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Healthcare · head to head

Practice Fusion vs Shepherd

Practice Fusion logo

Practice Fusion

Healthcare

Free cloud-based EHR for medical practices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shepherd logo

Shepherd

Veterinary

Cloud veterinary practice management built by a practising vet

From
On request
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: Practice Fusion cloud-based architecture requires constant internet connectivity; Shepherd quote-only pricing with no published rates
  • They diverge on capability: Practice Fusion covers Electronic Health Records, Shepherd covers Consultation-first records.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Practice Fusion and Shepherd differ
AttributePractice FusionShepherd
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Cloud
CategoryHealthcareVeterinary
Founded2005Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Practice Fusion

  • Electronic Health Records
  • e-Prescribing
  • Lab Orders
  • Patient Portal
  • Scheduling
  • Labs
  • Pharmacies
  • Imaging Centers

Only in Shepherd

  • Consultation-first records
  • Charges from treatment
  • Inventory
  • Cloud-based

What people use each for

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

Practice Fusion

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

Shepherd

  • Practices losing revenue to treatment delivered but never billednot Practice Fusion
  • Clinics replacing on-premise legacy systemsnot Practice Fusion
  • Independent practices wanting something designed around clinical work rather than administrationnot Practice Fusion

Where each one falls short

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

Practice Fusion

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

Shepherd

  • Quote-only pricing with no published rates
  • A smaller vendor than the established systems, with a correspondingly shorter track record
  • Cloud-only, so consultations depend on clinic connectivity

Pricing, plan by plan

Practice Fusion

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

Shepherd

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Shepherd review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Practice Fusion if

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

Choose Shepherd if

  • You need consultation-first records.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want charges from treatment.
Shepherd review

Questions people ask

Is Practice Fusion or Shepherd better?
Neither clearly leads. Practice Fusion starts at Free and Shepherd at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Practice Fusion or Shepherd?
Practice Fusion has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Practice Fusion and On request for Shepherd.
Does Practice Fusion or Shepherd run on more platforms?
Practice Fusion runs on Web, iOS, Android. Shepherd runs on Web, Cloud.
Can I use Practice Fusion for free?
Yes. Practice Fusion has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shepherd starts at On request.
What is Practice Fusion best used for?
Practice Fusion is most often used for small to medium medical practices, primary care clinics, independent clinicians needing electronic charting, practice management and billing workflows. Of those, small to medium medical practices and primary care clinics are not what Shepherd is typically brought in for.
What can Practice Fusion do that Shepherd cannot?
Practice Fusion covers Electronic Health Records, e-Prescribing, Lab Orders, Patient Portal. Shepherd covers Consultation-first records, Charges from treatment, Inventory, Cloud-based.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Shepherd: What does Shepherd cost?

Pricing is quoted per practice and not published.

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
Shepherd: What makes it different from other veterinary systems?

It was designed by a practising vet around the consultation workflow, so charges accrue from recorded treatment rather than being entered as a separate billing step.

Shepherd: Is it cloud-only?

Yes, which removes server maintenance and makes connectivity a dependency.

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