Software · head to head
Epic Systems vs Cerner
Epic Systems
Software
Leading electronic health records system for healthcare organizations
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Cerner
Software
Health information technology solutions for healthcare organizations
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Epic Systems no free version or trial; enterprise pricing only with custom negotiation required; Cerner pricing is not publicly available; custom quotes required from sales
- They diverge on capability: Epic Systems covers Revenue Cycle Management, Cerner covers Revenue Cycle.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Epic Systems and Cerner actually diverge.
| Attribute | Epic Systems | Cerner |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Desktop, Mobile | Web, iOS, Android |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (1979).
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 Epic Systems
- Revenue Cycle Management
- Patient Portal
- Clinical Decision Support
- Imaging Systems
- Pharmacy Systems
- HITRUST
Only in Cerner
- Revenue Cycle
- Patient Engagement
- HL7
- FHIR
Both cover
- Electronic Health Records
- Population Health
- Lab Systems
- HIPAA
- SOC2
- On-premise deployment
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- Desktop support
- Mobile support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Epic Systems
- Patient Carenot Cerner
- Medical Recordsnot Cerner
- Practice Managementnot Cerner
- Telehealthnot Cerner
Cerner
- Hospital and acute care EHR for chart review and clinical documentationnot Epic Systems
- Mobile clinical access for physicians and care teams on point-of-care devicesnot Epic Systems
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Epic Systems
- No free version or trial; enterprise pricing only with custom negotiation required
- Lengthy implementation timeline: 12-24 months for single hospitals, 3-5 years for multi-system rollouts
- Customization and workflow adaptation requires extensive consulting services
- Very high licensing costs ranging from 100,000 to 30 million USD depending on organization size
Cerner
- Pricing is not publicly available; custom quotes required from sales
Pricing, plan by plan
Epic Systems
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Epic Systems review.
Cerner
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Cerner review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Epic Systems if
- You need revenue cycle management.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- You also want patient portal.
Choose Cerner if
- You need revenue cycle.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want patient engagement.
Questions people ask
- Is Epic Systems or Cerner better?
- Neither clearly leads. Epic Systems starts at On request and Cerner at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Epic Systems or Cerner?
- Epic Systems starts at On request and Cerner at On request.
- Does Epic Systems or Cerner run on more platforms?
- Epic Systems runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Cerner runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- What is Epic Systems best used for?
- Epic Systems is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth. Of those, patient care and medical records are not what Cerner is typically brought in for.
- What can Epic Systems do that Cerner cannot?
- Epic Systems covers Revenue Cycle Management, Patient Portal, Clinical Decision Support, Imaging Systems. Cerner covers Revenue Cycle, Patient Engagement, HL7, FHIR. Both handle Electronic Health Records, Population Health, Lab Systems, HIPAA.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Epic Systems: What is Epic's market position?
Epic holds 36 percent of the U.S. EHR market and manages over 280 million patient records across 1,200+ healthcare organizations. Among hospitals with over 300 beds, Epic has 52 percent market share, and 71 percent market share in major academic medical centers as of 2026.
SourceEpic Systems: Is there a free trial or demo available?
Epic does not offer a free version or trial. The software is enterprise-only with custom pricing negotiated directly with organizations. Typical implementation timelines for single hospitals range from 12 to 24 months, and multi-hospital systems can take 3 to 5 years for phased rollouts.
SourceEpic Systems: How does Epic integrate with third-party systems?
Epic provides multiple integration pathways: FHIR R4 APIs, HL7 v2 messaging, CCDA document exchange, and proprietary APIs through Epic Showroom (formerly App Orchard). Over 1,000 certified apps are available in the marketplace, enabling real-time data synchronization and interoperability.
SourceEpic Systems: What is included in Epic's unified platform?
Epic provides a truly unified system spanning inpatient, outpatient, emergency department, surgical, pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, billing, and population health on a single database. It includes appointment scheduling, medical billing, clinical decision support, patient portal (MyChart), telehealth capabilities, and analytics.
Source