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Healthcare · head to head

OpenMRS vs Teladoc Health

OpenMRS logo

OpenMRS

Healthcare

Open source electronic medical record platform for low-resource settings, with no vendor and paid implementers instead

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Teladoc Health logo

Teladoc Health

Healthcare

Virtual healthcare platform for telehealth and telemedicine

From
$89/visit
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenMRS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: OpenMRS there is no vendor and no support contract from OpenMRS itself, so a procurement that requires a named supplier with a service level must instead contract an implementer, and the quality of that implementer determines the outcome more than the software does; Teladoc Health does not accept traditional Medicare or Medicaid, only Medicare Advantage and managed care plans
  • They diverge on capability: OpenMRS covers Concept dictionary, Teladoc Health covers Video Consultations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenMRS and Teladoc Health actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenMRS and Teladoc Health differ
AttributeOpenMRSTeladoc Health
Starting priceFree$89/visit
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Web, WindowsWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2002

Identical on both: 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 OpenMRS

  • Concept dictionary
  • Modular architecture
  • Modern front end
  • FHIR support
  • Offline tolerance
  • Patient matching and registration
  • Distributions

Only in Teladoc Health

  • Video Consultations
  • Phone Consultations
  • Messaging
  • Prescription Services
  • Mental Health
  • Chronic Care
  • EHR Systems
  • Health Plans

What people use each for

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

OpenMRS

  • A ministry of health standardising HIV treatment records across hundreds of facilities where per-patient licensing would be unaffordablenot Teladoc Health
  • A hospital network in a country where no commercial vendor supports the local language, clinical forms or reporting requirementsnot Teladoc Health
  • An NGO running a tuberculosis programme that must report into DHIS2 and needs the clinical record beneath it to be modifiablenot Teladoc Health
  • A health system that wants to own its clinical data model outright rather than depend on a vendor to extend itnot Teladoc Health

Teladoc Health

  • Patient Carenot OpenMRS
  • Medical Recordsnot OpenMRS
  • Practice Managementnot OpenMRS
  • Telehealthnot OpenMRS

Where each one falls short

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

OpenMRS

  • There is no vendor and no support contract from OpenMRS itself, so a procurement that requires a named supplier with a service level must instead contract an implementer, and the quality of that implementer determines the outcome more than the software does
  • It is a framework rather than a ready product, so a deployment requires clinical content, form design, concept dictionary work and integration before a single patient is registered, and that work is months of skilled effort
  • Funding comes largely from donor programmes, which makes the pace of core development dependent on grant cycles rather than on a commercial roadmap, and priorities can shift when a funder does
  • Distribution choice, core OpenMRS against Bahmni against Ozone, locks in a different set of components and a different implementer pool, and migrating between distributions later is close to a fresh implementation
  • The people cost never goes away: a national deployment needs permanent internal informatics capacity or a permanent support contract, and organisations that budget only the zero licence fee run out of money at the point the system becomes clinically critical

Teladoc Health

  • Does not accept traditional Medicare or Medicaid, only Medicare Advantage and managed care plans
  • Providers cannot prescribe DEA-controlled substances or certain medications including erectile dysfunction drugs
  • Cannot handle medical emergencies; users must call 911 for emergency care

Pricing, plan by plan

OpenMRS

Free
  • OpenMRSFree
    • Openly licensed, no licence fee and no seat limits
    • Community support through forums and the OpenMRS Talk platform
    • No support contract available from OpenMRS itself

Teladoc Health

$89/visit

No published plan breakdown. See the Teladoc Health review.

Which should you pick?

Choose OpenMRS if

  • You need concept dictionary.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Web, Windows.
  • You also want modular architecture.
OpenMRS review

Choose Teladoc Health if

  • You need video consultations.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want phone consultations.
Teladoc Health review

Questions people ask

Is OpenMRS or Teladoc Health better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenMRS starts at Free and Teladoc Health at $89/visit, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenMRS or Teladoc Health?
OpenMRS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for OpenMRS and $89/visit for Teladoc Health.
Does OpenMRS or Teladoc Health run on more platforms?
OpenMRS runs on Linux, Web, Windows. Teladoc Health runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use OpenMRS for free?
Yes. OpenMRS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Teladoc Health starts at $89/visit.
What is OpenMRS best used for?
OpenMRS is most often used for a ministry of health standardising hiv treatment records across hundreds of facilities where per-patient licensing would be unaffordable, a hospital network in a country where no commercial vendor supports the local language, clinical forms or reporting requirements, an ngo running a tuberculosis programme that must report into dhis2 and needs the clinical record beneath it to be modifiable, a health system that wants to own its clinical data model outright rather than depend on a vendor to extend it. Of those, a ministry of health standardising hiv treatment records across hundreds of facilities where per-patient licensing would be unaffordable and a hospital network in a country where no commercial vendor supports the local language, clinical forms or reporting requirements are not what Teladoc Health is typically brought in for.
What can OpenMRS do that Teladoc Health cannot?
OpenMRS covers Concept dictionary, Modular architecture, Modern front end, FHIR support. Teladoc Health covers Video Consultations, Phone Consultations, Messaging, Prescription Services.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OpenMRS: Who supports OpenMRS if it breaks?

Not OpenMRS itself. Support is bought from implementers such as Mekom Solutions, which offers long-term production service level agreements for OpenMRS, Bahmni and Ozone deployments, or from regional partners.

Teladoc Health: Does Teladoc work with traditional Medicare or Medicaid?

No. Teladoc only works with Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care plans, not traditional fee-for-service Medicare or Medicaid programs.

Source
OpenMRS: Is it really free?

The software has no licence fee. Hosting, configuration, clinical content, integration and support are the real cost, and they are ongoing.

Teladoc Health: How quickly can I get an appointment with Teladoc?

For ASAP visits, wait times are typically just a few minutes. For General Medical, most issues are resolved in 15 minutes or less.

Source
OpenMRS: What is the difference between OpenMRS, Bahmni and Ozone?

OpenMRS is the core platform. Bahmni and Ozone are distributions that package it with billing, laboratory and inventory components. Choosing a distribution constrains your implementer options.

Teladoc Health: What medications can Teladoc providers prescribe?

Providers do not prescribe DEA-controlled substances, erectile dysfunction medications, or certain other drugs. GLP-1 medications are only available through Primary Care or Condition Management programs.

Source
OpenMRS: Does it support FHIR?

Yes. FHIR support is the standard route for integrating laboratory, pharmacy and national reporting systems.

Teladoc Health: What is the cost of Teladoc visits without insurance?

General Medical visits cost 89 USD per visit without insurance. Other services like dermatology and mental health vary by service type.

Source
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