Software · head to head
Epic Systems vs NextGen Healthcare

Epic Systems
Software
Leading electronic health records system for healthcare organizations
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -

NextGen Healthcare
Software
Integrated EHR and practice management solutions
- From
- $150/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Epic Systems no free version or trial; enterprise pricing only with custom negotiation required; NextGen Healthcare pricing is not publicly available; all contracts require custom quotes from sales
- They diverge on capability: Epic Systems covers Patient Portal, NextGen Healthcare covers Practice Management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Epic Systems and NextGen Healthcare actually diverge.
| Attribute | Epic Systems | NextGen Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | $150/month |
| Pricing model | quote | subscription |
| Platforms | Web, Desktop, Mobile | Web, iOS, Android |
| Founded | 1979 | 1997 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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
- Patient Portal
- Clinical Decision Support
- Population Health
- Lab Systems
- Imaging Systems
- Pharmacy Systems
- SOC2
- Mobile support
Only in NextGen Healthcare
- Practice Management
- Telehealth
- Analytics
- Labs
- Pharmacies
- Clearinghouses
Both cover
- Electronic Health Records
- Revenue Cycle Management
- HIPAA
- HITRUST
- On-premise deployment
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
- Desktop support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Epic Systems
- Patient Carenot NextGen Healthcare
- Medical Recordsnot NextGen Healthcare
- Practice Managementnot NextGen Healthcare
- Telehealthnot NextGen Healthcare
NextGen Healthcare
- Cloud-based EHR and practice management for ambulatory and specialty practicesnot Epic Systems
- AI-assisted clinical documentation to reduce after-hours charting timenot 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
NextGen Healthcare
- Pricing is not publicly available; all contracts require custom quotes from sales
Pricing, plan by plan
Epic Systems
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Epic Systems review.
NextGen Healthcare
$150/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the NextGen Healthcare review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Epic Systems if
- You need patient portal.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- You also want clinical decision support.
Choose NextGen Healthcare if
- You need practice management.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want telehealth.
Questions people ask
- Is Epic Systems or NextGen Healthcare better?
- Neither clearly leads. Epic Systems starts at On request and NextGen Healthcare at $150/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Epic Systems or NextGen Healthcare?
- Epic Systems starts at On request and NextGen Healthcare at $150/month.
- Does Epic Systems or NextGen Healthcare run on more platforms?
- Epic Systems runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. NextGen Healthcare 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 NextGen Healthcare is typically brought in for.
- What can Epic Systems do that NextGen Healthcare cannot?
- Epic Systems covers Patient Portal, Clinical Decision Support, Population Health, Lab Systems. NextGen Healthcare covers Practice Management, Telehealth, Analytics, Labs. Both handle Electronic Health Records, Revenue Cycle Management, HIPAA, HITRUST.
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 NextGen Healthcare
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