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Veterinary · head to head

IDEXX Cornerstone vs Onward Vet

IDEXX Cornerstone logo

IDEXX Cornerstone

Veterinary

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Onward Vet logo

Onward Vet

Veterinary

Small-vendor cloud practice management sold on flat subscription with unlimited users

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.; Onward Vet the vendor is small, so support depth, release pace and the ability to absorb a serious outage are all limited compared with IDEXX, Covetrus or the larger cloud vendors.
  • They diverge on capability: IDEXX Cornerstone covers Medical records, Onward Vet covers Flat practice subscription.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IDEXX Cornerstone and Onward Vet actually diverge.

Attributes where IDEXX Cornerstone and Onward Vet differ
AttributeIDEXX CornerstoneOnward Vet
PlatformsWindowsWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), 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
  • Wellness plans

Only in Onward Vet

  • Flat practice subscription
  • Cloud hosted
  • Medical records and SOAP
  • Estimates and treatment plans
  • Client communication
  • Laboratory integration

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 Onward Vet
  • A clinic with unreliable internet where an on-site server keeps the practice working during an outagenot Onward Vet
  • A practice that boards and grooms as well as treating, and wants those bookings on the same invoicenot Onward Vet
  • A group needing consolidated reporting across a small number of owned locationsnot Onward Vet

Onward Vet

  • A clinic with a large rota of part-time technicians and receptionists where per-seat pricing is disproportionatenot IDEXX Cornerstone
  • A single-site practice leaving an ageing on-premise system that no longer wants to maintain a servernot IDEXX Cornerstone
  • A new practice that needs a working record system quickly without a long configuration projectnot IDEXX Cornerstone
  • A cost-sensitive clinic that wants cloud practice management without paying for integration breadth it will not usenot 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.

Onward Vet

  • The vendor is small, so support depth, release pace and the ability to absorb a serious outage are all limited compared with IDEXX, Covetrus or the larger cloud vendors.
  • The integration catalogue is short, so specialist imaging, communication or wellness plan tools that connect to ezyVet or Provet Cloud may need manual handling here.
  • Reporting is basic, so a practice that wants production analysis by veterinary surgeon, detailed inventory valuation or multi-site consolidation will be exporting data to a spreadsheet.
  • There is no on-premise option, so a clinic with an unreliable internet connection has no fallback when the link goes down and the appointment book becomes unreachable.
  • Concentration risk is real with a supplier of this size: acquisition, a change of direction or a funding problem would put your record system into other hands, so test the data export before committing.

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

Onward Vet

On request
  • Onward Vet$undefined/year
    • Quoted as a flat monthly practice subscription
    • Unlimited user accounts
    • Cloud hosting, backup and updates included

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 Onward Vet if

  • You need flat practice subscription.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want cloud hosted.
Onward Vet review

Questions people ask

Is IDEXX Cornerstone or Onward Vet better?
Neither clearly leads. IDEXX Cornerstone starts at On request and Onward Vet at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IDEXX Cornerstone or Onward Vet?
IDEXX Cornerstone starts at On request and Onward Vet at On request.
Does IDEXX Cornerstone or Onward Vet run on more platforms?
IDEXX Cornerstone runs on Windows. Onward Vet runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Onward Vet is typically brought in for.
What can IDEXX Cornerstone do that Onward Vet cannot?
IDEXX Cornerstone covers Medical records, Diagnostics integration, Estimates and invoicing, Inventory control. Onward Vet covers Flat practice subscription, Cloud hosted, Medical records and SOAP, Estimates and treatment 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.

Onward Vet: How is it priced?

As a flat practice subscription with unlimited users, quoted rather than published, which is why it suits clinics with many part-time staff.

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.

Onward Vet: Is it suitable for a multi-site group?

Not really. It is built for single-site independent clinics; consolidated reporting and cross-site inventory are not its strength.

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.

Onward Vet: What happens if the internet goes down?

You lose access to the appointment book and records. There is no on-premise fallback, so a secondary connection is a sensible precaution.

IDEXX Cornerstone: Can it be accessed from home?

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

Onward Vet: Can I get my data out?

Ask for a full export during evaluation and check what format it comes in. With a small vendor this is a question to answer before you sign, not afterwards.

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