Softwr

Veterinary · head to head

Hippo Manager vs IDEXX Neo

Hippo Manager logo

Hippo Manager

Veterinary

Cloud veterinary practice management software with flat per-user pricing

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IDEXX Neo logo

IDEXX Neo

Veterinary

Cloud practice management from IDEXX, designed around IDEXX analysers and reference laboratories

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hippo Manager pricing is per user, so a practice with a rota of part-time technicians and relief veterinarians pays full seats for people who log in a few times a month.; IDEXX Neo the value depends on running IDEXX diagnostics, so a practice that later changes analyser or reference laboratory supplier loses the main reason it chose the software and faces two migrations instead of one.
  • They diverge on capability: Hippo Manager covers Cloud patient records, IDEXX Neo covers IDEXX analyser integration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hippo Manager and IDEXX Neo actually diverge.

Attributes where Hippo Manager and IDEXX Neo differ
AttributeHippo ManagerIDEXX Neo

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Hippo Manager

  • Cloud patient records
  • Scheduling
  • Invoicing and payments
  • Inventory
  • Laboratory results
  • Reporting

Only in IDEXX Neo

  • IDEXX analyser integration
  • Reference laboratory integration
  • Cloud hosting
  • Templated medical records
  • Scheduling and reminders
  • Invoicing and inventory

What people use each for

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

Hippo Manager

  • A new clinic opening with no server, no IT provider and a need to be running within weeksnot IDEXX Neo
  • A mobile or house call veterinarian working from a tablet between appointmentsnot IDEXX Neo
  • A two doctor practice replacing a legacy on-premise system and wanting predictable monthly costnot IDEXX Neo
  • A veterinary teaching programme needing many inexpensive logins on shared recordsnot IDEXX Neo

IDEXX Neo

  • A one to three doctor small animal clinic that already runs IDEXX in-house analysersnot Hippo Manager
  • A practice moving off a server-based system that wants hosting and backup to stop being its problemnot Hippo Manager
  • A new clinic opening with IDEXX diagnostics that wants the laboratory workflow set up on day onenot Hippo Manager
  • A practice whose staff turnover is high and which needs software simple enough to train someone on in a daynot Hippo Manager

Where each one falls short

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

Hippo Manager

  • Pricing is per user, so a practice with a rota of part-time technicians and relief veterinarians pays full seats for people who log in a few times a month.
  • Inpatient and treatment sheet workflows are lighter than in systems built for referral and emergency hospitals, which pushes overnight care onto paper.
  • The integration catalogue is short relative to the larger cloud platforms, so a practice with an existing imaging, communications or payment preference may find no connector.
  • Multi-location reporting is basic, which limits its usefulness to a group beyond a handful of sites that wants consolidated production figures.
  • As a browser only system it stops when the internet does, and a practice without a backup connection loses records, scheduling and invoicing at the same time.

IDEXX Neo

  • The value depends on running IDEXX diagnostics, so a practice that later changes analyser or reference laboratory supplier loses the main reason it chose the software and faces two migrations instead of one.
  • Software pricing is often folded into a diagnostics purchase agreement, which makes it hard to see what the practice management system actually costs and harder still to compare it against a neutral vendor.
  • It is designed for small single-site practices, so multi-location groups quickly hit limits in reporting, consolidated inventory and cross-site records and are steered towards Cornerstone instead.
  • Reporting and inventory management are basic by design, so a practice that wants detailed production analysis by veterinary surgeon or tight stock control will need to export and work outside the system.
  • The third-party integration surface is narrower than open cloud systems, so specialist tools for communication, imaging or wellness plans may not connect without manual work.

Pricing, plan by plan

Hippo Manager

On request
  • Hippo Manager$undefined/month
    • Flat monthly subscription charged per user
    • Core clinical, billing and inventory functionality included
    • Data conversion and onboarding quoted separately

IDEXX Neo

On request
  • IDEXX Neo$undefined/year
    • Quoted per practice, frequently as part of a diagnostics agreement
    • Cloud hosting, backup and updates included
    • Data conversion charged separately

Which should you pick?

Choose Hippo Manager if

  • You need cloud patient records.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want scheduling.
Hippo Manager review

Choose IDEXX Neo if

  • You need idexx analyser integration.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want reference laboratory integration.
IDEXX Neo review

Questions people ask

Is Hippo Manager or IDEXX Neo better?
Neither clearly leads. Hippo Manager starts at On request and IDEXX Neo at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hippo Manager or IDEXX Neo?
Hippo Manager starts at On request and IDEXX Neo at On request.
Does Hippo Manager or IDEXX Neo run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Hippo Manager best used for?
Hippo Manager is most often used for a new clinic opening with no server, no it provider and a need to be running within weeks, a mobile or house call veterinarian working from a tablet between appointments, a two doctor practice replacing a legacy on-premise system and wanting predictable monthly cost, a veterinary teaching programme needing many inexpensive logins on shared records. Of those, a new clinic opening with no server, no it provider and a need to be running within weeks and a mobile or house call veterinarian working from a tablet between appointments are not what IDEXX Neo is typically brought in for.
What can Hippo Manager do that IDEXX Neo cannot?
Hippo Manager covers Cloud patient records, Scheduling, Invoicing and payments, Inventory. IDEXX Neo covers IDEXX analyser integration, Reference laboratory integration, Cloud hosting, Templated medical records.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hippo Manager: Is this veterinary software?

Yes. Hippo Manager is a veterinary practice management system for animal clinics, unrelated to similarly named products in other software categories.

IDEXX Neo: Do I have to use IDEXX diagnostics?

No, but almost all the advantage of choosing Neo over a neutral cloud system comes from the IDEXX analyser and reference laboratory integration.

Hippo Manager: How is it priced?

As a flat monthly fee per user with the feature set included, rather than a base licence plus paid modules.

IDEXX Neo: How is Neo different from Cornerstone?

Cornerstone is the older on-premise product for larger and multi-site hospitals, with much deeper inventory and reporting. Neo is cloud, simpler and aimed at small practices.

Hippo Manager: Does it suit an emergency or referral hospital?

Not well. Inpatient workflow depth is limited and specialist practices should look at systems built for that setting.

IDEXX Neo: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted per practice and is frequently negotiated alongside diagnostics commitments, so ask for the software price as a standalone figure.

Hippo Manager: Is there an on-premise version?

No. It is browser only, which means no server to maintain and no offline working.

IDEXX Neo: Can I export my records if I leave?

Data extracts are available on request, but plan the extract and test it before you commit, because migration off a diagnostics-linked system is usually a bigger project than expected.

Share

Related pages

More on Hippo Manager

More on IDEXX Neo

Keep looking

Other head to heads