Routiq vs HotDoc.
What HotDoc says it does: Australia's biggest patient booking platform, connecting practices with the 9 million+ patients who use HotDoc to book. Routiq pairs Robyn, who answers every channel and re-engages lapsed patients, with Abby, who checks the wording against published AHPRA advertising guidance first. Here is the honest comparison.
| Routiq | HotDoc | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Australia | Australia |
| Practice systems | Cliniko, Nookal, PracSuite | Cliniko, and major GP systems |
| Channels | Phone, SMS, WhatsApp, Web chat | Online bookings, Reminders, Recalls |
| Patient re-engagement | Yes. Robyn works the rebooking report and writes follow-ups | Partially, see below |
| AHPRA-aware checking | Yes. Abby checks messaging against published AHPRA advertising guidance | No public equivalent |
| Pricing | AUD $199 per location per month, or $159 billed annually. No setup fees. 7-day free trial. | Public pricing on their site by module (last checked August 2026). |
What HotDoc does well
- ✓ Reach. Their 9 million patient claim is the biggest acquisition surface in Australian health bookings
- ✓ Established brand patients already recognise and trust
- ✓ Broad feature set around bookings, reminders and recalls
Choose HotDoc if
- New-patient acquisition through a marketplace is your priority and your discipline suits it.
- You want the patient-facing booking brand patients already know.
Choose Routiq if
- Acquisition and retention are different machines. HotDoc brings strangers; Routiq brings back the patients you already treated.
- Nobody answers your actual phone in a marketplace. Robyn does, on every channel.
- Your follow-up wording gets checked against AHPRA guidance before it sends.
The verdict
This is an apples and oranges comparison worth making because clinics often have budget for one. A marketplace fills a diary with strangers you pay to reach again next time. The rebooking report fills it with people who already trust you, at message cost.
New patients are harder to win. Your existing ones are not. Do retention first, then buy reach with the surplus.
Common questions
Can I use HotDoc and Routiq together?
Yes, they barely overlap. HotDoc handles marketplace bookings; Routiq answers your phone and works your rebooking report. Watch reminder overlap so patients get one, not two.
This comparison uses public information, last checked 8 August 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email daniel.welsh@routiq.ai and we will fix it. Their site: www.hotdoc.com.au
See Robyn work your rebooking report.
7-day free trial. No setup fees. Live in a day on Cliniko, Nookal or PracSuite.
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