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Healthcare · head to head

DHIS2 vs Doxy.me

DHIS2 logo

DHIS2

Healthcare

Open source health information platform run from the University of Oslo and used by national ministries

From
Free
Rated
-
Doxy.me logo

Doxy.me

Healthcare

Simple and free telemedicine for healthcare providers

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DHIS2 the licence is free and the implementation is not; national rollouts routinely cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in configuration, hosting, training and support, and budgets built on the word free fail immediately.; Doxy.me free plan restricted to one-on-one sessions, limiting utility for group therapy or multi-specialist consultations
  • They diverge on capability: DHIS2 covers Aggregate data reporting, Doxy.me covers Video Visits.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DHIS2 and Doxy.me actually diverge.

Attributes where DHIS2 and Doxy.me differ
AttributeDHIS2Doxy.me
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Android, Self-hosted, CloudWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Healthcare).

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 DHIS2

  • Aggregate data reporting
  • Tracker
  • Android capture app
  • Dashboards and analytics
  • Metadata packages
  • Data quality tools
  • GIS mapping
  • Interoperability

Only in Doxy.me

  • Video Visits
  • Waiting Room
  • Screen Sharing
  • File Sharing
  • HIPAA Compliant
  • EHR Systems
  • HIPAA
  • BAA

What people use each for

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

DHIS2

  • A ministry of health replacing paper monthly reporting from thousands of facilities with a national routine systemnot Doxy.me
  • A donor-funded HIV or tuberculosis programme that must report standard indicators across several districtsnot Doxy.me
  • A disease surveillance unit needing weekly case reporting with outbreak alerting and mappingnot Doxy.me
  • An NGO running individual patient follow-up in a programme where facilities are frequently offlinenot Doxy.me

Doxy.me

  • Patient Carenot DHIS2
  • Medical Recordsnot DHIS2
  • Practice Managementnot DHIS2
  • Telehealthnot DHIS2

Where each one falls short

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

DHIS2

  • The licence is free and the implementation is not; national rollouts routinely cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in configuration, hosting, training and support, and budgets built on the word free fail immediately.
  • HISP UiO introduced a Shared Services Fee in 2025, so organisations that depend on DHIS2 are now being asked for an annual contribution that did not previously exist in their plans.
  • Development funding comes from a small set of donors including Norad, the Global Fund and the Gates Foundation, which concentrates the platform's long-term direction in the priorities of those funders.
  • Implementation capability is concentrated in regional HISP groups, so a country whose local HISP group is overstretched has few alternative suppliers with equivalent expertise.
  • Analytics performance depends heavily on how metadata was designed at the outset, and a poorly structured initial configuration produces slow dashboards and bad indicator definitions that are painful to correct years later.

Doxy.me

  • Free plan restricted to one-on-one sessions, limiting utility for group therapy or multi-specialist consultations
  • Occasional connection glitches and dropped sessions reported by some users
  • Poor video quality and lag in rural or low-bandwidth areas

Pricing, plan by plan

DHIS2

Free
  • DHIS2 softwareFree
    • BSD licence
    • All modules including Tracker
    • No user or facility limits
  • Shared Services Fee$undefined/year
    • Voluntary annual contribution introduced by HISP UiO
    • Funds shared global infrastructure and platform sustainability
    • Amount agreed with the HISP Centre
  • Implementation and support$undefined/year
    • Delivered by regional HISP groups or private implementers
    • Configuration, metadata design, hosting, training and support
    • Quoted per programme, commonly the dominant cost

Doxy.me

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited call minutes
    • HIPAA compliance
    • One-on-one sessions only
  • Professional$35/month
    • HD video
    • Screen sharing
    • Group calls
  • Clinic$50/month
    • HD video
    • Screen sharing
    • Group calls

Which should you pick?

Choose DHIS2 if

  • You need aggregate data reporting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Android, Self-hosted, Cloud.
  • You also want tracker.

Choose Doxy.me if

  • You need video visits.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want waiting room.

Questions people ask

Is DHIS2 or Doxy.me better?
Neither clearly leads. DHIS2 starts at Free and Doxy.me at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DHIS2 or Doxy.me?
DHIS2 starts at Free and Doxy.me at Free.
Does DHIS2 or Doxy.me run on more platforms?
DHIS2 runs on Web, Android, Self-hosted, Cloud. Doxy.me runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use DHIS2 for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is DHIS2 best used for?
DHIS2 is most often used for a ministry of health replacing paper monthly reporting from thousands of facilities with a national routine system, a donor-funded hiv or tuberculosis programme that must report standard indicators across several districts, a disease surveillance unit needing weekly case reporting with outbreak alerting and mapping, an ngo running individual patient follow-up in a programme where facilities are frequently offline. Of those, a ministry of health replacing paper monthly reporting from thousands of facilities with a national routine system and a donor-funded hiv or tuberculosis programme that must report standard indicators across several districts are not what Doxy.me is typically brought in for.
What can DHIS2 do that Doxy.me cannot?
DHIS2 covers Aggregate data reporting, Tracker, Android capture app, Dashboards and analytics. Doxy.me covers Video Visits, Waiting Room, Screen Sharing, File Sharing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DHIS2: Who owns and develops DHIS2?

The HISP Centre at the University of Oslo, funded by donors including Norad, the Global Fund, the Gates Foundation and Wellcome.

Doxy.me: How much does Doxy.me cost?

Doxy.me offers a free plan with HIPAA compliance, Professional plan at $35 per provider per month, and Clinic plan at $50 per provider per month. Enterprise pricing available on request.

Source
DHIS2: Is DHIS2 free?

The software is free under a BSD licence. Implementation, hosting, training and support are not, and are the dominant cost.

Doxy.me: Does the free plan include all features?

The free Doxy.me plan includes unlimited call minutes and HIPAA compliance. Advanced features like group calls, HD video, and screen sharing require paid plans.

Source
DHIS2: What is the Shared Services Fee?

A voluntary annual contribution introduced by HISP UiO in 2025 to fund shared global infrastructure and long-term platform sustainability.

Doxy.me: Do patients need to create an account to join a session?

No, Doxy.me allows you to offer secure sessions without requiring clients to create accounts, with a customizable waiting room experience.

Source
DHIS2: Can I buy commercial support?

Yes, from regional HISP groups or private implementers such as Devotta, which is contracted by HISP UiO for core platform development and also works independently.

Doxy.me: Is Doxy.me HIPAA compliant?

Yes, Doxy.me is HIPAA compliant with a signed Business Associate Agreement, available on both free and paid plans.

Source
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