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Healthcare & Medical · head to head

DrChrono vs Athenahealth

DrChrono logo

DrChrono

Healthcare & Medical

All-in-one medical practice management and EHR platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Athenahealth logo

Athenahealth

Healthcare & Medical

Cloud-based medical practice management

From
$140/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DrChrono iOS-only mobile app with no Android support, limiting accessibility for non-Apple users; Athenahealth high implementation costs ranging up to $50,000+ for enterprise deployments
  • They diverge on capability: DrChrono covers Appointment Scheduling, Athenahealth covers Patient Engagement.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DrChrono and Athenahealth actually diverge.

Attributes where DrChrono and Athenahealth differ
AttributeDrChronoAthenahealth
Starting priceOn request$140/month
PlatformsiOS, iPad, WebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20091997

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Healthcare & Medical).

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 DrChrono

  • Appointment Scheduling
  • ePrescribing
  • Patient Portal
  • Api support

Only in Athenahealth

  • Patient Engagement
  • Analytics
  • Health Information Exchanges
  • HITRUST

Both cover

  • Electronic Health Records
  • Medical Billing
  • Telehealth
  • Labs
  • Pharmacies
  • Clearinghouses
  • HIPAA
  • SOC2
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

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

DrChrono

  • Patient Care
  • Medical Records
  • Practice Management
  • Telehealth

Athenahealth

  • Patient Care
  • Medical Records
  • Practice Management
  • Telehealth

Both are used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

DrChrono

  • iOS-only mobile app with no Android support, limiting accessibility for non-Apple users
  • Multi-provider scheduling lacks flexibility, forcing practices to use manual workarounds
  • Medical billing is unreliable and complex, with claims processing cited as difficult and error-prone
  • Billing features only available in higher-tier plans
  • Support quality declined post-acquisition by EverHealth, with slower response times
  • Auto-renewal contracts with unclear disclosure and restricted data portability when switching
  • No published pricing, requires sales contact for quotes

Athenahealth

  • High implementation costs ranging up to $50,000+ for enterprise deployments
  • Pricing tiers not transparently listed, requiring custom quotes

Pricing, plan by plan

DrChrono

On request
  • Prometheus$undefined/mo
    • Core EHR
    • Limited users
  • Hippocrates$undefined/mo
    • EHR + Practice Management
    • Multiple providers
  • Apollo$undefined/mo
    • Full features
    • Advanced analytics
  • Apollo Plus$undefined/mo
    • Apollo features
    • Premium support
    • Add-on integrations

Athenahealth

$140/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Athenahealth review.

Which should you pick?

Choose DrChrono if

  • You need appointment scheduling.
  • You work on iOS, iPad, Web.
  • You also want eprescribing.
DrChrono review

Choose Athenahealth if

  • You need patient engagement.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want analytics.
Athenahealth review

Questions people ask

Is DrChrono or Athenahealth better?
Neither clearly leads. DrChrono starts at On request and Athenahealth at $140/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DrChrono or Athenahealth?
DrChrono starts at On request and Athenahealth at $140/month.
Does DrChrono or Athenahealth run on more platforms?
DrChrono runs on iOS, iPad, Web. Athenahealth runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is DrChrono best used for?
DrChrono is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth.
What can DrChrono do that Athenahealth cannot?
DrChrono covers Appointment Scheduling, ePrescribing, Patient Portal, Api support. Athenahealth covers Patient Engagement, Analytics, Health Information Exchanges, HITRUST. Both handle Electronic Health Records, Medical Billing, Telehealth, Labs.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DrChrono: What platforms does DrChrono support?

DrChrono is built primarily for Apple devices, with a native iPad app and iOS mobile app. Android users are limited to web browser access without full mobile functionality.

Source
Athenahealth: What platforms does Athenahealth serve?

Athenahealth's athenaOne serves small to medium-sized physician practices and hospitals with integrated clinical, financial, and operational workflows.

Source
DrChrono: Does DrChrono include practice management and medical billing?

Yes. DrChrono combines EHR, practice management, and medical billing into one platform. However, billing features are only available in higher-tier plans, and users report unreliable claims processing.

Source
Athenahealth: What is the pricing model for athenaOne?

Athenahealth uses customized pricing with percent-based or encounter-based models. Starting price reported at $140/month with implementation costs ranging from $5,000-$20,000 for small businesses.

Source
DrChrono: How much does DrChrono cost?

DrChrono uses four pricing tiers (Prometheus, Hippocrates, Apollo, and Apollo Plus) but does not publish pricing. Costs vary by provider count and add-ons. Interested users must contact sales for custom quotes.

Source
Athenahealth: Does Athenahealth include revenue cycle management?

Yes, athenaOne includes network-driven claims scrubbing with 95%+ first-pass rates, denial management, and A/R optimization.

Source
DrChrono: Can I do patient messaging in DrChrono?

Patient messaging is available but only as an add-on feature with additional costs beyond the base subscription.

Source
Athenahealth: What patient engagement features does Athenahealth offer?

Athenahealth provides athenaCommunicator for patient portals, automated appointment reminders, online scheduling, telehealth integration, digital intake, and broadcast messaging.

Source
DrChrono: Does DrChrono include ePrescribing?

Yes. DrChrono includes integrated ePrescribing capabilities built into the platform for prescription management.

Source
Athenahealth: How many pre-built integrations does Athenahealth have?

Athenahealth's marketplace includes over 250 pre-integrated third-party apps, allowing practices to extend functionality without custom development.

Source
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