Clinics look for a Cliniko alternative when Cliniko is the default in UK private MSK, and the reasons clinics give for leaving are consistent: patients cannot cancel or rebook themselves, support is email only, there is no WhatsApp, packages and memberships are missing, reporting is thin and the data export needs a support request. This page sets out where Capra is the better fit, where Cliniko still is, and how switching works.
Cliniko is the default in UK private MSK, and the reasons clinics give for leaving are consistent: patients cannot cancel or rebook themselves, support is email only, there is no WhatsApp, packages and memberships are missing, reporting is thin and the data export needs a support request.
Fourteen rows on booking, messaging, records, locations, integrations and support. Features and support only; book a demo for a quote.
| Feature | Capra | Cliniko |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking without a patient account | Yes | Yes |
| Self-serve cancel and rebook | Yes | Partial |
| WhatsApp Business shared inbox | Yes | No |
| Two-way SMS | Yes | Reminder replies only |
| Email from your own domain | Yes | Check with vendor |
| Reminder rules per appointment type | Yes | Yes |
| Clinical notes, templates and body charts | Yes | Yes |
| Online forms, consent and outcome measures | Yes | Yes |
| Patient portal with no app and no password | Yes | No portal; booking page only |
| Video consultations built in | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-location in one account | Yes | Yes |
| Reporting on diary use, rebooking and no-shows | Yes | Partial |
| Integrations built for you during onboarding | Yes | App directory, self-set-up |
| Human support in UK and UAE hours | Yes | Email only, no phone |
Notes on the table: Cliniko's SMS reminders accept a reply to confirm but not a conversation; cancellation is possible from a link while rebooking means a new booking, which is why self-serve rebooking is marked partial; the connected-apps directory is extensive but each app is set up by the clinic; support is by email, which reviews rate as prompt but phone-less.
Migration is part of onboarding: a named lead imports your data, checks it with you and stays your contact after go-live. Most clinics run both systems side by side for a couple of weeks before switching the old one off.
Your onboarding lead takes the export of patients, appointments, notes, documents and invoices from Cliniko, or pulls it with you, and maps it field by field into Capra.
You review the imported records against the originals, and the clinic can run both systems side by side for a couple of weeks before the switch.
Reminders, booking and the inbox switch on, the integrations you agreed are built and tested, and your onboarding lead stays your contact afterwards, in UK and UAE hours.
Defence in depth, from the first message to the last record. This is how we operate, not a badge.
Connections use current TLS with HSTS, and stored data is encrypted with keys managed by our cloud provider.
Permissions come from defined roles, privileged access needs multi-factor authentication, and rights are reviewed regularly.
Security-relevant events are recorded, retained and reviewed so unusual activity can be investigated quickly.
Critical data is backed up regularly and protected like production, with processes to restore service after a disruption.
UK clinics are hosted in the UK by default; deployment in other regions, including the UAE, is available on request with the same protections.
Capra connects to the record, calendar, accounting, messaging and claims systems you already run; integrations are built with you during onboarding.
Yes. Capra is configured for physiotherapy during onboarding: diary with rooms and equipment, SOAP templates and body charts, outcome measures, Healthcode and Physitrack connections, SMS and WhatsApp reminders with self-serve rebooking, and reporting on utilisation, rebooking and DNA rate.
Cliniko has a self-serve free trial, a directory of around a hundred connected apps you configure yourself, Medicare claiming in Australia and member schemes with several UK and Australian associations. If you want a single-purpose tool you set up alone, it remains a solid choice.
WhatsApp Business on the clinic number with a shared inbox, self-serve cancel and rebook from the reminder or portal, a patient portal with no app, packages and memberships, room and equipment resources, deeper reporting, integrations built for you during onboarding and human support in UK and UAE hours.
Yes. Your onboarding lead takes the Cliniko export of patients, appointments, notes, documents and invoices, maps it into Capra and checks the import with you before go-live. Running both side by side for a couple of weeks is normal.
Capra connects to both during onboarding. Healthcode insurer invoicing shows its status on the patient record, and Physitrack exercise programmes are linked from the record, with no third-party bridge.
Most clinics are booking, reminding and writing notes in Capra within a few days of the import. Healthcode, Physitrack and accounting connections follow the onboarding plan agreed with your named lead.
Cliniko support is email only, which is the most repeated complaint in UK reviews. Capra's support is human, in UK and UAE hours, from a named team, and every clinic keeps its onboarding lead as a contact after go-live.
Yes. Clinics commonly run both for a couple of weeks after the import: bookings and reminders move to Capra first, notes follow once the team is comfortable, and your onboarding lead checks nothing has been left behind before Cliniko is switched off.
Consent records and contact preferences are imported with each patient and stored on the record in Capra. Opt-outs are applied through suppression lists from the first send, so a patient who declined messages in Cliniko is not messaged by Capra either.
Last reviewed 25 October 2026 by Capra Health team. Comparisons are updated quarterly; tell us at info@capra.health if something has changed.
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