Elexis is free, open-source practice software for Swiss medical practices: an electronic medical record combined with laboratory findings, accounting and Swiss billing. It is aimed at doctors and practice assistants in Switzerland, and at IT staff who support them. If you are looking for the Elexis software download for a dental clinic, be clear about one thing: there is no “Elexis dental fork”, no odontogram and no dental billing module. Elexis is general medical practice software.
Elexis was started by Swiss physician Gerry Weirich for his own practice and released as open source. Since 2009 Medelexis AG has offered professional support and funded much of the development. The core is an Eclipse RCP application written in Java and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, typically with a Linux database server and client workstations.
Elexis at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Latest version | 3.13 (update site published June 2026; required for TARDOC billing from 1 January 2026). Ready-made open-source packages on the project’s GitHub page are still 3.12 (August 2024) |
| Licence | Free and open source, Eclipse Public License 1.0 (some optional features in a separate GPL repository) |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux (64-bit); Java-based |
| Developer | Elexis open-source community; professional support by Medelexis AG |
| Official website | elexis.info |
| Best for | Swiss medical practices and supporters who want an open-source practice system with Swiss billing |
What it does
- Patient records organised by patient, case and consultation, which is how Swiss billing cases are handled.
- Consultation notes and a running medical record for each patient.
- Prescriptions, sick-leave certificates and letters from templates.
- Laboratory findings stored with the patient record.
- Accounting and billing under the Swiss tariff system (TARMED, and TARDOC in version 3.13).
- LibreOffice/OpenOffice integration for text documents.
- A plug-in architecture: features are delivered as Eclipse plug-ins and can be added gradually.
- An optional demo database for experimenting without real data.
How dental teams use it
Elexis has no tooth chart and no Swiss dental tariff support in its documentation, so its dental use is narrow.
Medical record for an oral-surgery or mixed practice in Switzerland
- Use Elexis for medical history, prescriptions, letters and lab findings of patients who are billed under the medical tariff.
- Keep dental charting and dental billing in a dedicated dental system.
- Store referral letters and reports as documents in the patient record.
Evaluate it with the demo database
- Download the package for your operating system from the official download server.
- Start Elexis and choose the demo database when asked for a connection.
- Walk through patient, case and consultation screens before deciding whether it fits your workflow.
Install and first run
- Windows: unpack the Elexis3 zip package for win32 x86_64 and start the Elexis executable; no classic installer is used.
- macOS: the 3.12 package is an Intel (x86_64) build; development snapshots also include an Apple-silicon build.
- Linux: unpack the GTK x86_64 tar.gz package and run the executable.
- Database: start with the demo database; for real use, the project recommends a server (typically Linux) with clients on Windows, macOS or Linux.
Gotchas: the download packages are large (several hundred megabytes); the user community, forum and much of the documentation are German-speaking; and the project itself advises beginners to have Elexis installed by an official supporter, start with the base installation and add features step by step. Building from source needs OpenJDK 21 and Maven.
Limitations
- No dental module, odontogram or dental tariff.
- Billing is built for Switzerland; outside Switzerland you would need your own billing solution.
- Documentation and community are mainly in German; English information is thin.
- The downloadable open-source packages lag behind the current 3.13 update site.
- Setting up a multi-user installation realistically needs an experienced supporter.
Elexis vs alternatives
Outside Switzerland, GNUmed is the closer open-source desktop alternative, with international coding systems and a strong document archive. OSCAR EMR is a browser-based option built around Canadian primary care. Elexis Ungrad, a separate strictly open fork maintained by Gerry Weirich, is an option for Swiss users who want to stay outside the Medelexis distribution. None of these is dental practice software.
FAQ
Where do I download Elexis?
The official Elexis download server and the elexis-3-core project on GitHub list the packages for Windows, macOS and Linux. Use the official website for documentation and updates.
Is Elexis software free?
Yes. The open-source Elexis is free under the Eclipse Public License. Professional installation, support and additional services are offered by Medelexis AG.
Does Elexis run on a Mac?
Yes. There is a macOS package; the 3.12 release is an Intel build, and newer development builds add Apple-silicon support.
Is there an Elexis dental version?
No. No official dental fork or dental module exists. Elexis is medical practice software for Switzerland.
Which Elexis version do I need for TARDOC?
According to the Elexis Ungrad documentation, practices had to update to Elexis 3.13 (or Ungrad 2026) by 1 January 2026 to bill with TARDOC.
Is Elexis available in English?
The project website has English pages, but the user forum and most documentation are German-speaking, reflecting its Swiss user base.
Last checked against official sources: 29 September 2026 (developer website: elexis.info). Versions and licence terms change — confirm on the developer's site before deploying in a clinic.
