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Veterinary · head to head

Onward Vet vs PetDesk

Onward Vet logo

Onward Vet

Veterinary

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PetDesk logo

PetDesk

Veterinary

Client reminders, two-way texting and a pet owner app that syncs with on-premise practice systems

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; PetDesk the on-premise connector depends on a computer at the practice staying powered, online and patched, and when it stops syncing the reminders stop silently rather than raising an alarm.
  • They diverge on capability: Onward Vet covers Flat practice subscription, PetDesk covers Two-way texting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Onward Vet and PetDesk actually diverge.

Attributes where Onward Vet and PetDesk differ
AttributeOnward VetPetDesk

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 Onward Vet

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

Only in PetDesk

  • Two-way texting
  • Automated reminders
  • Branded pet owner app
  • Online booking requests
  • On-premise connector
  • Review generation

What people use each for

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

Onward Vet

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

PetDesk

  • A practice losing revenue to no-shows that wants automated confirmations without more front desk callsnot Onward Vet
  • A clinic on an older on-premise system that cloud-only communication tools cannot integrate withnot Onward Vet
  • A group wanting one branded client app across several locationsnot Onward Vet
  • A practice trying to shift routine client questions off the phone and into textnot Onward Vet

Where each one falls short

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

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.

PetDesk

  • The on-premise connector depends on a computer at the practice staying powered, online and patched, and when it stops syncing the reminders stop silently rather than raising an alarm.
  • Synchronisation is one-way with several practice systems, so online booking requests still have to be typed into the schedule by a staff member and the labour saving is smaller than the demonstration suggests.
  • Pricing is per location, so a group of small branch clinics pays repeatedly for a product whose value scales with client volume rather than with the number of front doors.
  • The product line was assembled through acquisitions, leaving overlapping apps and consoles, and which one you get depends on when and through whom you bought.
  • Text message compliance, including consent and opt-out handling, sits with the practice as the sender, and automated recall campaigns make it easy to message clients who never agreed to receive them.

Pricing, plan by plan

Onward Vet

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

PetDesk

On request
  • PetDesk$undefined/year
    • Priced per practice location
    • Message volume tiers
    • Branded app included on higher tiers

Which should you pick?

Choose Onward Vet if

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

Choose PetDesk if

  • You need two-way texting.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want automated reminders.
PetDesk review

Questions people ask

Is Onward Vet or PetDesk better?
Neither clearly leads. Onward Vet starts at On request and PetDesk at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Onward Vet or PetDesk?
Onward Vet starts at On request and PetDesk at On request.
Does Onward Vet or PetDesk run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Onward Vet best used for?
Onward Vet is most often used for a clinic with a large rota of part-time technicians and receptionists where per-seat pricing is disproportionate, a single-site practice leaving an ageing on-premise system that no longer wants to maintain a server, a new practice that needs a working record system quickly without a long configuration project, a cost-sensitive clinic that wants cloud practice management without paying for integration breadth it will not use. Of those, a clinic with a large rota of part-time technicians and receptionists where per-seat pricing is disproportionate and a single-site practice leaving an ageing on-premise system that no longer wants to maintain a server are not what PetDesk is typically brought in for.
What can Onward Vet do that PetDesk cannot?
Onward Vet covers Flat practice subscription, Cloud hosted, Medical records and SOAP, Estimates and treatment plans. PetDesk covers Two-way texting, Automated reminders, Branded pet owner app, Online booking requests.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

PetDesk: Will it work with my on-premise practice management system?

Usually yes, through a connector installed on your network that reads the local database. Confirm whether your specific system supports two-way sync or only reading.

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.

PetDesk: Does online booking write directly into my diary?

That depends on the practice system. With several of them a request arrives for staff to confirm and enter manually, so ask for your exact system before assuming automatic booking.

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.

PetDesk: Who is responsible for text messaging consent?

The practice is. PetDesk sends on your behalf, but the lawful basis, the consent record and the opt-out handling are your obligations as the sender.

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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