Abby vs. Other Cliniko SMS Applications

At Abby, we think everyone building solutions for the healthcare industry is an absolute legend. Seriously. This isn't an article to say we're better than anyone else.

But we do get asked a lot: "How does Abby compare to [insert tool here]?"

Often, the tools we're being compared to aren't really comparable at all—they're solving completely different problems. So we've put together this quick guide to help you compare apples with apples when making your decision.

What Abby Actually Does

Let's start here, because this is where the confusion usually begins.

Abby does one thing: We interpret patient SMS replies to your existing Cliniko appointment reminders and show you the result with colour-coded appointments.

That's it. We don't send messages. We don't manage your marketing. We don't replace Cliniko. We just read the replies that are already sitting in your communication log and tell you what they mean—so you don't have to.

Abby vs. Peptalkr

Peptalkr is brilliant for patient communication and marketing automation. It helps you send targeted emails and SMS campaigns, reactivate lapsed patients, and nurture relationships over time.

The difference: Peptalkr is about outbound communication—getting messages out to patients. Abby is about inbound interpretation—understanding what patients say when they reply.

Use both? Absolutely. They solve different problems entirely.

Abby vs. Clinic Apps

Clinic Apps is an all-in-one platform with a huge feature set: calendar optimisation, digital forms, call insights, KPI dashboards, and much more.

The difference: Clinic Apps is a comprehensive practice growth platform. If you want one tool to do everything, that's their lane. Abby is purposefully focused—we solve one specific problem and solve it well.

Something to consider: All-in-one solutions require significant setup and configuration. If you just want SMS replies interpreted without overhauling your workflows, Abby takes about 5 minutes to set up.

Abby vs. General Appointment Reminder Tools

Tools like Apptoto, Dialog Health, or Curogram are appointment reminder and communication platforms in their own right.

The difference: These are standalone systems, often designed to replace or work alongside your existing reminder setup. Abby doesn't send reminders at all—we work with the reminders Cliniko already sends, interpreting the replies that come back.

If you're happy with Cliniko's built-in SMS reminders and just want help processing the responses, that's exactly what Abby is for.

Abby vs. Switching to Another Practice Management System

Some clinics consider moving to platforms like Zanda Health (formerly Power Diary) which have two-way SMS built in.

The difference: That's a big decision involving data migration, team retraining, and workflow changes. Abby lets you keep everything exactly as it is—same Cliniko setup, same processes—and just adds intelligent reply interpretation on top.

So, What's Abby Best For?

Abby is the right choice if you:

Already use Cliniko and you're happy with it
Use Cliniko's built-in SMS appointment reminders
Spend time each day manually checking patient SMS replies
Want a simple, focused tool that does one job brilliantly
Value data privacy (Australian servers, no third-party AI)
Don't want to overhaul your existing systems