OpenVPM vs Hippo Manager
Hippo Manager is being retired after its acquisition by Shepherd. If you are deciding what comes next, here is how OpenVPM compares.
Reviewed August 17, 2026 by Evan Gauer, OpenVPM founder. Vendor interest disclosed; primary sources linked below.
Workspace access is immediate. Live clinic use starts as a guided pilot alongside the current PIMS. See current fit and rollout limits.
Hippo Manager was a cloud system used by small and mixed-animal practices. Shepherd's official transition page says Hippo was acquired and that former Hippo practices have migrated to Shepherd as the single platform moving forward. If you came from Hippo, this is a useful moment to compare data access and exit terms before choosing what comes next. OpenVPM is open source, so the code and schema remain available.
Quote-based vendors can change commercial terms at any time. Confirm pricing, implementation, integration, support, and exit terms in writing before buying.
Sources reviewed
We prefer vendor-owned product, pricing, developer, support, and contract material. These links support the changeable facts above, not OpenVPM's editorial judgment.
What about your data?
Hippo customers are being moved to Shepherd by default, which is one option, but not the only one. For OpenVPM, the reviewed dry-run CSV path covers clients, patients, vaccination history, and visit notes. Appointments, invoices, attachments, and vendor-specific history require assisted scoping, and there is no general live-sync connector.
Read: who owns your practice dataWhen Hippo Manager is the better fit
Hippo Manager is no longer sold as a standalone product, so this is really a choice about where former Hippo practices go next.
When OpenVPM is the better fit
Consider OpenVPM only if your connected single-location companion-animal or house-call workflow and exported data pass a controlled-pilot review. Do not assume a universal Hippo cutover.
Use OpenVPM your way.
Self-host the full open-source PIMS for free, or let us run it for you. Same software, your choice.
Run OpenVPM on your own infrastructure. You operate security, backups, email, messaging, payments, model providers, and production validation.
- Full source under the AGPLv3 license
- All source modules and the documented API
- Docker or Vercel deployment paths
- Bring your own database, email, SMS, and AI keys
Common questions
What happened to Hippo Manager?
Shepherd's official transition page says it acquired Hippo Manager and that former Hippo practices have migrated to Shepherd as the single platform moving forward. Hippo is no longer presented as a standalone option for new buyers.
Do I have to move to Shepherd?
No. Shepherd is the default path, but you can evaluate other systems. OpenVPM should be considered only within its controlled-pilot scope and after a record-by-record migration review.
Can OpenVPM import my Hippo Manager data?
It depends on the export. The reviewed dry-run CSV path covers clients, patients, vaccination history, and visit notes. Appointments, invoices, attachments, and vendor-specific history require assisted scoping. There is no general live sync.
Keep reading
Hippo Manager Alternatives: The Honest Guide for Practices Finding a New Home
Hippo Manager was acquired by Shepherd in March 2025. Here's an honest comparison of where displaced practices are landing and what to look for in a new system.
Read moreWho Owns Your Veterinary Practice's Data? (And What Happens When You Try to Leave)
A plain-language guide to veterinary data stewardship, software contracts, export fees, portability, and what open source changes.
Read moreSee OpenVPM for yourself.
The demo is live and loaded with real-looking data. No sales call. Click around, then self-host it free or let us run it for you.