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Healthcare & Medical · head to head

Epocrates vs Cerner

E

Epocrates

Healthcare & Medical

Mobile clinical reference and decision support app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
C

Cerner

Healthcare & Medical

Health information technology solutions for healthcare organizations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Epocrates has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Epocrates the App Store listing for Epocrates (seller Epocrates) states subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and introductory pricing applies only to the first subscription period; Cerner pricing is not publicly available; custom quotes required from sales
  • They diverge on capability: Epocrates covers Drug Reference, Cerner covers Electronic Health Records.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Epocrates and Cerner actually diverge.

Attributes where Epocrates and Cerner differ
AttributeEpocratesCerner
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMobileWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20001979

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 Epocrates

  • Drug Reference
  • Interactions
  • Dosing Calculators
  • Disease Information
  • Medical Procedures
  • Patient Education
  • EHR Systems

Only in Cerner

  • Electronic Health Records
  • Revenue Cycle
  • Population Health
  • Patient Engagement
  • HL7
  • FHIR
  • Lab Systems
  • SOC2

Both cover

  • HIPAA
  • Cloud deployment
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

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

Epocrates

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

Cerner

  • Hospital and acute care EHR for chart review and clinical documentationnot Epocrates
  • Mobile clinical access for physicians and care teams on point-of-care devicesnot Epocrates

Where each one falls short

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

Epocrates

  • The App Store listing for Epocrates (seller Epocrates) states subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and introductory pricing applies only to the first subscription period

Cerner

  • Pricing is not publicly available; custom quotes required from sales

Pricing, plan by plan

Epocrates

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Drug references
    • Calculators
    • Interactions
  • Premium$99/year
    • Enhanced content
    • Offline access

Cerner

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cerner review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Epocrates if

  • You need drug reference.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mobile.
  • You also want interactions.
Epocrates review

Choose Cerner if

  • You need electronic health records.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want revenue cycle.
Cerner review

Questions people ask

Is Epocrates or Cerner better?
Neither clearly leads. Epocrates starts at Free and Cerner at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Epocrates or Cerner?
Epocrates has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Epocrates and On request for Cerner.
Does Epocrates or Cerner run on more platforms?
Epocrates runs on Mobile. Cerner runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Epocrates for free?
Yes. Epocrates has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cerner starts at On request.
What is Epocrates best used for?
Epocrates 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 Epocrates do that Cerner cannot?
Epocrates covers Drug Reference, Interactions, Dosing Calculators, Disease Information. Cerner covers Electronic Health Records, Revenue Cycle, Population Health, Patient Engagement. Both handle HIPAA, Cloud deployment, Mobile support.
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