PetGrid vs Cornerstone, in short: Cornerstone is ahead on IDEXX lab integration, texting through Vello, invoicing, inventory and support hours, and PetGrid is ahead on a published price, an owner app included, AI and a free move with no server to run. This page sets the two side by side in 36 rows, grouped into eight tables, each with a one-line verdict.
Every Cornerstone cell comes from IDEXX's own pages or Capterra, checked on 26 September 2026, and every PetGrid cell is what the product does today. For the shorter read on why clinics leave the server and where Cornerstone is the better choice, see our Cornerstone alternative guide.
How this PetGrid vs Cornerstone comparison works
Cornerstone is IDEXX's server-based practice system, on version 9.7, and PetGrid runs in the cloud, so the tables compare them on the same 36 rows every PetGrid comparison uses: everyday work, medical records, money, the owner app and messaging, AI, security, getting your data out, and price and contract.
- Sources. IDEXX's Cornerstone, current customer, Vello and support pages, the Cornerstone help hub and Cornerstone's Capterra listing, all checked on 26 September 2026 and listed at the end.
- Not stated means we did not find it on IDEXX's own pages. It may exist, so ask IDEXX before you rule it out.
- PetGrid's cells are written once for every comparison and read from the product, including what it does not do yet: no lab integration, no independent audit and no clinic live on AI Front Desk.
Each PetGrid feature in the tables has its own page, for example patient records, AI Assist and import and export.
Cornerstone and PetGrid side by side
PetGrid and IDEXX Cornerstone, feature by feature (Cornerstone details from IDEXX and Capterra, checked 2026-09-26).
Everyday work
Cornerstone is ahead on labs, with IDEXX built in, and books online through Vello; PetGrid has no lab integration.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Cornerstone |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking | Yes, as requests your team confirms | Through Vello |
| Staff calendar sync (Google, Outlook) | Google, both ways; Outlook and Apple by read-only feed | Not stated |
| Inventory and dispensing | Yes, basic | Not stated |
| Lab integration (IDEXX, Antech) | No | Yes, IDEXX |
Medical records
Both print rabies certificates; PetGrid also states an audit trail with addenda and a one-click complete record release.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Cornerstone |
|---|---|---|
| Audit trail and addenda on clinical entries | Yes | Not stated |
| Complete record export and release | Yes, one click | Not stated |
| Printable rabies certificate | Yes | Yes |
Money
PetGrid states both: drugs billed apart from services and sales tax on invoices; we found neither stated for Cornerstone.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Cornerstone |
|---|---|---|
| Drugs billed separately from services | Yes | Not stated |
| Sales tax on client invoices | Yes, GST/HST, PST, QST or a US rate | Not stated |
Owner app and messaging
PetGrid includes its owner app; its two-way texting is part of the paid AI Front Desk add-on. With Cornerstone, the client app, reminders and texting come with Vello, a separate product.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Cornerstone |
|---|---|---|
| Pet owner portal included | Yes | No, Vello is separate |
| Appointment and care reminders by email | Yes | Yes, with Vello |
| Two-way SMS | Yes, with the paid AI Front Desk add-on | Yes, with Vello |
AI
PetGrid is ahead on AI, with note drafts, summaries and record reading included, though its phone receptionist is not live at a clinic yet; we found no AI features stated for Cornerstone.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Cornerstone |
|---|---|---|
| AI note drafts (SOAP, with vitals) | SOAP drafts from shorthand or dictation, vitals filled in, a vet approves (included) | Not stated |
| AI phone receptionist | AI Front Desk add-on: answers, books and takes messages in English or French; rolling out as clinics' phone lines are connected, none live yet | Not described |
| Automated confirmation calls | Built, with AI Front Desk; no clinic live yet | Not stated |
| AI reply drafts for client messages | Yes, staff edit and send (included) | Not stated |
| AI patient history summary | Yes, AI Assist (included) | Not stated |
| AI reading of old records and paper files | Yes, PDFs and photos; staff accept each item (free) | Not stated |
| Clinic knowledge base the AI answers from | Yes, clinic memory, with AI Front Desk | Not stated |
| Plain-language visit summaries for owners | Yes, a vet approves (free) | Not stated |
| AI assistant in the owner app | Yes, Pip, plus a symptom helper the clinic turns on; never diagnoses | Not stated |
| Owner can opt a pet out of AI | Yes, per pet, at any time | Not stated |
Security
Cornerstone runs on a server in your clinic, with backups the clinic's job; PetGrid runs in a secure cloud, encrypted in transit and at rest, with nightly encrypted backups, and neither shows an independent audit.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Cornerstone |
|---|---|---|
| Each clinic's data walled off in the database | Yes, row-level security forced on every table | Not stated |
| Two-step sign-in (MFA) | Yes, required for admins; can be required for all staff | Not stated |
| Encrypted backups | Nightly, encrypted, kept 35 days | The clinic's job, on its own server |
| Where the data is hosted | Secure cloud, encrypted in transit and at rest | A server in your clinic |
| Independent audit (SOC 2, ISO 27001, penetration test) | No, not yet | Not stated |
Getting your data out
PetGrid is ahead on getting data out, with CSV reports, accounting files, a whole-clinic ZIP and record transfers; Cornerstone exports client and patient lists to CSV.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Cornerstone |
|---|---|---|
| Reports downloadable as CSV | Yes: revenue, daily close, aging, clients, reminders | Not stated |
| Accounting files (QuickBooks Online, Xero) | Yes, files they import; no live sync | Not stated |
| Whole-clinic data export | Yes, one ZIP any time: spreadsheets, a data file, PDFs and stored files | Client and patient lists to CSV |
| Record transfer to another clinic | Yes: the owner asks, staff approve, sent to the clinic's PetGrid inbox or by link | Not stated |
| Record copies for pet owners | Yes: the full record as a PDF on request, a vaccine record, share links | Not stated |
Price and contract
PetGrid publishes its price and imports for free; Cornerstone publishes no price and states no import terms.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Cornerstone |
|---|---|---|
| Price published on the vendor's own site | Yes | No |
| Setup or onboarding fee | None | Not stated |
| Client and pet import | Yes, free | Not stated |
| Visit history import | Yes, free | Not stated |
What the table does not show
A table flattens differences of degree. Both print rabies certificates with tag details and both take owner refill requests, though Cornerstone needs Vello for it. IDEXX says Cornerstone keeps patient records consistent and complete but does not say how corrections are recorded; in PetGrid a saved entry is never edited, and a correction is an addendum with its own author, date and reason.
- Support. IDEXX offers phone, chat and email, Monday to Friday 6:30am to 8pm CT and Saturday 7am to 4pm CT, and in Canada a Sentry tier adds 24-hour on-call cover for critical issues. PetGrid offers email support from the PetGrid team, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00 Eastern Time, with a target of one business day and no phone line.
- The server. Cornerstone's backups, updates and hardware are the clinic's job. PetGrid removes the server and keeps records encrypted in transit and at rest, but it has no SOC 2 or ISO 27001 audit and no formal penetration test yet.
- Invoicing and inventory. Cornerstone's invoicing is more established and its inventory more developed. PetGrid's inventory is basic, with no purchase orders, automatic reordering or supplier price feeds.
Which one fits your clinic?
Choose Cornerstone if IDEXX results flowing into the chart, long support hours and texting today matter most, and you are happy to run a server. Choose PetGrid if you want the price on the page, $259 CAD a month per practice plus $90 CAD per veterinarian, no server, an owner app included and free imports.
The Cornerstone alternative guide sets out the reasons and the steps to switch, and our guide to veterinary practice management software in Canada puts the other main systems beside both. The pricing questions in the clinic FAQ cover billing.
Questions people ask
What is the main difference between PetGrid and Cornerstone?
Cornerstone is installed on a server in your clinic and ties into IDEXX diagnostics, with long support hours. PetGrid runs in the cloud with a published price, an owner app included, AI in every plan and a whole-clinic export at any time. PetGrid has no lab integration.
Is PetGrid cheaper than Cornerstone?
IDEXX does not publish a price, so only a quote can tell you. Capterra lists a third-party starting price of US$549 a month, which may be out of date, and Vello and the server cost extra. PetGrid is $259 CAD a month per practice plus $90 CAD per veterinarian with no setup fee.
Does Cornerstone or PetGrid have more AI?
PetGrid, on what each vendor states. AI Assist drafts SOAP notes from shorthand or dictation, summarises a patient's history and drafts replies, AI reads old records into the chart, and owners get vet-approved visit summaries and Pip. We found no AI features stated for Cornerstone.
Which is more secure, PetGrid or Cornerstone?
Neither shows an independent audit, and they differ in who carries the work. On Cornerstone the server and its backups are the clinic's job; PetGrid walls off each clinic's data with row-level security, requires a second sign-in step for admins and encrypts backups nightly. The security page has the detail.
Can I move from Cornerstone to PetGrid?
Yes. Cornerstone exports client and patient lists to CSV, and PetGrid imports clients, pets and visit history free, showing every row before saving. Our post on switching veterinary software without losing data walks through the whole move.
The short version
Row by row, Cornerstone wins on IDEXX labs, texting, invoicing, inventory and support hours, and PetGrid wins on a public price, the included owner app, AI, getting your data out and having no server to run.
If PetGrid's side of the table fits your clinic, try it with 14 days free and no card, import a client file, and compare for yourself.
Switching to PetGrid
Questions about switching? Ask Theo
Theo, PetGrid's AI assistant, helps any clinic with switching, from moving your records to what comes across. When Theo cannot answer, someone from the PetGrid team calls you back.
Or call Theo now: (365) 217-9922
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Theo only calls during calling hours where you are: 9:00 to 21:30 on weekdays, 10:00 to 18:00 at weekends. Outside them, Theo calls the next weekday morning.
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Sources
Every fact about another product or organisation comes from these pages, read on the date shown.