Orion vs Heno
Heno works for a small clinic, until the per-provider bill, the 100-minute scribe cap, and the multi-year contract start to bite. Here's how Orion compares as you grow.
Aurora writes the note while you treat the patient.
Tap once at the start of the visit. Aurora listens in the background, no separate app, no dictation prompts, and drafts your PT-specific SOAP note from the natural conversation. It's ready to sign in under two minutes.
- ✓ Ambient and real-time, hands on your patient, not your keyboard
- ✓ PT/OT/SLP-specific notes, plus field-level voice fill
- ✓ Built in and included, not a paid add-on
vs Heno: Heno's AI Scribe records in capped sessions (up to 100 minutes) and isn't documented as ambient, and its AI Assistant only improves future notes ("it does not immediately alter the documentation you're currently viewing"). Aurora is ambient and real-time: one tap, no cap, sign-ready in under two minutes.
Orion vs Heno, feature by feature
| Feature | Orion | Heno |
|---|---|---|
| AI scribe | ✓ Aurora, ambient, one tap, no recording cap, drafts in real time, ready to sign in under 2 min | AI Scribe records in sessions capped at 100 minutes; not documented as ambient; note speed not stated |
| AI note editing | ✓ Notes drafted ready-to-sign in real time | Separate AI Assistant only improves future notes, "does not immediately alter the documentation you're currently viewing" |
| App marketplace | ✓ Self-serve, sandboxed app marketplace (FHIR R4) | No app marketplace documented; short fixed integration list only |
| Contract flexibility | ✓ Low-commitment and reversible, start with a Test Drive | Reviewers report locked multi-year contracts with no early exit ("archaic") |
| Cost as you grow | ✓ Multi-location included, no per-location fee | Per-provider licensing, extra clinicians add cost (reviewer: "over 200 bucks each day") |
| Published pricing | ✓ $189–$249/provider/mo, published, everything included | No prices on site; third-party est. $99–$299/user/mo plus add-on fees |
| Support | ✓ Guided onboarding and hands-on support | Reviewers cite week-plus support waits and case-manager turnover |
| Workflow & UI | ✓ Streamlined, fewer clicks | Reviewers report a "very clunky" UI, excessive clicking, redundant entry, and timeouts |
Comparison based on each vendor's publicly available materials as of June 2026. Vendor offerings change, verify current details with Heno at heno.io.
What Heno users run into
- Multi-year contracts reviewers couldn't exit, policies they called "archaic."
- Per-provider pricing that climbs with every clinician ("over 200 bucks each day" to cover staff).
- An AI scribe capped at 100 minutes per session, and an assistant that only changes future notes.
- Support waits of a week or more, and frequent case-manager turnover.
- A "very clunky" interface with excessive clicking and session timeouts.
Drawn from public Heno customer reviews on G2 and Capterra (2024–2026). Orion is built to avoid each of these.
Three reasons PT clinics pick Orion over Heno
Simple now, room to grow
Orion keeps day-one simple while including multi-location support with no per-location fee. Heno's per-provider licensing climbs with every clinician, one reviewer paid "over 200 bucks each day" to cover staff.
No lock-in
Orion's next step is a reversible Test Drive, not a signature. Heno reviewers report locked multi-year contracts with no early exit, calling the policies "archaic."
An ambient scribe with no cap
Aurora is ambient and real-time with no recording limit. Heno's AI Scribe records in sessions capped at 100 minutes, and its assistant only changes future notes.
Orion vs Heno, FAQ
Is Orion a good Heno alternative?
Yes, particularly as you grow. Orion offers an uncapped ambient AI scribe (Aurora), a self-serve app marketplace, multi-location support included with no per-location fee, and a reversible Test Drive, versus Heno's 100-minute scribe cap, per-provider pricing, and multi-year contracts reviewers report being locked into.
Does Orion lock me into a contract like Heno?
No. Orion's next step is a guided Test Drive in a safe sandbox, low-commitment and reversible. Heno reviewers report being held to multi-year contracts with no early exit.
How does Orion's AI scribe compare to Heno's?
Aurora is ambient and real-time, one tap, no recording cap, and the note is ready to sign in under two minutes. Heno's AI Scribe records in sessions capped at 100 minutes, isn't documented as ambient, and its separate AI Assistant only improves future notes.
See Orion on your own patients first.
Take a guided Test Drive in a safe sandbox, or book a 30-minute demo. Your current EHR keeps running the whole time.