# Open Dental vs CareNotes

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CareNotes at 100% against Open Dental's 33%. CareNotes also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.2) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 weeks). Open Dental's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CareNotes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $99.99 per month. Open Dental asks for nothing beyond the download.

CareNotes holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CareNotes has 86 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Open Dental's written reviews are positive against 100% of CareNotes's.

Open Dental ships an update every 6 weeks, CareNotes every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Open Dental | CareNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-dental/id1481881571/reviews) | **[5.0 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carenotes/id6476049846/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **86** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#128** |
| Size | 422 MB | 230 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Open Dental Software Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1455419777) | [CareNotes LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724610629) |

## What reviewers say

### Open Dental

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-dental/id1481881571)

Manage patient appointments, view schedules by operatories, and access patient contact details. The app allows for e-prescribing, direct patient communication via call or text, and viewing medical information like allergies and prescriptions.

**Highlights:** Appointment scheduling and management, Patient contact information access, Allergies and prescriptions viewing, e-Prescribing with DoseSpot, Direct patient calling and emailing, Office texting integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### CareNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/carenotes/id6476049846)

**Currently charting:** #128 Top Grossing · Medical (US App Store)

Empower healthcare providers to capture crucial clinical details on the go, liberating them from desk-bound workflows. This mobile app offers seamless, on-the-go note-taking, ensuring no detail is missed during a busy day. It integrates voice input and aims to safeguard against malpractice through thorough documentation.

**Highlights:** On-the-go clinical note-taking, Automatic progress saving, Voice note integration, Safeguards against malpractice, Seamless workflow enhancement

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (PMS Integration) | $99.99 | per month |
| Premium (PMS Integration) | $99.99 | per month |
| Premium (Multi-language) | $719.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Open Dental free?

Open Dental is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CareNotes free?

CareNotes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Open Dental or CareNotes?

CareNotes is rated higher. Open Dental averages 4.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while CareNotes averages 5.0 from 86 ratings.

### Do Open Dental or CareNotes have ads?

Neither Open Dental nor CareNotes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Open Dental or CareNotes?

Open Dental ships an update every 6 weeks, and CareNotes every 2 days. Most recently, Open Dental was updated on October 24, 2026 and CareNotes on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*