Softwr

Veterinary · head to head

Hippo Manager vs PetDesk

Hippo Manager logo

Hippo Manager

Veterinary

Cloud veterinary practice management software with flat per-user pricing

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: 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.; 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: Hippo Manager covers Cloud patient records, PetDesk covers Two-way texting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hippo Manager and PetDesk actually diverge.

Attributes where Hippo Manager and PetDesk differ
AttributeHippo ManagerPetDesk

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 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.

Hippo Manager

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

PetDesk

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

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

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

PetDesk

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

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 PetDesk if

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

Questions people ask

Is Hippo Manager or PetDesk better?
Neither clearly leads. Hippo Manager 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, Hippo Manager or PetDesk?
Hippo Manager starts at On request and PetDesk at On request.
Does Hippo Manager or PetDesk 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 PetDesk is typically brought in for.
What can Hippo Manager do that PetDesk cannot?
Hippo Manager covers Cloud patient records, Scheduling, Invoicing and payments, Inventory. PetDesk covers Two-way texting, Automated reminders, Branded pet owner app, Online booking requests.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hippo Manager: Is there an on-premise version?

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

Share

Related pages

More on Hippo Manager

More on PetDesk

Keep looking

Other head to heads