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Healthcare · head to head

Kareo vs Practice Fusion

Kareo logo

Kareo

Healthcare

Cloud-based EHR and billing for small practices

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Practice Fusion logo

Practice Fusion

Healthcare

Free cloud-based EHR for medical practices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Practice Fusion has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Kareo kareo is now part of Tebra and sold under the Tebra brand rather than as a standalone product; Practice Fusion cloud-based architecture requires constant internet connectivity
  • They diverge on capability: Kareo covers Medical Billing, Practice Fusion covers e-Prescribing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kareo and Practice Fusion actually diverge.

Attributes where Kareo and Practice Fusion differ
AttributeKareoPractice Fusion
Starting price$99/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20102005

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Kareo

  • Medical Billing
  • Payment Processing
  • Clearinghouses
  • SOC2
  • Mobile support

Only in Practice Fusion

  • e-Prescribing
  • Lab Orders
  • Imaging Centers
  • ONC Certified

Both cover

  • Electronic Health Records
  • Scheduling
  • Patient Portal
  • Labs
  • Pharmacies
  • HIPAA
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Kareo

  • Practice management, scheduling and billing for independent medical practicesnot Practice Fusion
  • Electronic health records and e-prescribing for small clinicsnot Practice Fusion
  • Insurance claim submission and patient payment collectionnot Practice Fusion

Practice Fusion

  • Small to medium medical practicesnot Kareo
  • Primary care clinicsnot Kareo
  • Independent clinicians needing electronic chartingnot Kareo
  • Practice management and billing workflowsnot Kareo

Where each one falls short

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

Kareo

  • Kareo is now part of Tebra and sold under the Tebra brand rather than as a standalone product
  • Tebra publishes no rate: pricing varies with provider count, features and implementation requirements and is quoted during a demo
  • Billing counts clinical providers such as MDs, DOs, NPs and PAs, so adding a prescriber raises the bill even though non clinical staff are free
  • Electronic prescribing of controlled substances setup costs about $75 per provider as a one time fee
  • PDMP integration costs $500 one time per facility plus about $50 per user per year

Practice Fusion

  • Cloud-based architecture requires constant internet connectivity
  • Requires annual commitment for pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Kareo

$99/month
  • Starter$99/month
    • EHR
    • Scheduling
    • Patient Portal
  • Professional$199/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Billing
    • Reporting

Practice Fusion

Free
  • Standard$199/month
    • Provider license with e-prescribing and chart signing
    • 3 signing staff licenses included
    • Unlimited non-signing staff licenses

Which should you pick?

Choose Kareo if

  • You need medical billing.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want payment processing.
Kareo review

Choose Practice Fusion if

  • You need e-prescribing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want lab orders.
Practice Fusion review

Questions people ask

Is Kareo or Practice Fusion better?
Neither clearly leads. Kareo starts at $99/month and Practice Fusion at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kareo or Practice Fusion?
Practice Fusion has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/month for Kareo and Free for Practice Fusion.
Does Kareo or Practice Fusion run on more platforms?
Kareo runs on Web, Mobile. Practice Fusion runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Practice Fusion for free?
Yes. Practice Fusion has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kareo starts at $99/month.
What is Kareo best used for?
Kareo is most often used for practice management, scheduling and billing for independent medical practices, electronic health records and e-prescribing for small clinics, insurance claim submission and patient payment collection. Of those, practice management, scheduling and billing for independent medical practices and electronic health records and e-prescribing for small clinics are not what Practice Fusion is typically brought in for.
What can Kareo do that Practice Fusion cannot?
Kareo covers Medical Billing, Payment Processing, Clearinghouses, SOC2. Practice Fusion covers e-Prescribing, Lab Orders, Imaging Centers, ONC Certified. Both handle Electronic Health Records, Scheduling, Patient Portal, Labs.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kareo: Does Kareo publish its pricing?

No. Kareo (now rebranded as Tebra) uses custom per-practice pricing that varies based on the number of providers, features needed, and implementation requirements. Pricing is determined during a demo with the sales team.

Source
Practice Fusion: How much does Practice Fusion cost?

Practice Fusion starts at $199 per month per provider with an annual commitment required. The pricing includes 3 signing staff licenses and unlimited non-signing staff licenses.

Source
Kareo: Are there discounts for adding multiple modules?

Yes. Tebra states that many practices qualify for bundled pricing or volume incentives when adopting multiple modules like EHR, billing, and patient experience tools together.

Source
Practice Fusion: Does Practice Fusion offer a free trial?

Yes, Practice Fusion offers a complimentary 2-week trial with no commitment, no upfront costs, and no credit card required.

Source
Kareo: What are the additional costs for controlled substance prescribing?

For providers who prescribe controlled substances, EPCS setup costs approximately $75 per provider as a one-time fee, and PDMP integration costs $500 one-time per facility plus around $50 per user per year.

Source
Kareo: Does Kareo offer a free trial?

Kareo's website does not mention a free trial option. Access to pricing and trial arrangements requires contacting the sales team to request a demo.

Source
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