View all EHR Alternatives
Best Free Alternatives to Cerner
Stop paying Enterprise ($25/user/mo to $30M+). Discover professional-grade tools that won't break your budget.
Category: EHRVerified for 2025
Top Recommended Replacements
GNU Health
Best for Public Health & Equity
Why we like it
100% free and community-driven; focuses on social medicine and population health; includes modules for genetics and epidemiology that are often paid add-ons in Cerner.
Keep in mind
The user interface is utilitarian and requires a technical learning curve; lacks the integrated commercial support network of Oracle Health.
Hospital OS
Best for Rural/Small Hospitals
Why we like it
Specifically designed for small hospitals (under 100 beds); highly efficient and requires minimal hardware; 100% free with local community support.
Keep in mind
Development is primarily focused on Southeast Asian standards; documentation may be less robust for US-specific regulatory compliance (like MIPS/MACRA).
OpenEMR
Best Overall FOSS Alternative
Why we like it
ONC Certified (standard for US compliance); includes integrated billing, e-prescribing, and patient portals; massive global community with professional support options.
Keep in mind
Requires self-hosting (AWS/Azure) or a private server; interface is functional but lacks the 'sleek' AI-driven design of Oracle's 2025 updates.
Bahmni
Best for Integrated Hospital Mgmt
Why we like it
Combines OpenMRS, OpenELIS (Lab), and Odoo (ERP) into one stack; excellent for managing a hospital's pharmacy, inventory, and clinical data in one flow.
Keep in mind
Extremely complex to implement; requires an experienced IT team to manage the 'system of systems' architecture.
Practice Fusion
FREEBest for Independent Practices
Why we like it
One of the few web-based EHRs with a low-cost or free (ad-supported) history; incredibly fast to set up for small ambulatory clinics.
Keep in mind
Privacy-conscious users may dislike the ad-supported model; less robust than Cerner for high-volume inpatient hospital care.
Meditech Expanse
Best for Mid-Sized Hospitals
Why we like it
Direct competitor to Cerner that is often cited as more affordable for community hospitals; excellent web-based interface that works well on mobile/tablets.
Keep in mind
Still a proprietary enterprise system; pricing is opaque and varies by module.
DrChrono
FREEBest for Mobile/iPad Use
Why we like it
Offers a 'freemium' model; best-in-class iPad app for clinicians; integrates patient check-in, billing, and clinical notes in a modern, cloud-native UI.
Keep in mind
Advanced features like medical billing services and specialized labs can become very expensive as you scale.
Kareo (now Tebra)
FREEBest for Independent Physicians
Why we like it
Specifically designed for small practices; handles both the clinical (EHR) and business (Practice Management) sides for a much lower entry price than Cerner.
Keep in mind
Not suitable for inpatient hospital settings; lacks the deep population health analytics of Oracle Health.
FreeMED
Best for Developer Customization
Why we like it
One of the oldest open-source EMRs; highly modular and built on LAMP stack; excellent for developers who want to build custom clinical workflows.
Keep in mind
Community development has slowed compared to OpenEMR; interface is very legacy-focused.
CureMD
Best for Specialty Practices
Why we like it
All-in-one SMART cloud platform; provides enterprise-class functionality (EHR, PM, Billing) at a fraction of Cerner's cost.
Keep in mind
Proprietary; scaling costs are per-provider/per-month.
DoliMed
Best for Private Clinics
Why we like it
An EHR module for the Dolibarr ERP; great for doctors who want to manage their clinic's business and patient records in one system.
Keep in mind
More focused on the business management side; clinical tools are more basic than specialized EHRs like GNU Health.
OpenMRS
Best for Research/Global Health
Why we like it
World-class modular clinical record system; used by major organizations (PIH, AMPATH); supports custom forms and patient observations with high precision.
Keep in mind
Lacks the billing and inventory modules natively; usually needs to be part of a larger distribution like Bahmni for hospital use.