Healthcare & Medical · head to head
Epic Systems vs Healthgrades

Epic Systems
Healthcare & Medical
Leading electronic health records system for healthcare organizations
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Healthgrades
Healthcare & Medical
Provider search and ratings platform for patients
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Healthgrades has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Epic Systems no free version or trial; enterprise pricing only with custom negotiation required; Healthgrades healthgrades is free for consumers and monetizes through a separate B2B arm (b2b.healthgrades.com) selling 'Claim your profile' provider listings, health-system quality solutions, and life-sciences advertiser placements, none of which publish public pricing, per the vendor's own site structure.
- They diverge on capability: Epic Systems covers Electronic Health Records, Healthgrades covers Provider Search.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Epic Systems and Healthgrades actually diverge.
| Attribute | Epic Systems | Healthgrades |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | quote | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Desktop, Mobile | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 1979 | 1998 |
Identical on both: 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 Epic Systems
- Electronic Health Records
- Revenue Cycle Management
- Patient Portal
- Clinical Decision Support
- Population Health
- Lab Systems
- Imaging Systems
- Pharmacy Systems
Only in Healthgrades
- Provider Search
- Reviews and Ratings
- Appointment Booking
- Provider Profiles
- Insurance Verification
- Practice management systems
Both cover
- HIPAA
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- Mobile support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Epic Systems
- Patient Care
- Medical Records
- Practice Management
- Telehealth
Healthgrades
- 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.
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
Healthgrades
- Healthgrades is free for consumers and monetizes through a separate B2B arm (b2b.healthgrades.com) selling 'Claim your profile' provider listings, health-system quality solutions, and life-sciences advertiser placements, none of which publish public pricing, per the vendor's own site structure.
Pricing, plan by plan
Epic Systems
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Epic Systems review.
Healthgrades
Free- PatientFree
- Find doctors
- Read reviews
- Book appointments
Which should you pick?
Choose Epic Systems if
- You need electronic health records.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- You also want revenue cycle management.
Choose Healthgrades if
- You need provider search.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want reviews and ratings.
Questions people ask
- Is Epic Systems or Healthgrades better?
- Neither clearly leads. Epic Systems starts at On request and Healthgrades at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Epic Systems or Healthgrades?
- Healthgrades has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Epic Systems and Free for Healthgrades.
- Does Epic Systems or Healthgrades run on more platforms?
- Epic Systems runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Healthgrades runs on Web, Mobile.
- Can I use Healthgrades for free?
- Yes. Healthgrades has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Epic Systems starts at On request.
- What is Epic Systems best used for?
- Epic Systems is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth.
- What can Epic Systems do that Healthgrades cannot?
- Epic Systems covers Electronic Health Records, Revenue Cycle Management, Patient Portal, Clinical Decision Support. Healthgrades covers Provider Search, Reviews and Ratings, Appointment Booking, Provider Profiles. Both handle HIPAA, Cloud deployment, Web support, Mobile support.
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.
SourceRelated pages
More on Epic Systems
More on Healthgrades
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