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Veterinary · head to head

IDEXX Cornerstone vs ImproMed

IDEXX Cornerstone logo

IDEXX Cornerstone

Veterinary

On-premise veterinary practice management software tied to the IDEXX diagnostics ecosystem

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
I

ImproMed

Veterinary

On-premise Windows practice management with deep inventory and financial reporting, now inside Covetrus

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: IDEXX Cornerstone the system runs on a server in the building, so the practice pays for hardware, backups and an IT provider, costs that never appear in a comparison against browser based competitors.; ImproMed it is a server-based Windows product, so the practice owns the hardware, the SQL database, the patching and the backup regime, and those costs never appear in the software quotation.
  • They diverge on capability: IDEXX Cornerstone covers Medical records, ImproMed covers Multi-location inventory.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IDEXX Cornerstone and ImproMed actually diverge.

Attributes where IDEXX Cornerstone and ImproMed differ
AttributeIDEXX CornerstoneImproMed

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), platforms (Windows), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Veterinary).

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 IDEXX Cornerstone

  • Medical records
  • Diagnostics integration
  • Estimates and invoicing
  • Inventory control
  • Boarding and grooming

Only in ImproMed

  • Multi-location inventory
  • Production reporting
  • Laboratory and imaging integration
  • On-premise deployment
  • Covetrus prescription management

Both cover

  • Wellness plans

What people use each for

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

IDEXX Cornerstone

  • A multi-doctor general practice already running IDEXX in-house analysers that wants results in the record automaticallynot ImproMed
  • A clinic with unreliable internet where an on-site server keeps the practice working during an outagenot ImproMed
  • A practice that boards and grooms as well as treating, and wants those bookings on the same invoicenot ImproMed
  • A group needing consolidated reporting across a small number of owned locationsnot ImproMed

ImproMed

  • A multi-doctor hospital carrying significant inventory value that needs reorder points and vendor price comparisonnot IDEXX Cornerstone
  • A practice manager who has to analyse production by veterinary surgeon and reconcile it against the general ledgernot IDEXX Cornerstone
  • A hospital in an area with unreliable internet that will not put the appointment book and records on a cloud connectionnot IDEXX Cornerstone
  • A small group running wellness plans that need recurring billing and compliance tracking against patientsnot IDEXX Cornerstone

Where each one falls short

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

IDEXX Cornerstone

  • The system runs on a server in the building, so the practice pays for hardware, backups and an IT provider, costs that never appear in a comparison against browser based competitors.
  • It is Windows only with no meaningful mobile access, which rules it out for house call and ambulatory work and leaves staff tied to workstations.
  • The interface is dense and dated, so training a new receptionist or technician takes materially longer than on newer systems.
  • Commercial gravity runs towards IDEXX diagnostics, and a practice that later moves its laboratory work to a competitor loses the automation that justified the software.
  • IDEXX is directing new customers towards its cloud products, so investment in Cornerstone is maintenance oriented and buyers should assume a migration conversation within the life of the purchase.

ImproMed

  • It is a server-based Windows product, so the practice owns the hardware, the SQL database, the patching and the backup regime, and those costs never appear in the software quotation.
  • Covetrus markets Pulse as its strategic cloud platform while holding three legacy practice management systems, so ask directly what development ImproMed still receives and get the support commitment and end-of-life notice period in writing.
  • Remote and mobile access is weak compared with cloud systems, which matters for on-call work, home record review and multi-site groups sharing patients.
  • The interface is dense and dated, and training a new receptionist or technician on it takes materially longer than on a modern cloud system.
  • If Covetrus does steer customers to Pulse, the migration is a full data conversion with retraining, so the cost of the eventual move should be priced into the decision now rather than later.

Pricing, plan by plan

IDEXX Cornerstone

On request
  • Cornerstone$undefined/year
    • Licence priced by number of workstations and modules
    • Annual support and maintenance charged separately
    • Server hardware and IT support are the responsibility of the practice

ImproMed

On request
  • ImproMed Infinity$undefined/year
    • Quoted per practice with a licence and an annual support agreement
    • Server hardware and database licensing are the responsibility of the practice
    • Data conversion and training charged separately

Which should you pick?

Choose IDEXX Cornerstone if

  • You need medical records.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want diagnostics integration.
IDEXX Cornerstone review

Choose ImproMed if

  • You need multi-location inventory.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want production reporting.
ImproMed review

Questions people ask

Is IDEXX Cornerstone or ImproMed better?
Neither clearly leads. IDEXX Cornerstone starts at On request and ImproMed at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IDEXX Cornerstone or ImproMed?
IDEXX Cornerstone starts at On request and ImproMed at On request.
Does IDEXX Cornerstone or ImproMed run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is IDEXX Cornerstone best used for?
IDEXX Cornerstone is most often used for a multi-doctor general practice already running idexx in-house analysers that wants results in the record automatically, a clinic with unreliable internet where an on-site server keeps the practice working during an outage, a practice that boards and grooms as well as treating, and wants those bookings on the same invoice, a group needing consolidated reporting across a small number of owned locations. Of those, a multi-doctor general practice already running idexx in-house analysers that wants results in the record automatically and a clinic with unreliable internet where an on-site server keeps the practice working during an outage are not what ImproMed is typically brought in for.
What can IDEXX Cornerstone do that ImproMed cannot?
IDEXX Cornerstone covers Medical records, Diagnostics integration, Estimates and invoicing, Inventory control. ImproMed covers Multi-location inventory, Production reporting, Laboratory and imaging integration, On-premise deployment. Both handle Wellness plans.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IDEXX Cornerstone: Is Cornerstone cloud based?

No. It is installed on a server at the practice. IDEXX sells separate browser based products for clinics that want cloud.

ImproMed: Is ImproMed still being developed?

Ask Covetrus for a release history and a written support commitment. Pulse is the stated strategic cloud product, and ImproMed, AVImark and RxWorks are all legacy systems in the same portfolio.

IDEXX Cornerstone: Does it work with laboratories other than IDEXX?

Results can be handled, but the automatic requisition and result return that make Cornerstone worth its price are built around IDEXX.

ImproMed: Can it run in the cloud?

It is designed for an on-premise server. Hosting it on a remote desktop service is possible but it is not a native cloud application and does not behave like one.

IDEXX Cornerstone: What is the real total cost?

The licence and annual support are only part of it. Add the server, backup, workstation refreshes and an IT contract before comparing with cloud systems.

ImproMed: What is it better at than cloud alternatives?

Inventory control and financial and production reporting. Practices with high stock value and several veterinary surgeons are the ones that notice the difference.

IDEXX Cornerstone: Can it be accessed from home?

Only through remote desktop or similar, set up and secured by the practice IT provider.

ImproMed: What happens to my data if we move to Pulse?

A conversion project. Establish before signing what Covetrus will convert, what it will not, and who pays for it.

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