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Healthcare · head to head

DrChrono vs OpenMRS

DrChrono logo

DrChrono

Healthcare

All-in-one medical practice management and EHR platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenMRS logo

OpenMRS

Healthcare

Open source electronic medical record platform for low-resource settings, with no vendor and paid implementers instead

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenMRS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DrChrono iOS-only mobile app with no Android support, limiting accessibility for non-Apple users; OpenMRS there is no vendor and no support contract from OpenMRS itself, so a procurement that requires a named supplier with a service level must instead contract an implementer, and the quality of that implementer determines the outcome more than the software does
  • They diverge on capability: DrChrono covers Electronic Health Records, OpenMRS covers Concept dictionary.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DrChrono and OpenMRS actually diverge.

Attributes where DrChrono and OpenMRS differ
AttributeDrChronoOpenMRS
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, iPad, WebLinux, Web, Windows
Founded2009Unknown

Identical on both: 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 DrChrono

  • Electronic Health Records
  • Appointment Scheduling
  • Medical Billing
  • ePrescribing
  • Patient Portal
  • Telehealth
  • Labs
  • Pharmacies

Only in OpenMRS

  • Concept dictionary
  • Modular architecture
  • Modern front end
  • FHIR support
  • Offline tolerance
  • Patient matching and registration
  • Distributions

What people use each for

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

DrChrono

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

OpenMRS

  • A ministry of health standardising HIV treatment records across hundreds of facilities where per-patient licensing would be unaffordablenot DrChrono
  • A hospital network in a country where no commercial vendor supports the local language, clinical forms or reporting requirementsnot DrChrono
  • An NGO running a tuberculosis programme that must report into DHIS2 and needs the clinical record beneath it to be modifiablenot DrChrono
  • A health system that wants to own its clinical data model outright rather than depend on a vendor to extend itnot DrChrono

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

OpenMRS

  • There is no vendor and no support contract from OpenMRS itself, so a procurement that requires a named supplier with a service level must instead contract an implementer, and the quality of that implementer determines the outcome more than the software does
  • It is a framework rather than a ready product, so a deployment requires clinical content, form design, concept dictionary work and integration before a single patient is registered, and that work is months of skilled effort
  • Funding comes largely from donor programmes, which makes the pace of core development dependent on grant cycles rather than on a commercial roadmap, and priorities can shift when a funder does
  • Distribution choice, core OpenMRS against Bahmni against Ozone, locks in a different set of components and a different implementer pool, and migrating between distributions later is close to a fresh implementation
  • The people cost never goes away: a national deployment needs permanent internal informatics capacity or a permanent support contract, and organisations that budget only the zero licence fee run out of money at the point the system becomes clinically critical

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

OpenMRS

Free
  • OpenMRSFree
    • Openly licensed, no licence fee and no seat limits
    • Community support through forums and the OpenMRS Talk platform
    • No support contract available from OpenMRS itself

Which should you pick?

Choose DrChrono if

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

Choose OpenMRS if

  • You need concept dictionary.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Web, Windows.
  • You also want modular architecture.
OpenMRS review

Questions people ask

Is DrChrono or OpenMRS better?
Neither clearly leads. DrChrono starts at On request and OpenMRS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DrChrono or OpenMRS?
OpenMRS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DrChrono and Free for OpenMRS.
Does DrChrono or OpenMRS run on more platforms?
DrChrono runs on iOS, iPad, Web. OpenMRS runs on Linux, Web, Windows.
Can I use OpenMRS for free?
Yes. OpenMRS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DrChrono starts at On request.
What is DrChrono best used for?
DrChrono is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth. Of those, patient care and medical records are not what OpenMRS is typically brought in for.
What can DrChrono do that OpenMRS cannot?
DrChrono covers Electronic Health Records, Appointment Scheduling, Medical Billing, ePrescribing. OpenMRS covers Concept dictionary, Modular architecture, Modern front end, FHIR support.

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
OpenMRS: Who supports OpenMRS if it breaks?

Not OpenMRS itself. Support is bought from implementers such as Mekom Solutions, which offers long-term production service level agreements for OpenMRS, Bahmni and Ozone deployments, or from regional partners.

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
OpenMRS: Is it really free?

The software has no licence fee. Hosting, configuration, clinical content, integration and support are the real cost, and they are ongoing.

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
OpenMRS: What is the difference between OpenMRS, Bahmni and Ozone?

OpenMRS is the core platform. Bahmni and Ozone are distributions that package it with billing, laboratory and inventory components. Choosing a distribution constrains your implementer options.

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
OpenMRS: Does it support FHIR?

Yes. FHIR support is the standard route for integrating laboratory, pharmacy and national reporting systems.

DrChrono: Does DrChrono include ePrescribing?

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

Source
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