Smart Clinic vs Cliniko — which fits your practice?
Both platforms handle appointments, records, and billing. The differences come down to specialty fit, AI capabilities, WhatsApp integration, and language support. Here's the honest breakdown.
- You want AI-generated clinical notes
- Your patients use WhatsApp
- You run a dental, GP, dermatology, or pediatric practice
- You need Hebrew language / RTL support
- You want to start free before committing
- You manage multiple clinic locations
- You are a physiotherapist, chiropractor, or occupational therapist
- You need built-in telehealth / video consultations
- You are based in Australia or New Zealand
- Your billing follows GDPR rather than HIPAA principles
- Allied health SOAP templates matter most to you
Pricing at a glance
| Plan | Smart Clinic | Cliniko |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | Free (2 users, 50 patients) | ~$45/mo (up to 5 practitioners) |
| Starter | $29/mo (5 users, 500 patients) | ~$95/mo (6–10 practitioners) |
| Pro | $59/mo (15 users, 5,000 patients) | ~$145/mo (11–20 practitioners) |
| Clinic | $119/mo (unlimited users & patients) | ~$195–$395/mo (20+ practitioners) |
| Free trial | Permanent free plan | 30-day trial only |
Cliniko prices are approximate as of May 2026. Cliniko prices by practitioner count; Smart Clinic by tier.
Feature comparison
| Core | Smart Clinic | Cliniko | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appointment scheduling | ||||
| Online patient self-booking | ||||
| Patient records & medical history | ||||
| Billing & invoicing | ||||
| Staff management | ||||
| Free planCliniko offers a 30-day trial; Smart Clinic has a permanent free tier | ||||
| AI & Automation | Smart Clinic | Cliniko | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI-powered clinical notesSmart Clinic generates SOAP notes from visit summaries in one click | ||||
| WhatsApp appointment remindersCliniko sends email reminders only; no WhatsApp integration | ||||
| Email appointment reminders | ||||
| Automated recall reminders | ||||
| Two-way patient messagingBoth have limited messaging; neither is a full patient comms platform | ||||
| Specialty Support | Smart Clinic | Cliniko | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dental workflows & teeth chart | ||||
| Allied health (physio, chiro, OT)Cliniko has deeper physiotherapy & allied health templates | ||||
| GP / general medicine | ||||
| Dermatology | ||||
| Pediatrics | ||||
| Built-in telehealth / video callsCliniko includes telehealth on all plans; Smart Clinic does not (yet) | ||||
| Localization | Smart Clinic | Cliniko | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hebrew language + RTL layout | ||||
| English | ||||
| Multi-currency support | ||||
| Israel & Middle East focus | ||||
| Security | Smart Clinic | Cliniko | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIPAA-inspired designCliniko follows Australian Privacy Act & GDPR; not HIPAA certified | ||||
| AES-256 encryption at rest | ||||
| Role-based access control | ||||
| Full audit logs | ||||
| Two-factor authentication (2FA) | ||||
| Pricing | Smart Clinic | Cliniko | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan available | ||||
| Starting priceCliniko prices by practitioner count; Smart Clinic by plan tier | $0/mo (Free) | ~$45/mo | ||
| Annual billing discount | ||||
Yes Partial Not available
Where they differ — in depth
AI clinical notes
Smart Clinic generates structured SOAP notes from a brief visit summary in one click. It picks up conditions, procedures, and medications and produces professional documentation in seconds — saving 10–15 minutes per patient. Cliniko has custom treatment note templates and a solid note-taking interface, but no AI generation. If clinical documentation speed is a priority, Smart Clinic has a clear advantage here.
WhatsApp reminders vs email-only
In many markets — particularly Israel, the UK, and Latin America — patients overwhelmingly prefer WhatsApp to email. Smart Clinic sends appointment reminders and confirmations via WhatsApp automatically. Cliniko is email-only for reminders. If your patients already message you on WhatsApp (and most clinic patients in these regions do), this difference alone can meaningfully reduce no-shows.
Specialty fit: dental, GP, and multi-specialty vs allied health
Cliniko was built for allied health — physiotherapy, chiropractic, occupational therapy, massage. Its treatment note templates, billing, and scheduling are tuned for that workflow. Smart Clinic covers a broader specialty range: dental (including a visual teeth chart), GP, dermatology, pediatrics, and physiotherapy. If you're a physio or chiropractor, Cliniko's out-of-box templates will feel more immediately familiar. If you're running a dental clinic or a multi-specialty practice, Smart Clinic's flexibility is the better fit.
Telehealth
Cliniko includes built-in telehealth (video consultations) on all plans — no third-party tool required. Smart Clinic does not currently have native telehealth. If video appointments are a core part of your workflow, this is a genuine gap. Smart Clinic plans to add this — but as of May 2026, Cliniko wins on telehealth.
Hebrew support and international markets
Smart Clinic has full Hebrew language support with proper RTL (right-to-left) layout — not just translated text, but a fully mirrored interface. This makes it one of the only modern clinic platforms genuinely serving the Israeli market. Cliniko is English-only.
Pricing model
Cliniko prices by number of practitioners — $45/mo for 1–5, climbing to $395+/mo for large teams. Smart Clinic prices by plan tier with a patient limit: starter at $49/mo (1 staff), growing to $199/mo for 15 staff. For smaller practices (1–3 providers), prices are comparable. At 5–10 providers, Smart Clinic is generally cheaper. Smart Clinic also has a permanent free plan; Cliniko offers a 30-day trial only.
Common questions
Can I migrate from Cliniko to Smart Clinic?
Yes. Smart Clinic imports patient records, appointment history, and billing data from CSV exports. Cliniko lets you export your data at any time. Smart Clinic's free plan lets you test the import before you commit to a paid subscription.
Does Smart Clinic work for physiotherapy practices?
Yes, Smart Clinic supports physiotherapy scheduling, patient records, treatment plans, and billing. Cliniko has more purpose-built physio templates (SOAP notes, body charts) that may save setup time if you're coming from an allied health background. Smart Clinic's AI notes can partially offset this — but it's worth trialing both.
Is Smart Clinic available in Australia?
Yes. Smart Clinic is a cloud platform available globally. Note that Smart Clinic is designed with HIPAA principles in mind — if your compliance obligation is specifically the Australian Privacy Act or GDPR rather than HIPAA, verify that Smart Clinic meets your requirements before switching.
Does Cliniko have a free plan?
No. Cliniko offers a 30-day free trial but has no permanent free tier. Smart Clinic's Free plan (2 users, 50 patients) has no time limit.
Ready to switch from Cliniko?
Import your existing patient data, explore AI clinical notes, and see how WhatsApp reminders work — all as part of your early access onboarding.
Cliniko is a registered trademark of Cliniko Pty Ltd. Smart Clinic is not affiliated with Cliniko.