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Healthcare · head to head

OpenMRS vs SilverCloud by Amwell

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
SilverCloud by Amwell logo

SilverCloud by Amwell

Healthcare

Guided digital cognitive behavioural therapy with a published randomised trial evidence base

From
On request
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; SilverCloud by Amwell the evidence base is for the guided model, and organisations that deploy SilverCloud as unstaffed self service get the completion rates of unguided self help, which is not what the trials measured.
  • They diverge on capability: OpenMRS covers Concept dictionary, SilverCloud by Amwell covers Guided programmes.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenMRS and SilverCloud by Amwell actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenMRS and SilverCloud by Amwell differ
AttributeOpenMRSSilverCloud by Amwell
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Web, WindowsWeb, iOS, Android

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 SilverCloud by Amwell

  • Guided programmes
  • Supporter review
  • Symptom measurement
  • Clinician dashboard
  • Risk detection
  • NHS talking therapies alignment
  • Multiple deployment models

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 SilverCloud by Amwell
  • A hospital network in a country where no commercial vendor supports the local language, clinical forms or reporting requirementsnot SilverCloud by Amwell
  • An NGO running a tuberculosis programme that must report into DHIS2 and needs the clinical record beneath it to be modifiablenot SilverCloud by Amwell
  • A health system that wants to own its clinical data model outright rather than depend on a vendor to extend itnot SilverCloud by Amwell

SilverCloud by Amwell

  • An NHS talking therapies service needing a digital option that fits national reporting requirements and reduces waiting list pressure for step two interventionsnot OpenMRS
  • A health plan wanting a digital mental health offering it can defend to a clinical governance committee with peer reviewed trial evidencenot OpenMRS
  • A university counselling service facing demand it cannot staff, using guided digital cognitive behavioural therapy as a first stepnot OpenMRS
  • An employer that wants an evidence based clinical intervention rather than a wellbeing content librarynot 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

SilverCloud by Amwell

  • The evidence base is for the guided model, and organisations that deploy SilverCloud as unstaffed self service get the completion rates of unguided self help, which is not what the trials measured.
  • Supporter capacity is normally the buyer responsibility rather than part of the licence, so the real cost includes trained staff time that does not appear on the software quote.
  • Digital cognitive behavioural therapy has substantial dropout across all vendors, so a service planning capacity from enrolment numbers rather than completion numbers will overstate the throughput gained.
  • It is now sold as part of the Amwell portfolio, and Amwell has restructured its product lines since acquiring SilverCloud, so buyers should ask how SilverCloud is positioned within the Amwell Converge platform and whether it can still be bought standalone.
  • Guided digital cognitive behavioural therapy is a step two intervention and does not serve moderate to severe presentations, so a service that buys it without a funded escalation pathway simply relocates the queue.

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

SilverCloud by Amwell

On request
  • SilverCloud by Amwell$undefined/year
    • Priced per member per month or per completed course depending on the buyer type
    • Supporter capacity is usually provided by the buyer, not included in the licence
    • Programme library scope affects the rate

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 SilverCloud by Amwell if

  • You need guided programmes.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want supporter review.
SilverCloud by Amwell review

Questions people ask

Is OpenMRS or SilverCloud by Amwell better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenMRS starts at Free and SilverCloud by Amwell at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenMRS or SilverCloud by Amwell?
OpenMRS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for OpenMRS and On request for SilverCloud by Amwell.
Does OpenMRS or SilverCloud by Amwell run on more platforms?
OpenMRS runs on Linux, Web, Windows. SilverCloud by Amwell runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use OpenMRS for free?
Yes. OpenMRS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SilverCloud by Amwell starts at On request.
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 SilverCloud by Amwell is typically brought in for.
What can OpenMRS do that SilverCloud by Amwell cannot?
OpenMRS covers Concept dictionary, Modular architecture, Modern front end, FHIR support. SilverCloud by Amwell covers Guided programmes, Supporter review, Symptom measurement, Clinician dashboard.

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.

SilverCloud by Amwell: Is SilverCloud still available under its own name?

Yes. It is marketed as SilverCloud by Amwell and has its own product pages and NHS partnership, though contracting runs through Amwell.

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.

SilverCloud by Amwell: What evidence supports it?

It has been evaluated in independently led randomised controlled trials, including a National Institute of Mental Health funded study published in Nature Human Behaviour in 2026 examining prevalence of mental disorders over two years at scale.

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.

SilverCloud by Amwell: Do we need to provide the supporters?

In most deployments, yes. The guided model requires trained supporter time, and that staffing is usually the buyer responsibility rather than included in the licence.

OpenMRS: Does it support FHIR?

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

SilverCloud by Amwell: Is it suitable for severe presentations?

No. It is a step two style intervention for mild to moderate presentations, and it needs a funded escalation pathway for anything more severe.

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