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Healthcare · head to head

Cliniko vs VisionVPM

Cliniko logo

Cliniko

Healthcare

Clinic management software for health practitioners

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VisionVPM logo

VisionVPM

Veterinary

On-premise practice management for veterinary groups in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland

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; VisionVPM it needs a Windows server, a backup regime and someone responsible for both, so the true cost includes IT support that cloud competitors absorb into their subscription.
  • They diverge on capability: Cliniko covers Appointment Scheduling, VisionVPM covers Local database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cliniko and VisionVPM actually diverge.

Attributes where Cliniko and VisionVPM differ
AttributeClinikoVisionVPM
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 VisionVPM

  • Local database
  • Large and mixed animal modules
  • Stock and wholesale ordering
  • Debtor and account management
  • Multi-site consolidation
  • Clinical reminders

What people use each for

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

Cliniko

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

VisionVPM

  • A rural mixed practice where internet connectivity is too unreliable to depend on a browser-only systemnot Cliniko
  • A corporate group that requires clinical and financial data to remain on infrastructure it controlsnot Cliniko
  • A farm-heavy practice needing herd recording and monthly account billing that companion-animal cloud systems handle poorlynot Cliniko
  • An established VisionVPM site weighing an upgrade against the cost and disruption of migrating to a cloud systemnot 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

VisionVPM

  • It needs a Windows server, a backup regime and someone responsible for both, so the true cost includes IT support that cloud competitors absorb into their subscription.
  • Upgrades are scheduled events with downtime rather than transparent releases, which means version drift across a multi-site group and a coordination burden at each release.
  • Covetrus is steering customers towards its cloud product, so development effort is unlikely to favour VisionVPM long term and buyers should assume a migration eventually.
  • Remote and out-of-hours access requires a remote desktop or Citrix layer, which adds licensing, latency and another system to secure.
  • Ordering and prescription workflows are built around Covetrus as the supplier, so a practice buying from other wholesalers loses the automated parts and reverts to manual entry.

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

VisionVPM

On request
  • VisionVPM$undefined/year
    • Licence and annual support quoted per practice
    • Server hardware and Windows licences bought separately
    • Data migration quoted per site

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 VisionVPM if

  • You need local database.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want large and mixed animal modules.
VisionVPM review

Questions people ask

Is Cliniko or VisionVPM better?
Neither clearly leads. Cliniko starts at Free and VisionVPM at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cliniko or VisionVPM?
Cliniko has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cliniko and On request for VisionVPM.
Does Cliniko or VisionVPM run on more platforms?
Cliniko runs on Web, Mobile. VisionVPM runs on Windows.
Can I use Cliniko for free?
Yes. Cliniko has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. VisionVPM 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 VisionVPM is typically brought in for.
What can Cliniko do that VisionVPM cannot?
Cliniko covers Appointment Scheduling, Online Booking, Client Management, Invoicing. VisionVPM covers Local database, Large and mixed animal modules, Stock and wholesale ordering, Debtor and account management.

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
VisionVPM: Can VisionVPM run in the cloud?

Only by hosting the Windows server yourself or through a partner and connecting over remote desktop. It is not a browser application and hosting it does not make it one.

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
VisionVPM: Is VisionVPM still being developed?

It receives maintenance and compliance updates, but its owner sells a separate cloud product and directs new development there. Plan on a migration within the life of your next server.

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
VisionVPM: Does it work outside Australasia and the UK?

It is sold and supported in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland. Tax handling and supplier integrations are built for those markets.

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
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