Kingdom group that already standardises on RxWorksnot Cliniko
  • A group that needs consolidated reporting and centrally controlled price lists across many sitesnot Cliniko
  • A mixed or large animal practice that runs account customers on credit terms rather than payment at the time of servicenot Cliniko
  • A site that cannot rely on its internet connection and needs the clinical record held locallynot Cliniko

Where each one falls short

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

Cliniko

  • Priced in practitioner bands rather than per seat, so a clinic adding a sixth practitioner jumps from $95 to $145 a month
  • The top published band stops at 200 practitioners
  • SMS is charged separately at 10 cents a message
  • Telehealth requires entering card details before it unlocks, even during the trial
  • There is no free tier, only a 30 day trial

RxWorks

  • It is a legacy line inside Covetrus, which promotes Pulse as its strategic cloud product, so the practical question is not capability but how long the system will be supported and on what notice.
  • It is a Windows server product, so the group carries hardware, database, patching and backup costs that never appear in the software quotation.
  • Its relevance is regional: outside Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom the installed base and the support and consultant network are thin, which matters for a group expanding into new markets.
  • Remote and mobile working is poor compared with cloud systems, which is a growing problem as groups centralise administration and clinicians expect record access away from the practice.
  • The eventual migration off it will be a full data conversion with retraining across every site, and at group scale that project cost should be modelled now rather than treated as a future problem.

Pricing, plan by plan

Cliniko

Free
  • 1 Practitioner$45/month
  • 2-5 Practitioners$95/month
  • 6-8 Practitioners$145/month
  • 9-12 Practitioners$195/month

RxWorks

On request
  • RxWorks$undefined/year
    • Quoted per site, normally under a group agreement
    • Annual support and maintenance charged separately
    • Server infrastructure is the responsibility of the practice or group

Which should you pick?

Choose Cliniko if

  • You need appointment scheduling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want online booking.
Cliniko review

Choose RxWorks if

  • You need multi-site group operation.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want dispensing and stock control.
RxWorks review

Questions people ask

Is Cliniko or RxWorks better?
Neither clearly leads. Cliniko starts at Free and RxWorks at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cliniko or RxWorks?
Cliniko has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cliniko and On request for RxWorks.
Does Cliniko or RxWorks run on more platforms?
Cliniko runs on Web, Mobile. RxWorks runs on Windows.
Can I use Cliniko for free?
Yes. Cliniko has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RxWorks starts at On request.
What is Cliniko best used for?
Cliniko is most often used for practice management for allied health clinics, appointment scheduling and online bookings, clinical notes and patient records, telehealth consultations. Of those, practice management for allied health clinics and appointment scheduling and online bookings are not what RxWorks is typically brought in for.
What can Cliniko do that RxWorks cannot?
Cliniko covers Appointment Scheduling, Online Booking, Client Management, Invoicing. RxWorks covers Multi-site group operation, Dispensing and stock control, Client accounts, On-premise database.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cliniko: How much does Cliniko cost for a practice?

Cliniko uses per-practitioner pricing: 1 practitioner $45/month, 2-5 practitioners $95/month, 6-8 practitioners $145/month, 9-12 practitioners $195/month, 13-25 practitioners $295/month, 26-200 practitioners $395/month.

Source
RxWorks: Should a new practice adopt RxWorks today?

Generally no, unless you are joining a group that already runs it. A new independent practice should be evaluating cloud systems instead.

Cliniko: Does Cliniko offer a free trial?

Cliniko is free to try for the first 30 days with no credit card required initially. A credit card is required to unlock features like Telehealth after the trial begins.

Source
RxWorks: Is it still supported?

Covetrus supports it, but Pulse is the stated strategic product. Ask for the support commitment and the end-of-life notice period as written contract terms.

Cliniko: What is included in all Cliniko plans?

Every Cliniko subscription includes complete feature access, unlimited admin and reception users, unlimited locations, unlimited file storage, unlimited patients, 24/7 monitoring, automatic backups, regular updates, and 24/7 customer support.

Source
RxWorks: Where is it actually used?

Mostly Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, heavily within corporate practice groups. It has very little presence in the United States.

Cliniko: Does Cliniko charge extra for SMS and what discounts apply?

SMS messaging costs 10 cents per message (pre-paid credits required). Annual billing includes one month free every year. Charities and educational institutions qualify for free access. Cliniko commits to no feature-specific fees beyond SMS and offers no annual commitment discounts.

Source
RxWorks: What does migration off it involve?

A full clinical and financial data conversion per site plus retraining. At group scale that is a programme of work, not a weekend.

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