Starting or running a small clinic in India can be financially challenging, especially in the early years. Many doctors look for free clinic management software to handle appointments, patient records, and basic billing without paying monthly subscriptions. While completely free, fully-featured software is rare, several good options exist in 2026 that can genuinely help Indian doctors reduce costs while maintaining professional operations.

This article reviews the best free (or freemium) clinic management software options available for download in India, focusing on usability, features relevant to Indian practices, and compliance with ABDM (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission).

Important Reality Check: What “Free” Really Means

Most truly free software falls into two categories:

• Open-source (free to download, install, and use; may require technical setup)
• Freemium (basic version free forever, advanced features require payment)

Completely free, cloud-based, ready-to-use software with unlimited patients and modern features (telemedicine, ABDM integration) is very rare in 2026. Most “free” plans come with serious limitations.

Top Free / Freemium Clinic Management Software Options for Indian Doctors

1. OpenEMR Truly free and open-source (GPL license). Widely used globally and has a growing Indian user base. Key features:
   • Patient registration and electronic medical records
   • Appointment scheduling
   • Billing and basic invoicing
   • Prescription writing
   • Basic reporting Pros: Completely free forever, highly customizable, strong community support. Cons: Requires self-hosting (server setup needed), no built-in telemedicine, basic ABDM support only through custom development. Best for: Tech-savvy doctors or clinics with IT support who want zero recurring software costs.
2. HospitalRun (Community Edition) Free and open-source hospital/clinic management system. Designed for low-resource settings. Features:
   • Patient tracking
   • Appointments and scheduling
   • Basic inventory
   • Simple billing Pros: Modern interface, offline capability, completely free. Cons: Limited telemedicine, no native ABDM integration, requires technical setup. Best for: Rural clinics or doctors comfortable with self-hosting.
3. Doccure Free Plan / Trial While Doccure is primarily a paid SaaS platform, it offers a free trial (usually 14–30 days) with full access to all features including:
   • Branded patient mobile app
   • Telemedicine consultations
   • Online payments
   • ABDM integration Pros: Modern, India-focused, includes telemedicine and patient app during trial. Cons: Trial is temporary; full features require paid plan after trial. Best for: Doctors who want to test a professional-grade system before committing.
4. eHospital (Free Community Edition) Developed by CDAC with government backing. Features:
   • OPD/IPD management
   • Billing and pharmacy module
   • Basic laboratory module Pros: Designed for Indian government hospitals/clinics, free for government setups. Cons: Primarily targeted at larger facilities, interface feels dated, limited telemedicine. Best for: Government-linked or charitable clinics.
5. MocDoc – Free Plan (Limited) MocDoc offers a very basic free plan for small clinics. Features in free tier:
   • Up to 50 patients/month
   • Basic appointment booking
   • Simple patient records Pros: Cloud-based, no installation needed, Indian company. Cons: Very limited patient volume, no telemedicine or ABDM in free plan. Best for: Very small new clinics (under 10 patients/day).
6. GNU Health Powerful open-source health information system. Features:
   • Comprehensive patient management
   • Appointment system
   • Laboratory and imaging modules Pros: Completely free, used in many countries, strong community. Cons: Steep learning curve, requires server setup, no native Indian telemedicine/ABDM. Best for: Larger clinics or NGOs with technical resources.

Quick Comparison Table

Recommendations for Indian Doctors in 2026

• If you want completely free forever → OpenEMR or HospitalRun (be ready to handle technical setup)
• If you want modern features including telemedicine → Use Doccure’s free trial to evaluate; most doctors who try it continue with the paid plan
• If you have almost no budget and very few patients → MocDoc free plan
• If you run a charitable/government-linked clinic → Consider eHospital

Final Thoughts

While truly free, unlimited, modern clinic management software with telemedicine and ABDM support is hard to find in 2026, the options above can help you start without upfront software costs. For most serious private practitioners, investing in an affordable paid solution (like Doccure’s entry-level plans) often proves more cost-effective in the long run due to time saved and better patient experience.

If you would like to try a modern, India-focused system with telemedicine and branded patient app before making any decision, Doccure offers a no-commitment free trial that includes full access to its core features.