Best Shepherd Alternatives in 2026
The top Shepherd alternatives are PetDesk Direct Booking, EasyWeek for Veterinary Clinics and ezyVet: 15 veterinary appointment scheduling software our editors would look at instead of Shepherd, in our ranking order.
Shepherd: A broad veterinary practice suite for clinics that want scheduling and AI notes in one browser-based system. Where it falls short: standard subscription prices and plan tiers are not published.
Switching from Shepherd? For most veterinary appointment scheduling software buyers the best Shepherd alternative is PetDesk Direct Booking, built for practices wanting integrated online booking. On a budget, EasyWeek for Veterinary Clinics starts at $8.33/mo. EasyWeek for Veterinary Clinics has a free plan. PetChart offers the most included staff accounts (2 users).
Why People Look for a Shepherd Alternative
- Standard subscription prices and plan tiers are not published
- No mobile apps; access is through a web browser
- Integration coverage is limited to a defined list of partners
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallPetDesk Direct Booking8.8
Practices wanting integrated online booking
Visit PetDesk Direct Booking - Lowest priceEasyWeek for Veterinary Clinics8.6
Paid plans from $8.33/mo
Visit EasyWeek for Veterinary Clinics - Best free optionEasyWeek for Veterinary Clinics8.6
Has a free plan
Visit EasyWeek for Veterinary Clinics - Most included staff accountsPetChart7.2
2 users
Visit PetChart
All 15 Shepherd Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forPractices wanting integrated online booking
- Better than Shepherd:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 8.2
A connected booking layer for practices that want online scheduling tied to their PIMS.
- Calendar sync
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit PetDesk -
Best forBudget-conscious veterinary clinics
- Better than Shepherd:
- Editor score 8.6 vs 8.2
A broad, low-cost scheduling platform for clinics that need records, reminders, and payments.
- Recurring appointments
- Calendar sync
- Telehealth
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit EasyWeek -
Best forEstablished practices needing broad platform coverage
- Better than Shepherd:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 8.2
A broad veterinary operations platform for practices that need scheduling plus clinical workflows.
- Recurring appointments
- Calendar sync
- Telehealth
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit ezyVet -
Best forEstablished clinics wanting full practice management
- Better than Shepherd:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 8.2
A full practice-management platform for clinics that need scheduling plus clinical and business tools.
- Recurring appointments
- Calendar sync
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit DaySmart Vet -
Best forClinics wanting flexible general scheduling
Flexible scheduling with booking, payments, reminders, and team coordination.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit SchedulingKit -
Best forClinics needing compliance and enterprise connectivity
A broad veterinary platform for clinics that need scheduling, records, payments, and integrations.
- Telehealth
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Provet Cloud -
Best forClinics wanting AI-enabled practice management
A broad veterinary system for clinics that want scheduling, records, billing, and AI together.
- Recurring appointments
- Calendar sync
- Telehealth
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Digitail -
Best forEstablished clinics wanting broad management tools
A broad web-based suite for clinics that need scheduling plus practice management.
- Recurring appointments
- Calendar sync
- Telehealth
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit VETport -
Best forPractices focused on specialized booking control
A specialized scheduler for clinics needing detailed booking controls and PMS synchronization.
- Calendar sync
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Vetstoria -
Best forPractices needing collaborative veterinary records
A broad veterinary platform for teams that need scheduling alongside collaborative records.
- Recurring appointments
- Telehealth
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Vetspire -
Best forClinics needing broad records and billing
A broad web-based clinic system spanning appointments, records, billing, inventory, and telemedicine.
- Telehealth
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit e-Vet Cloud -
Best forClinics needing resource-aware scheduling
A broad veterinary practice platform with scheduling, records, billing, and client workflows.
- Calendar sync
- Telehealth
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit PetChart -
Best forSmall clinics prioritizing affordable online booking
A focused scheduling system with reminders, calendars, payments and video consultations.
- Calendar sync
- Telehealth
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Planfy -
Best forClinics improving booking and client messaging
A web-based booking and messaging platform with PIMS synchronization and AI call handling.
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Oliver -
Best forPractices wanting booking plus client engagement
A broad booking and engagement platform for practices that want more than scheduling.
- Telehealth
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit PetsApp
Shepherd Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Shepherd?
PetDesk Direct Booking: #1 in our Veterinary Appointment Scheduling Software ranking, with an editor score of 8.8 out of 10. A connected booking layer for practices that want online scheduling tied to their PIMS.
Is there a free alternative to Shepherd?
Yes. EasyWeek for Veterinary Clinics and SchedulingKit have a free plan or a free tier.
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Shepherd?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, EasyWeek for Veterinary Clinics starts lowest, at $8.33/mo.
Why do people look for Shepherd alternatives?
Standard subscription prices and plan tiers are not published; No mobile apps; access is through a web browser; Integration coverage is limited to a defined list of partners.
Which Shepherd alternative has the most included staff accounts?
PetChart, with 2 users.
How do I switch from Shepherd?
Export your data from Shepherd (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Shepherd.
How to Switch from Shepherd
- Export your data from Shepherd (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Shepherd.
Shepherd vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Booking channels | Reminder channels | Mobile apps | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Shepherd | Client portal | Email + sms | None | 8.2 | ||
| 1 | PetDesk Direct Booking | Website + client portal | Ios + android | 8.8 | |||
| 2 | EasyWeek for Veterinary Clinics | Yes | $8.33/mo | Website | Email + sms | Ios + android | 8.6 |
| 3 | ezyVet | No | $199/mo | Website + client portal | Email + sms | Ios + android | 8.5 |
| 4 | DaySmart Vet | $123/mo | Website + client portal | Email + sms | Ios + android | 8.4 | |
| 5 | SchedulingKit | Yes | $10/seat/mo | 8.1 | |||
| 6 | Provet Cloud | No | Website | Email + sms | Android | 8.0 | |
| 7 | Digitail | No | Website + client portal | Email + sms | Ios + android | 7.8 | |
| 8 | VETport | No | Website | Email + sms | 7.7 | ||
| 9 | Vetstoria | No | Website | Email + sms | None | 7.6 | |
| 10 | Vetspire | Website | Email + sms | 7.5 | |||
| 11 | e-Vet Cloud | No | Website + client portal | Email + sms | 7.3 | ||
| 12 | PetChart | No | Client portal | Email + sms | None | 7.2 | |
| 13 | Planfy | No | Website + client portal | Email + sms | 7.1 | ||
| 14 | Oliver | No | $79/mo | Website | Email + sms | 7.0 | |
| 15 | PetsApp | Website + client portal | Ios + android | 6.9 |
Head-to-Head
- Shepherd vs PetDesk Direct Booking
- Shepherd vs EasyWeek for Veterinary Clinics
- Shepherd vs ezyVet
- Shepherd vs DaySmart Vet
- Shepherd vs SchedulingKit
- Shepherd vs Provet Cloud
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update