PetGrid vs IDEXX Neo, in short: Neo is ahead on IDEXX lab integration, purchase orders, invoicing, texting and phone support, and PetGrid is ahead on a published price, no setup fee, an owner app included, AI and getting your data out. This page sets the two side by side in 36 rows, grouped into eight tables, each with a one-line verdict.
Every IDEXX Neo 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 switch and where Neo is the better choice, see our IDEXX Neo alternative guide.
How this PetGrid vs IDEXX Neo comparison works
Both are cloud practice software for veterinary clinics, 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 Neo features, pricing and current customer pages, its Vello pages, the Neo help centre and Neo'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 public 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.
IDEXX Neo and PetGrid side by side
IDEXX Neo and PetGrid compared, from IDEXX's pages and Capterra, checked 26 September 2026.
Everyday work
IDEXX Neo is ahead on everyday work: it connects to IDEXX in-house and reference labs and adds purchase orders, while PetGrid has no lab integration and basic inventory.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking | Yes, as requests your team confirms | Yes, via the Neo Patient Portal and Vello |
| Staff calendar sync (Google, Outlook) | Google, both ways; Outlook and Apple by read-only feed | Not stated |
| Inventory and dispensing | Yes, basic | Yes, with purchase orders |
| Lab integration (IDEXX, Antech) | No | Yes, IDEXX in-house and reference |
Medical records
Both print rabies certificates; PetGrid also states an audit trail with addenda and a one-click complete record release.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Audit trail and addenda on clinical entries | Yes | Not stated |
| Complete record export and release | Yes, one click | Data export in reporting |
| Printable rabies certificate | Yes | Yes |
Money
PetGrid states both: drugs billed apart from services and sales tax on invoices; we found neither stated on IDEXX Neo's pages.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Neo |
|---|---|---|
| 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 in the price; its two-way texting is part of the paid AI Front Desk add-on. With IDEXX Neo, the client app and texting come through Vello, a separate add-on.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Pet owner portal included | Yes | No, Vello is a separate add-on |
| Appointment and care reminders by email | Yes | Yes |
| 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 described for IDEXX Neo.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Neo |
|---|---|---|
| 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
Neither shows an independent audit; PetGrid states its database walls, MFA and nightly encrypted backups, and IDEXX Neo states automatic backups.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Neo |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Automatic backups |
| Where the data is hosted | Secure cloud, encrypted in transit and at rest | AWS, region not stated |
| 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; IDEXX Neo states a data export in its reporting.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Reports downloadable as CSV | Yes: revenue, daily close, aging, clients, reminders | Data export in reporting |
| 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 | Not stated |
| 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 charges nothing to set up or import; IDEXX Neo publishes no price, and Capterra lists a setup fee and a paid data conversion.
| Feature | PetGrid | IDEXX Neo |
|---|---|---|
| Price published on the vendor's own site | Yes | No |
| Setup or onboarding fee | None | US$2,375 on Capterra |
| Client and pet import | Yes, free | Converted by IDEXX; US$590 on Capterra |
| Visit history import | Yes, free | In the paid conversion |
What the table does not show
A table flattens differences of degree. PetGrid's rabies certificate carries the lot, route, site and licence number by default, and both are cloud-hosted: Neo on Amazon Web Services with the region not stated, PetGrid on Neon and Vercel, encrypted in transit and at rest.
- Lab results. With no lab integration, a PetGrid clinic's team files lab results on the patient's chart by hand, where the owner can see them. Neo brings IDEXX results in automatically.
- The client app's cost. Vello is a separate add-on, and IDEXX's own Vello page gives it a flat monthly fee of US$249. PetGrid's owner app is in the subscription.
- Support. IDEXX offers live support by phone, email and chat. PetGrid offers email support from the PetGrid team, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00 Eastern Time, with no phone line.
- Leaving. Neo's reporting can export data, but we found no statement about record ownership or an export when you leave, and no Neo contract terms on IDEXX's public pages. A PetGrid admin can download the whole clinic as one ZIP at any time, and records are kept for 30 days after cancelling.
Which one fits your clinic?
Choose IDEXX Neo if your clinic runs IDEXX diagnostics and wants results in the chart automatically, with purchase orders and a support phone line. Choose PetGrid if you want the price on the page, $259 CAD a month per practice plus $90 CAD per veterinarian, no setup fee, free imports and an owner app in your clinic's name with no second bill.
The IDEXX Neo alternative guide sets out the reasons in prose, 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 IDEXX Neo?
IDEXX Neo is built around IDEXX diagnostics, with lab results flowing into the chart, purchase orders and live phone support. PetGrid is the independent option with a published price, no setup fee, an owner app included, AI in every plan and a whole-clinic export at any time.
Is PetGrid cheaper than IDEXX Neo?
IDEXX does not publish Neo's price, so only a quote can tell you. Capterra lists third-party figures of US$290 a month for three users, a US$2,375 setup and training fee and a US$590 data conversion, and Vello adds US$249 a month. PetGrid is $259 CAD a month per practice plus $90 CAD per veterinarian, with no setup fee.
Which has more AI, IDEXX Neo or PetGrid?
PetGrid, on the pages we checked: we found no AI features described for IDEXX Neo. PetGrid's AI Assist drafts SOAP notes from shorthand or dictation, summarises a patient's history and drafts replies, and owners get vet-approved visit summaries and Pip.
Does PetGrid connect to IDEXX labs like Neo does?
No. PetGrid has no IDEXX or Antech integration yet, so your team files lab results on the patient's chart by hand, where the owner can see them. If automatic lab results matter most, Neo is ahead on that row.
Can I move from IDEXX Neo to PetGrid?
Yes. Export your clients and pets and your visit history from Neo as CSV files and import both into PetGrid for free, checking every row before anything is saved. Our post on switching veterinary software without losing data walks through it.
The short version
Row by row, IDEXX Neo wins on lab integration, inventory, invoicing, texting and support, and PetGrid wins on a public price, no setup fee, the owner app, AI and getting your data out.
If PetGrid's side of the table fits your clinic, try it with 14 days free and no card, import a few clients, 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.
- IDEXX Neo features ()
- IDEXX Neo pricing page, which carries no figures ()
- IDEXX Neo for current customers: hosting and support ()
- Vello for Neo ()
- Vello, with its monthly fee ()
- Neo help centre: vaccines, rabies tags and certificates ()
- Capterra: IDEXX Neo, 4.2 stars from 117 reviews, and third-party pricing ()