VIP.net is being phased out. Specialist practices now need to decide what comes next, and choosing the right alternative to VIP.net is critical.
Best Practice Software has confirmed that VIP.net will move into maintenance mode before support ends, with Gentu and Zedmed positioned as leading options.
Xestro’s position is straightforward. Specialist practices should not assume that the platforms being most actively recommended are necessarily the best long-term fit.
Xestro is doctor founded, doctor owned and doctor led. It is a true cloud-native, browser-based Australian specialist PMS, built specifically for specialist practices that want modern architecture without sacrificing functional depth.
If your practice is leaving VIP.net, Xestro should be part of any serious evaluation.
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Why Specialist Practices Need a VIP.net Alternative
Leaving VIP.net is not just a software replacement exercise. It is a decision about the platform that may underpin your workflows, billing, staff processes, clinical administration and patient communications for years.
That decision should not be based on familiarity alone. It should be based on platform model, ownership, product philosophy, migration capability and long-term direction.
For many practices, this also means selecting an Australian specialist PMS that aligns with local workflows and future operational needs.
Xestro was built by founders who used VIP.net in their own multidisciplinary specialist practice for 18 years. In practical terms, Xestro was built as a cloud-era successor for specialist practices that needed the breadth and depth of VIP.net without the limitations of legacy infrastructure.
That gives Xestro a different perspective from vendors approaching this market from a more corporate or portfolio-based position.
What Makes Xestro Different?
- Doctor founded, doctor owned and doctor led
- True cloud-native, browser-based specialist PMS
- Built in, not bolted on
- One product, one direction
- Built from real specialist practice experience, including 18 years of direct VIP use by the founders in their own practice
- Supports more than 120 ophthalmologists across Australia
- Strong migration capability from VIP.net and other major platforms
- In final testing of an inbuilt AI scribe
What to Look for in a Specialist PMS in Australia
When evaluating an alternative to VIP.net, it is important to look beyond surface-level features.
Key considerations include:
- Platform architecture: Is it truly cloud-native or simply cloud-hosted?
- Ownership structure: Who is driving product decisions and priorities?
- Migration capability: Can your existing data be meaningfully transferred?
- Product direction: Is the platform evolving with specialist practice needs?
Not all systems marketed as cloud solutions are architecturally the same. These differences have long-term implications for performance, flexibility and co
Our Response to BP’s Recommended VIP.net Alternatives
BP is right about one thing: specialist practices do need to plan for life after VIP.net.
Where we differ is in the suggestion that practices should limit their options to Gentu, and Zedmed as the primary VIP.net alternatives.
Xestro is a serious and proven VIP.net alternative that should be included in any thorough evaluation. Specialist practices should assess the field more carefully and ask practical questions about platform architecture, ownership, migration capability, product philosophy and long-term fit.
The decision is not simply about choosing between familiar names. It is about selecting a VIP.net alternative that is built for the next era of specialist practice operations.
For many practices, this transition is an opportunity to move beyond legacy systems and adopt a platform that is genuinely cloud-native, purpose-built for specialists and aligned with future clinical and operational needs.
How Xestro Compares with Gentu and Zedmed
The differences are clear when set out correctly.
| Area | Xestro | Gentu | Zedmed Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform model | True cloud-native, browser-based specialist PMS | True cloud-native, browser-based specialist PMS | Cloud-hosted version of a legacy PMS |
| Product philosophy | Built in, not bolted on | Greater reliance on marketplace and partner ecosystem | Traditional PMS delivered through hosted infrastructure |
| Ownership | Doctor founded, doctor owned and doctor led | Owned by Magentus, backed by private equity (Pacific Equity Partners) | Privately held Australian company |
| Product direction | One product, one direction | Cloud platform within a larger corporate structure | Hosted pathway for a traditional platform |
| VIP.net transition relevance | Built as a cloud-era successor for specialist practices accustomed to VIP-level depth | Often positioned as a cloud successor with a marketplace-oriented model | Offers hosted access, not a full architectural shift |
| Ophthalmology relevance | Supports 120+ ophthalmologists; strong imaging and interoperability focus | Relevant depending on add-ons and configuration | Depends on practice requirements and hosted setup |
| Cost posture | Long-term value through stronger native functionality | May involve add-ons, partner tools and layered costs | No direct public cost comparison |
Not all cloud offerings are architecturally the same. Xestro and Gentu are browser-based cloud-native platforms. Zedmed Cloud is better understood as a cloud-hosted version of a legacy platform. For practices seeking a genuine long-term move away from legacy architecture, that distinction matters.
Ownership structure also matters. Doctor ownership, private equity ownership and general private company ownership can produce very different incentives around pricing, growth, product direction and long-term platform priorities.
Cloud-Native Is Not the Same as Cloud-Hosted
A true cloud-native platform is browser-based and architected from the ground up for cloud delivery.
A cloud-hosted platform may still offer some benefits, but it is not the same architectural model.
This distinction matters because a cloud-hosted legacy product may still carry limitations from its original design. By contrast, a cloud-native platform is built specifically for modern web delivery, continuous improvement and flexible access.
That is why understanding this difference is critical when selecting a VIP.net alternative.
Was Xestro built as a cloud-era successor to VIP.net?
In practical terms, yes.
Xestro was built by founders who had used VIP in their own multidisciplinary specialist practice for 18 years. They understood directly what specialist practices valued in VIP, and where legacy architecture was becoming a constraint.
That is why Xestro was built not as a stripped-down cloud substitute, but as a genuine cloud-era successor for practices that still needed deep specialist functionality.
Key Considerations When Leaving VIP.net
Migration Capability: Can Xestro Migrate from VIP.net?
Yes.
Xestro has strong importation and conversion capability for major specialist platforms and many smaller systems as well. This includes practices coming from VIP.net, Genie, Gentu, Zedmed and other platforms.
Around 30 percent of Xestro’s new clients come with no data conversion because they are new specialists. Around 40 percent come from Genie or Gentu with conversion. Around 30 percent come from other platforms, including VIP.net and general practice systems such as Best Practice and MedicalDirector.
What about VIP.net user-defined fields?
Xestro does not mirror the VIP.net user-defined field model in the same way.
However, that does not mean the data is lost or unusable.
Where VIP.net has used user-defined fields, Xestro can extract that data and bring it into Xestro in a usable form. The real issue is not whether every legacy structure is reproduced exactly as it stood in VIP. The real issue is whether the underlying operational and clinical data can be extracted, mapped and made useful inside a modern platform.
In many cases, the answer is yes.
Cost?
Xestro does not compete on temporary discounting. We compete on long-term value.
For many specialist practices, the more meaningful comparison is not headline pricing or short-term offers, but long-term total cost of ownership. A platform with stronger native functionality and fewer paid dependencies is often the more cost-effective choice over time than one that relies more heavily on add-ons, partner tools and layered complexity.
Cost should be assessed over the life of the platform, not just at sign-up. Licence structures, add-ons, third-party integrations and workflow fragmentation all affect the real cost to a specialist practice. That is one reason Xestro prefers a built in, not bolted on model.
AI and future product direction?
Xestro is already a fully functioning cloud-native specialist PMS. It is also continuing to evolve.
Xestro is currently in final testing of its inbuilt AI scribe.
That is part of a broader point. Xestro is not trying to preserve an ageing product path. It is continuing to invest in the future of specialist practice workflows within a modern platform.
Why Ownership Matters
Ownership structure influences pricing, product direction and long-term priorities.
Xestro is doctor owned and led, which reflects a different set of incentives compared with private equity-backed platforms.
This can affect how product decisions are made, how closely the software remains aligned with specialist practice needs and how the platform evolves over time.
When assessing a VIP.net alternative, ownership should not be treated as a side issue. It shapes the broader direction of the product and the level of confidence practices can place in its future.
Built In, Not Bolted On
Xestro focuses on delivering core functionality within the platform itself, reducing reliance on third-party add-ons.
This built-in approach can reduce complexity for practices. It can also improve consistency across workflows and reduce the need to manage multiple vendors or disconnected systems.
For specialist practices, this is particularly relevant. Administrative, financial and clinical functions often overlap, and the more integrated those functions are, the more efficient the platform becomes.
Practices looking for a VIP.net replacement should consider whether core functionality is native to the system or dependent on external tools.
Why Xestro is particularly relevant to ophthalmology practices
Xestro already supports more than 120 ophthalmologists across Australia.
That matters because ophthalmology places real demands on a specialist PMS. Imaging, workflow and interoperability are not side issues. They are central to daily operations.
Xestro’s ophthalmology relevance includes DICOM-related workflows and integrations or interoperability work relevant to Zeiss, Heidelberg and Pliny. Xestro is also in discussions with Oculo regarding interoperability.
Why Xestro believes BP’s recommendation should be viewed critically
When a vendor exits a product and recommends alternatives, specialist practices should listen carefully, but not uncritically.
They should ask:
- Why are certain options being highlighted?
- What ownership structures sit behind those options?
- What is the real architectural model of each platform?
- How much native depth does each platform offer?
- How well can each vendor migrate dense legacy data?
- How well does each option suit the future direction of a specialist practice?
Given Xestro’s position in the specialist PMS market, specialist practices are entitled to ask why it was not clearly identified as a serious alternative.
Xestro’s view is that once those questions are asked properly, it becomes clear that it deserves serious consideration as one of the strongest alternatives for specialist practices leaving VIP.net.
FAQs
What is the best VIP.net alternative for specialist practices?
The best VIP.net alternative will depend on your specialty, workflow requirements and long-term goals. Xestro is a strong option for specialist practices seeking a cloud-native platform with specialist-specific design and deep functionality.
Is Xestro cloud-native?
Yes. Xestro is a true cloud-native, browser-based specialist PMS.
How is Xestro different from Zedmed Cloud?
Xestro is a true cloud-native browser-based platform. Zedmed Cloud is a cloud-hosted version of a legacy PMS. That means the two products are not the same architectural class.
How is Xestro different from Gentu?
Both Xestro and Gentu are cloud-native browser-based platforms. The sharper differences lie in ownership model, product philosophy, and the extent to which functionality is built into the platform versus assembled through a broader marketplace and partner ecosystem.
Can Xestro migrate data from VIP.net?
Yes. Xestro has strong conversion capability for VIP.net and other major platforms.
Can Xestro handle VIP.net user-defined fields?
Xestro does not replicate the VIP user-defined field model exactly, but it can extract and map that data into Xestro in a usable form.
Does Xestro support ophthalmology?
Yes. Xestro already supports more than 120 ophthalmologists across Australia and has relevant imaging and interoperability capability.
Is Xestro still investing in product development?
Yes. Xestro is in final testing of its inbuilt AI scribe and continues to invest in the future of its specialist PMS platform.
Learn More About Xestro
If you would like to see how Xestro supports specialist practices through a secure, cloud based practice management platform, you can book a free personalised demo with our team.
If you are already using Xestro and want to build confidence with the system, explore our training options. Our sessions are designed to help practices use Xestro effectively and with confidence.
You can also follow Xestro on LinkedIn to stay up to date with company milestones, partnerships, events, and industry insights throughout the year.
