Shepherd Review: Recover Up to $60K Per Vet Annually With Invoice Automation

Practice management shouldn’t feel this complicated.

If you’re dealing with disconnected workflows, missed charges, or endless admin fixes, it’s no wonder you’re searching for something better than outdated PIMS options.

After researching leading platforms, my analysis highlights that missed charges directly erode clinic revenue and trust, holding your practice back every month.

What I found sets Shepherd apart is how it connects SOAP note-driven medical records, invoicing, and client communication in one easy platform—no more redundant tasks, missed follow-ups, or scattered info. Their automation and all-in-one pricing actually lower admin headaches, letting you spend more time treating patients instead of chasing paperwork.

In this Shepherd review, I’ll walk you through how Shepherd fixes your daily bottlenecks and minimizes lost income—from core workflows to transparent pricing and real-world alternatives.

You’ll discover exactly how its features, integrations, and support stack up, so you can confidently decide if Shepherd fits your practice.

You’ll get the research-backed insights you need to choose the features you need to streamline your clinic.

Let’s dive in.

Shepherd Overview

Shepherd has been around since 2016, based in Phoenix. What impressed me is their laser-focused mission: to simplify daily veterinary practice management for your entire team.

My analysis shows they are hyper-focused on small to mid-market private practices. They deliberately avoid the overwhelming complexity of systems designed for huge hospital chains, making the software a much better fit for your clinic’s specific needs.

Their recent Series A funding was a key move that continues to fuel product development. In this Shepherd review, I can see that investment paying off now.

Unlike competitors like ezyVet or IDEXX, Shepherd isn’t just a records tool with billing tacked on. I found its entire platform is built from the ground up around a workflow that mirrors actual veterinary practice.

They work with a growing base of independent general, specialty, and emergency clinics looking to finally modernize their operations from clunky, outdated software systems.

From my evaluation, Shepherd’s core strategy centers on SOAP-driven automation to cut administrative busywork and eliminate missed charges. This directly tackles the crucial financial stability and efficiency challenges that practice owners like you face daily.

Now let’s examine their capabilities.

Shepherd Features

Veterinary practice management is often overwhelming.

Shepherd features are all about simplifying your clinic’s operations by centralizing everything around the medical record. Here are the five main Shepherd features that transform how you manage your practice.

1. SOAP-Driven Workflow

Missed charges hurting your bottom line?

Disconnected charting and invoicing often lead to missed charges and inconsistent records. This can directly impact your clinic’s revenue and data accuracy.

Shepherd integrates invoicing directly into the SOAP note, which captures charges as you document. From my testing, what really impressed me is how every service rendered is automatically added to the invoice. This core feature ensures nothing gets overlooked.

This means you can significantly reduce revenue loss from missed charges, and your medical records will always perfectly match billing, saving time and improving compliance.

2. Built-in Automation Engine

Manual reminders wasting staff time?

Manually creating follow-up tasks, reminders, and discharge instructions is tedious. This often leads to missed appointments and inconsistent client communication.

Shepherd’s automation engine lets you build “recipes” linked to diagnoses, which handles tasks automatically. Here’s what I found: you can automate re-check reminders and client calls, ensuring consistent follow-ups. This feature streamlines crucial post-visit activities.

You’ll save significant administrative time and ensure consistent client care, improving adherence to treatment plans and boosting overall operational efficiency for your team.

3. Integrated Client Communication

Client communication scattered across platforms?

Managing client calls, emails, and texts from different systems creates disjointed conversations. This makes it hard for your team to get a complete patient history.

This feature centralizes two-way SMS texting and email directly within the platform. What I love about this is how all communications are automatically logged, providing a full historical context. Automated reminders also reduce no-shows.

Your team gets a unified view of all client interactions, improving context and reducing time spent searching. This means better client engagement and more efficient front-desk operations.

4. Inventory Management with Distributor Integration

Struggling with inventory accuracy?

Manual inventory tracking and ordering can lead to stockouts, overstocking, and compliance headaches. This directly impacts your clinic’s profitability and efficiency.

Shepherd’s inventory feature tracks usage, provides low-stock alerts, and handles controlled substance logs. This is where Shepherd shines: direct integration with major veterinary distributors for real-time pricing and ordering.

You can streamline your entire procurement process, improve inventory accuracy, and ensure regulatory compliance. This helps you manage costs effectively and keep essential supplies in stock.

5. Simple, All-in-One Pricing Model

Hidden software fees a constant worry?

Many PIMS vendors surprise clinics with à la carte pricing for essential features like support or data migration. This makes budgeting incredibly difficult and unpredictable.

Shepherd simplifies this by bundling virtually all its capabilities into a single per-veterinarian monthly fee. From my evaluation, this all-inclusive pricing eliminates hidden costs entirely. It even includes data migration and ongoing support.

You get complete cost predictability and transparency. This means your clinic can budget confidently without fear of unexpected fees for core services, simplifying financial planning.

What I love about these Shepherd features is how they are built around the EMR, creating a truly cohesive practice management system. This integrated approach ensures every part of your clinic operates in sync, from patient care to billing.

Shepherd Pricing

Concerned about transparent software costs?

Shepherd pricing offers a clear, tiered structure based on the number of DVMs, providing excellent predictability for your practice. This approach ensures you understand the value you’re getting for your investment upfront.

Plan	Price & Features
Simple Plan	$299 per DVM/month • Unlimited support staff users • Core PIMS (SOAP notes, scheduling, invoicing) • Basic reporting & integrated payments • Inventory management & client communication
Standard Plan	$349 per DVM/month • All Simple Plan features • Advanced Reporting & Analytics module • Deeper financial performance insights • Doctor production and operational efficiency data
Enterprise Plan	Custom Pricing • All Standard Plan features • Tailored for multi-location/large specialty/ER • Advanced user permissions • Consolidated cross-location reporting • Dedicated enterprise support

1. Value Assessment

Great pricing transparency here.

From my cost analysis, what impressed me is how Shepherd bundles core features, including data migration and support, into its per-DVM pricing. This all-inclusive pricing model simplifies your budget significantly, preventing surprise charges for essential services that competitors often nickel-and-dime you for.

This means your monthly costs stay predictable as you grow, with clear upgrade paths when you need more functionality.

2. Trial/Demo Options

Smart evaluation approach available.

While Shepherd doesn’t offer a free plan, they provide personalized live demos to prospective customers. What I found valuable is how these demos offer a real-world preview of the software’s capabilities and workflow, helping you confirm it aligns with your practice’s unique needs.

This lets you validate the system’s fit before committing to full pricing, reducing the risk of expensive software mistakes.

3. Plan Comparison

Choosing the right tier matters.

The Simple Plan works well for smaller general practices needing robust core PIMS features. The Standard Plan offers superior value if you prioritize growth and data-driven decisions with its advanced analytics. What stands out is how the Enterprise tier scales for complex, multi-location operations.

This tiered approach helps you match pricing to actual usage requirements rather than overpaying for unused capabilities.

My Take: Shepherd’s pricing strategy focuses on transparent, all-inclusive value per DVM, making it an excellent fit for veterinary practices seeking predictable costs and comprehensive features without hidden fees.

The overall Shepherd pricing reflects transparent value without hidden surprises.

Shepherd Reviews

What do real customers truly think?

To give you a clear picture, I’ve dived deep into various Shepherd reviews from platforms like G2 and Capterra. This analysis highlights what customers genuinely experience, offering a balanced view of this software.

1. Overall User Satisfaction

Users are overwhelmingly positive.

From my review analysis, Shepherd consistently receives high ratings, averaging 4.7-4.8 stars across major review platforms like G2 and Capterra. What stood out in customer feedback is how users consistently report high satisfaction levels, especially with its modern design and ease of use. This reflects a generally smooth user experience.

This indicates your team will likely find the system very intuitive, contributing to a smoother transition and improved daily operations.

2. Common Praise Points

Users consistently love its workflow.

What I found in user feedback is consistent praise for Shepherd’s intuitive, clean interface and exceptional customer support responsiveness. Users frequently mention the SOAP-driven workflow, noting how it significantly boosts efficiency and prevents missed charges. Review-wise, this integrated design simplifies clinic operations dramatically, making daily tasks easier and more accurate.

This means you can expect reduced administrative burden, improved record-keeping accuracy, and increased revenue, directly benefiting your practice’s efficiency and finances.

3. Frequent Complaints

Some users seek more customization.

Common complaints often revolve around limited customization options, especially for reporting and medical record templates. While users appreciate simplicity, some power users wish for more flexibility. From my analysis of user reviews, occasional glitches or slowness are also reported, though users acknowledge rapid developer responses to fixes.

These issues appear minor, not deal-breakers, for most users, suggesting they are manageable frustrations for your daily use.

Overall, Shepherd reviews reflect genuine user satisfaction with practical reservations about minor customization and occasional glitches. You’ll find it a highly user-friendly system.

Best Shepherd Alternatives

Choosing the right veterinary software is challenging.

The best Shepherd alternatives include several strong options, each better suited for different practice sizes, budgets, and operational priorities, ensuring you find the ideal fit.

1. ezyVet

Need deep customization for complex workflows?

ezyVet is a powerful PIMS for large specialty or ER hospitals needing granular control and deeper feature sets. From my competitive analysis, ezyVet offers more comprehensive customization options than Shepherd, accommodating highly specific operational demands. This alternative suits practices with intricate reporting and integration needs beyond standard automation.

You should choose ezyVet when your large, multi-specialty hospital requires extensive workflow customization and highly specific reporting capabilities.

2. IDEXX (Cornerstone/Neo)

Already invested in the IDEXX ecosystem?

IDEXX, with Cornerstone and Neo, provides a significant advantage for practices heavily reliant on their lab diagnostics and imaging equipment. What I found comparing options is that IDEXX ensures tight integration with its proprietary lab systems, a key differentiator. This alternative prioritizes seamless data flow within their established ecosystem.

Consider IDEXX when your primary need is robust integration with their lab and imaging equipment for a unified, streamlined diagnostic workflow.

3. Digitail

Prioritizing advanced client engagement features?

Digitail, a modern cloud-native PIMS, excels with its user experience and strong client engagement capabilities, including a branded pet parent app and integrated telehealth functionality. Alternative-wise, Digitail leads in client-facing technology solutions for enhanced owner communication and convenience, a very direct competitive alternative.

You’ll want to choose Digitail if a strong practice-branded mobile app and integrated telehealth platform are your top client communication priorities.

The best Shepherd alternatives are not one-size-fits-all; your choice should depend on your specific operational needs and integration priorities. Consider what truly matters for your practice.

Setup & Implementation

Wondering about Shepherd’s deployment reality?

A Shepherd review reveals its cloud-based implementation is designed for simplicity, making setup relatively straightforward for most practices. Here’s what you’re signing up for.

1. Setup Complexity & Timeline

Simple setup, but planning is key.

Shepherd handles your entire data migration as part of the setup fee, often with a dedicated specialist. What I found about deployment is that this process generally takes 4-8 weeks, depending heavily on your old data’s quality and complexity. This timeframe allows for thorough migration.

You’ll want to prioritize data cleansing before starting to ensure a smoother, faster overall implementation.

2. Technical Requirements & Integration

Minimal technical hurdles expected.

As a cloud-based solution, Shepherd runs in a web browser, primarily Google Chrome, eliminating on-site server needs. From my implementation analysis, your main requirement is a stable internet connection. This greatly reduces IT overhead and integration complexities compared to legacy systems, simplifying your setup.

Your team should ensure reliable high-speed internet access across the clinic and that all workstations use an up-to-date Chrome browser.

3. Training & Change Management

User adoption can be surprisingly smooth.

Shepherd offers remote, guided training sessions tailored for different clinic roles, helping staff get proficient quickly. Implementation-wise, its intuitive design significantly shortens the learning curve. Users consistently report staff becoming comfortable within a couple of weeks, simplifying internal change management efforts.

Plan for dedicated training time for your team and identify internal champions to foster enthusiasm and support new users during adoption.

4. Support & Success Factors

Strong vendor support is a game-changer.

Shepherd’s customer support is highly praised and critical during implementation, accessible via chat, email, and phone. Users frequently highlight knowledgeable and responsive support staff who quickly resolve issues. This level of support ensures you’re never alone in your deployment efforts.

Leverage their dedicated implementation specialist and robust support channels. Proactive communication with their team is key for a successful transition.

Overall, Shepherd implementation is designed to be streamlined, thanks to their active management of data migration and intuitive interface. Success hinges on good data preparation and leveraging their excellent support.

Who’s Shepherd For

Is Shepherd the right fit for your practice?

This Shepherd review breaks down who benefits most, guiding you on business profiles, team sizes, and use cases where this software truly shines. I’ll help you quickly determine if it’s your ideal solution.

1. Ideal User Profile

Who finds Shepherd most valuable?

From my user analysis, Shepherd is tailor-made for small to medium companion animal clinics (1-10 doctors). It’s ideal for new practice owners seeking a modern cloud system, or established practices moving from complex, server-based PIMS. Your team will appreciate its intuitive approach.

You’ll thrive if you prioritize intuitive design, efficient workflows, and seek a user-friendly system to streamline daily practice management.

2. Business Size & Scale

What team size fits Shepherd best?

Shepherd truly excels for smaller to mid-sized veterinary practices, particularly those with 1-10 doctors. Your team will find it scalable without becoming overwhelming, striking a balance for growing clinics. It’s less ideal for large corporate groups needing deep customization or extensive multi-specialty support.

You should assess if your practice prioritizes streamlined functionality over extensive, niche customization found in enterprise-level PIMS.

3. Use Case Scenarios

Which workflows does Shepherd optimize?

Shepherd truly shines for general practices focusing on efficient patient care via its SOAP-driven workflow. Your practice will benefit significantly from its automatic charge capture, reducing missed revenue during back-to-back appointments. This software excels at standardizing care processes and minimizing administrative workload.

You’ll find this aligns perfectly if your priority is enhancing daily operational efficiency and ensuring accurate billing for services.

4. Who Should Look Elsewhere

Who should look elsewhere?

Shepherd isn’t ideal for large, multi-specialty corporate hospital groups needing deep customization. It also lacks robust modules for high-volume non-medical services like boarding or grooming. Power users seeking extensive reporting options might find its simplicity too restrictive.

Consider alternative PIMS offering more specialized features, deeper customization, or extensive reporting for complex enterprise needs.

This Shepherd review indicates that it truly excels for specific veterinary practices prioritizing ease, efficiency, and modern cloud solutions. Your self-qualification here is key to finding the best software fit.

Bottom Line

Shepherd delivers a strong veterinary software solution.

My Shepherd review synthesizes all aspects to provide a definitive recommendation. I’ll outline its strengths, limitations, and specific scenarios where this software truly shines for your practice.

1. Overall Strengths

User experience is truly paramount.

Shepherd excels with its intuitive, modern interface and praised SOAP-driven workflow, directly improving efficiency and charge capture. My comprehensive analysis shows its customer support is exceptionally responsive, making adoption and ongoing use seamless for practices.

These strengths mean faster training for your staff and a direct positive impact on your practice’s daily operations and revenue.

2. Key Limitations

Some areas still need refinement.

While generally strong, Shepherd has limited customization, particularly in reporting and advanced medical templates, which can restrict power users. Based on this review, niche features for specific specialties are absent, requiring alternative solutions or workarounds for some clinics.

These aren’t deal-breakers for most, but you should weigh them against your practice’s specific needs for niche functionality and advanced reporting.

3. Final Recommendation

Who should truly choose Shepherd?

You should choose Shepherd if your small to mid-market private practice prioritizes an intuitive, efficient, and well-supported cloud-based PIMS. From my analysis, it excels for general and emergency clinics seeking modern, easy-to-use software over complex legacy systems.

This solution will confidently streamline your workflow. Your next step should be a demo to confirm its fit for your unique practice flow.

This Shepherd review confirms it as a powerful, user-friendly solution for its target audience. My assessment provides high confidence for practices seeking modern efficiency in their daily operations.