Softwr

Healthcare · head to head

GNU Health vs Omada Health

GNU Health logo

GNU Health

Healthcare

Free hospital and health information system from a small NGO, built on the Tryton framework

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Omada Health logo

Omada Health

Healthcare

Behavioral health management platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GNU Health has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GNU Health development depends on GNU Solidario, a very small nonprofit funded by donations and training, so release cadence and long-term continuity are tied to a handful of people rather than to an engineering organisation.; Omada Health no direct-pay pricing disclosed; programs only available through employer or health plan coverage
  • They diverge on capability: GNU Health covers Electronic medical record, Omada Health covers Chronic Disease Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GNU Health and Omada Health actually diverge.

Attributes where GNU Health and Omada Health differ
AttributeGNU HealthOmada Health
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Web, Self-hostedWeb, Mobile
FoundedUnknown2011

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 GNU Health

  • Electronic medical record
  • Hospital management
  • Laboratory information system
  • Social medicine modules
  • Tryton business modules
  • Health federation
  • ICD and standards support
  • Modular installation

Only in Omada Health

  • Chronic Disease Management
  • Behavioral Health
  • Coaching
  • Mobile App
  • Analytics
  • Incentives
  • Health Plans
  • EHR Systems

What people use each for

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

GNU Health

  • A public hospital in a low-resource setting that cannot fund commercial EMR licensing and has in-house Linux capabilitynot Omada Health
  • A ministry building a national health network where source code inspection and data sovereignty are policy requirementsnot Omada Health
  • A university teaching health informatics that needs a complete, inspectable system rather than a vendor demonstrationnot Omada Health
  • A community health programme that needs socioeconomic determinants recorded alongside clinical datanot Omada Health

Omada Health

  • Employer-sponsored diabetes prevention and weight health programmesnot GNU Health
  • Remote monitoring of hypertension and diabetes with connected devicesnot GNU Health
  • GLP-1 support programmes alongside medicationnot GNU Health
  • Musculoskeletal care delivered virtuallynot GNU Health

Where each one falls short

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

GNU Health

  • Development depends on GNU Solidario, a very small nonprofit funded by donations and training, so release cadence and long-term continuity are tied to a handful of people rather than to an engineering organisation.
  • It is built on Tryton, a framework few health IT staff know, so hiring or contracting people who can extend and maintain it is materially harder than for a mainstream stack.
  • Installation, upgrades and database administration assume Linux and Python competence, which puts the real cost on staffing rather than on licensing and defeats hospitals that lack that team.
  • The interface is functional rather than designed, and clinician acceptance is a genuine deployment risk compared with commercial systems that have invested heavily in usability.
  • Certification, regulatory conformance and interoperability testing that some jurisdictions demand of clinical systems are not provided by a vendor, so the adopting institution has to carry that work and that liability itself.

Omada Health

  • No direct-pay pricing disclosed; programs only available through employer or health plan coverage
  • Eligibility varies by employer and health plan
  • Government payer programs (Medicare/Medicaid) have different device access rules
  • MSK program may require out-of-pocket costs depending on individual health plans

Pricing, plan by plan

GNU Health

Free
  • GNU HealthFree
    • GNU GPL licence
    • All modules included
    • No patient, bed or user limits
  • Support and training$undefined/year
    • Paid support and implementation from GNU Solidario
    • Training courses and certification
    • Quoted per institution

Omada Health

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Omada Health review.

Which should you pick?

Choose GNU Health if

  • You need electronic medical record.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want hospital management.
GNU Health review

Choose Omada Health if

  • You need chronic disease management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want behavioral health.
Omada Health review

Questions people ask

Is GNU Health or Omada Health better?
Neither clearly leads. GNU Health starts at Free and Omada Health at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GNU Health or Omada Health?
GNU Health has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GNU Health and On request for Omada Health.
Does GNU Health or Omada Health run on more platforms?
GNU Health runs on Linux, Web, Self-hosted. Omada Health runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use GNU Health for free?
Yes. GNU Health has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Omada Health starts at On request.
What is GNU Health best used for?
GNU Health is most often used for a public hospital in a low-resource setting that cannot fund commercial emr licensing and has in-house linux capability, a ministry building a national health network where source code inspection and data sovereignty are policy requirements, a university teaching health informatics that needs a complete, inspectable system rather than a vendor demonstration, a community health programme that needs socioeconomic determinants recorded alongside clinical data. Of those, a public hospital in a low-resource setting that cannot fund commercial emr licensing and has in-house linux capability and a ministry building a national health network where source code inspection and data sovereignty are policy requirements are not what Omada Health is typically brought in for.
What can GNU Health do that Omada Health cannot?
GNU Health covers Electronic medical record, Hospital management, Laboratory information system, Social medicine modules. Omada Health covers Chronic Disease Management, Behavioral Health, Coaching, Mobile App.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GNU Health: Who develops GNU Health?

GNU Solidario, a Spanish nonprofit NGO, as an official GNU package under the GPL.

Omada Health: How much does Omada Health cost?

Omada Health programs are offered at no cost to members when covered by an employer or health plan. Direct-pay pricing for uninsured individuals is not disclosed on the website.

Source
GNU Health: Is there commercial support?

Yes, in a limited form, from GNU Solidario itself and a small number of implementers. It is not a vendor support organisation.

Omada Health: Is Omada Health free?

Omada's Prevention, Diabetes, and Hypertension programs are free when covered by your employer or health plan. The Joint and Muscle Health program is subject to deductibles, copays, and co-insurance as determined under your health plan.

Source
GNU Health: What is it built on?

Tryton, a Python business application framework, which is where its accounting, stock and HR modules come from.

Omada Health: Do I need to pay for the Omada welcome kit with smart devices?

The welcome kit containing smart devices is offered at no cost to covered members. Continuous glucose monitors for diabetes program participants are also provided at no additional charge, though Medicare and Medicaid are excluded.

Source
GNU Health: Is it suitable for a large hospital?

It is deployed in hospitals, but the deciding factor is whether you have internal Linux, Python and Tryton capability rather than the size of the institution.

Share

Related pages

More on GNU Health

More on Omada Health

Keep looking

Other head to heads