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Orthanc

Free#12 of 16 in PACS SoftwareRadiology Software Medical Imaging Software

Orthanc: A free, extensible self-hosted PACS for teams that can manage infrastructure. Ranked #12 of 16 in PACS Software by our editors (8.0/10); pricing: Free plan; best for developers and facilities wanting free extensible PACS.

8.0/10Editor score

Visit Orthanc

Orthanc8.0 Visit Orthanc

At a glance

Editor score
8.0 / 10
Pricing
Free plan
Best for
Developers and facilities wanting free extensible PACS
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
Free
Deployment
On-premises
Facts checked
24 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Free open-source edition for self-hosted DICOM storage and management
- REST API, DICOM networking and official DICOMweb plugin support
- Plugin architecture extends databases, storage and automation with Lua
Where it doesn't
- Self-hosted deployment requires your team to operate the infrastructure
- Mobile viewing is not supported
- Support is centered on documentation and community channels

Our verdict on Orthanc

Orthanc is an open-source, self-hosted DICOM server for storing, querying, transferring and accessing medical images. It suits healthcare organizations, imaging researchers and developers that need a PACS or DICOM gateway on their own infrastructure. The server handles studies, series and instances across DICOM modalities including CT, MR, ultrasound, X-ray and nuclear medicine. Orthanc Explorer provides browser administration, while the published platform support covers Windows, macOS, Linux, web access and API-based workflows.

Its main strength is an integration surface designed for extension. DICOM networking supports sending, receiving and querying imaging data, and the RESTful HTTP API can connect Orthanc with surrounding clinical or research systems. Official plugins add DICOMweb support, while plugin-based database and storage options allow deployments to adapt their persistence layer. Lua scripting and automation hooks provide another route for workflow customization. The Orthanc open-source edition is free and includes the self-hosted DICOM server, REST API, Orthanc Explorer web interface and plugin architecture, making its cost model straightforward for teams able to provide and maintain their own environment.

The trade-off is operational responsibility. Deployment is on-premises and self-hosted, so infrastructure management, upgrades, storage planning and integration work remain with the adopting organization. Orthanc includes a diagnostic and web viewing experience, but mobile viewing is not supported, which may matter for distributed clinical teams. Documentation and community channels are the stated support routes rather than a packaged service tier. Choose Orthanc when control, extensibility and DICOM connectivity matter more than managed hosting. Consider another PACS when you need vendor-operated infrastructure, mobile access or a support model built around dedicated service operations.

Your product? Our editors can test Orthanc in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

Orthanc pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on orthanc-server.com

All 1 Orthanc plans and prices →

Orthanc fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	Free
Deployment	On-premises
Diagnostic viewer	Yes
Supported modalities	DICOM modalities, including CT, MR, ultrasound, X-ray and nuclear medicine
DICOM support	Yes
Web viewer	Yes
Mobile viewing	No
Deployment	Self-hosted
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, Web
Support	Docs, Community
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
Pricing	Free plan (source)
Website	orthanc-server.com
Facts checked	24 Sep 2026

Alternatives to Orthanc

See all Orthanc alternatives →

Also Ranked In

Orthanc is ranked in 3 of our directories.

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Featured on iTechGuides

Orthanc is listed in our PACS Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update