Shepherd review

Shepherd ranks first because it pairs a complete cloud system with the clearest pricing in this category. The first doctor costs $349 a month, or $299 when the clinic processes card payments through Shepherd Pay, doctors two and three are $99 each, and every doctor after that is $49. Technicians, client service staff and managers get logins at no extra cost, and the plan covers onboarding, support, a pet parent portal, automated reminders, wellness plans and AI transcription that logs straight into the record. Multi-location groups pay $249 per site plus $99 per doctor. The extras are spelled out too: two-way texting runs $99 per 5,000 messages and data migration is a one-time $2,475 if paid in full. Start-ups can get half off for 12 months and nonprofits pay a flat $299. Large specialty and referral hospitals will find deeper hospital tools in ezyVet or Provet Cloud.

Who it is for

Independent general practices with one to a few doctors that want a published price and unlimited staff logins.

Price

$349 per month for one doctor, or $299 with Shepherd Pay; doctors two and three add $99 each.

Shepherd starts at $299 a month for one doctor with Shepherd Pay, or $349 without.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 9, 2026.

Key features

• Medical records, scheduling, invoicing and inventory in one connected system
• Unlimited users on every plan, with no per-seat or per-workstation fees
• Embedded AI transcription that writes into the record and drafts discharge instructions
• Pet parent portal, automated reminders and customizable wellness plans
• Multi-site pricing at $249 per location, or $199 when every location uses Shepherd Pay

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Full price table published, including per-doctor steps and add-ons
• Strength: Onboarding, support and updates are included in the subscription
• Strength: New practices can get 50% off the subscription for the first 12 months
• Weakness: Two-way texting is extra at $99 per 5,000 messages
• Weakness: Data migration is a one-time fee of $2,475 paid in full
• Weakness: The lowest price requires processing payments through Shepherd Pay

Key facts

• Starting price: $299 a month for one doctor with Shepherd Pay
• Extra doctors: $99 each for doctors two and three, then $49
• Users: Unlimited
• Deployment: Cloud

Where it ranks

Shepherd is No. 1 in our Best Veterinary Practice Management Software verdict.