VithoulkasBrain is a web-based expert system from the International Academy of Classical Homeopathy (IACH), launched in July 2026, that applies George Vithoulkas's symptom hierarchy and intensity keynotes to Kent's repertory plus his confirmed additions, sold as prepaid point packages from €20. Similia is a browser platform whose free tier never expires and includes seven classical repertories with AI semantic search, plus basic case management capped at 3 new cases and 3 analyses a month. Free also includes 21 classic materia medica books to read; Pro, from $19.99 a month, adds the AI toolkit (Notes-to-Rubric, AI case analysis, live audio transcription, photo analysis), lifts the monthly caps and brings premium repertories and materia medica. The choice is between one master's method encoded as a guided engine and a broad multi-repertory workspace with AI tools that take no side between schools.
Disclosure: I'm the founder of Similia. I've tried to be even-handed below — corrections welcome by email.
TL;DR — VithoulkasBrain vs Similia at a glance
Researched on 20 September 2026 from public pages on vithoulkasbrain.com, vb.vithoulkasbrain.com, vithoulkascompass.com and vithoulkas.com, plus Similia's pricing page. I found no independent review of VB, so every VB claim below is quoted from the vendor's own pages.
| Dimension | VithoulkasBrain | Similia |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Prepaid points: €20 / 3 months (250) to €440 / 18 months (8,000) | Free forever. Pro from $19.99 a month. |
| Free access | 10-day trial with 25 bonus points; no free tier | Free tier never expires. |
| Metering | 1 point per "VB Results" run after the case changes; Flat Repertorisation costs nothing | Free: 3 new cases + 3 analyses a month. Pro: unlimited cases and analyses; AI toolkit uses AI credits. |
| Repertories | VB Repertory: Kent plus Vithoulkas's confirmed additions | Seven classical on Free. Murphy, Complete 2026 or Saine 2025 by Pro edition; Suggesta 2.1 and Qrep5 add-ons. |
| Materia medica | "9" texts (pricing page) or "10" (home page), incl. Vithoulkas Keynotes, with search | 21 classic books to read on Free. Scholten's series and Materia Medica Search on Pro. |
| Analysis engine | Expert system: symptom hierarchy, intensity keynotes, "Get Additional Keynotes" | AI semantic search in the seven classical repertories on Free. Notes-to-Rubric, AI case analysis, live audio transcription, photo analysis on Pro. |
| Case management | Online clinic, case search, global case sharing; patient-data rule stated two ways | Cloud-synced cases; AI processing consent per feature. |
| Platform | Browser only, no install | Browser only, no install. |
| Updates | Terms at version 1.0, July 2026; no public changelog found | Continuous releases with a public changelog. |
| Best for | Vithoulkas-trained practitioners and IACH students | Students, multi-repertory practitioners, AI-toolkit users. |
What is VithoulkasBrain?
VithoulkasBrain (VB) calls itself "an innovative Expert System based on the teachings, methodology, and clinical expertise of Professor George Vithoulkas. Designed for Practitioners and Students of Homeopathy" (source: vithoulkasbrain.com, 20 September 2026). Its Terms, "Version 1.0 | Last updated: July 2026", name the operator as Vithoulkas Intelligence Single Member P.C., a Greek company running the platform under licence from the IACH, "which owns the underlying intellectual property". The launch was a live webinar on 25 July 2026, Vithoulkas's birthday; his letter on the homepage, signed "Alonissos, Greece, March 2026", calls VB "the latest version of my work in online repertories".
Three ideas define the product. Symptom hierarchy: the features page says the analysis gives "due importance to symptom hierarchy- placing greater emphasis on mental and peculiar symptoms". Intensity: the homepage calls VB "A Homeopathy Expert System Based on the Vithoulkas Intensity Keynotes". The Confirmed Repertory: the repertory is "compiled by Kent and Vithoulkas", the additions are "symptoms that have been confirmed through cured cases by Vithoulkas", and its page stresses that it "is not a traditional book, but a modern concept and methodology", "continuously evolving with new clinical data".
Is it AI? The site says two things, and I quote both rather than resolve them. The homepage and the What-is page call VB an Expert System, and the Confirmed Repertory page says the tool was "organised with the help of Artificial Intelligence"; one homepage FAQ answer goes further: "We deliver an AI-powered homeopathic platform inspired by the work of Prof. George Vithoulkas." No page describes semantic search, symptom extraction from notes, consultation transcription or photo analysis. Registration asks for a professional status, and E-Learning Students and IACH Graduates "receive double points with every package purchase".
VithoulkasBrain vs Vithoulkas Compass: two IACH products, not one
Vithoulkas Compass (VC) is the academy's older platform, "used by thousands of homeopaths all around the world with great success since 2011" and now at version 3.0, with a 7-day trial (source: vithoulkascompass.com, 20 September 2026). On 20 September 2026 neither site mentioned the other, on any home, pricing, terms, login or registration page. The IACH's own site promotes both, with a "Vithoulkas Brain" call to action on the vithoulkas.com homepage and a Compass page still under Learning Tools (source: vithoulkas.com, 20 September 2026). So: two products from the same academy, sold side by side, with no public migration path stated.
Compass sells four credit-metered subscription plans priced per country: the entry plan is €21 for one month with 20 credits in the zone covering the United States, the United Kingdom and Greece, and €8 in the India zone, with 24% VAT added "where applicable". Each Solve, Differential or Specific Remedy Analysis run consumes one credit, and "2-7 credits are generally used" per typical case. Its centrepiece is the Differentiation Expert System, which proposes the symptoms that separate a shortlist of candidates. VB sells prepaid points on one euro list and centres on the Confirmed Repertory and keynote confirmation. Compass narrows a shortlist; VB weights and confirms a repertorisation. A third, historical "Vithoulkas expert system" predates both: from 1987 to 1991, with the University of Namur, Vithoulkas built the V.E.S., which "imitates the line of thought of Prof. Vithoulkas" (source: vithoulkas.com, 20 September 2026). For the full Compass comparison, see Vithoulkas Compass: cost, review and alternatives.
What is Similia?
Similia is a cloud-native homeopathy platform with a free-forever tier and several Pro editions, and like VB it runs in any modern browser. The free tier ships seven classical repertories (Kent, Boericke, Boenninghausen, Hering, Boger, Ward and Roberts) and basic case management capped at 3 new cases and 3 analyses a month, with no credit card required. AI-powered semantic search on Free works within those seven repertories, matching a patient's wording to rubrics by meaning. Free also includes 21 classic materia medica books to read, from Kent, Boericke, Clarke, Allen, Hahnemann, Hering and others.
Every Pro edition adds the AI toolkit: Notes-to-Rubric, AI case analysis, live audio transcription and AI photo analysis, drawing on an included AI credit allowance. Pro also removes the monthly caps (unlimited cases and repertory analyses, not unlimited AI processing) and adds Materia Medica Search, the Periodic Table and Jan Scholten's full series. The premium repertory depends on the edition: Murphy's MetaRepertory 4th edition (with Nature's Materia Medica 4th edition), the Complete Repertory 2026 or the Saine Repertory 2025. Prices on the Similia pricing page: Free; Pro Base $19.99 a month; Pro Murphy and Pro Complete $29.99; Pro Saine $26.99. Eligible first-time subscribers can start a 14-day Pro trial, confirmed at checkout. One-time add-ons include Suggesta 2.1 ($299.99), Qrep5 ($99.99) and Mangialavori 100 MM ($119.99).
Side-by-side comparison
VithoulkasBrain price vs Similia
VithoulkasBrain publishes one price list, in euros, under "Simple Packages, No Hidden Fees, Cancel Anytime" (source: vithoulkasbrain.com/pricing, 20 September 2026). The last two columns are our arithmetic.
| Package | Points | Access | Price | Per month (ours) | Points per month (ours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student | 250 | 3 months | €20 | €6.67 | about 83 |
| Practitioner | 1,500 | 6 months | €100 | €16.67 | 250 |
| Clinician ("Popular") | 4,000 | 12 months | €270 | €22.50 | about 333 |
| Advanced Clinician | 8,000 | 18 months | €440 | €24.44 | about 444 |
Points are the meter. The first VB Results click on a case costs one point; after that a point goes only when you add or delete a symptom, change an intensity or add a GV Keynote and click VB Results again. Flat Repertorisation and reopening unchanged cases cost nothing; the site gives no per-case average. Points outlive the package, carried forward on renewal "for up to 6 months after the expiration of your access"; months do not outlive the points, since an unused "subscription period cannot be transferred or credited toward your next subscription". The page shows no VAT note and no country switcher. The trial page offers "a 10-day Free Trial — Get 25 Bonus Points!", and the Terms allow no refund once you have started using the platform; the 14-day withdrawal right applies only before first use.
Similia's published list prices are in USD: Free forever, Pro Base $19.99 a month, Pro Murphy $29.99, Pro Complete $29.99, Pro Saine $26.99; see the pricing page. Students can contact Similia for exclusive pricing through the students page.
Both products meter their analysis engine, differently. On VB a light user who mostly runs Flat Repertorisation pays nothing per run, while a heavy user who spends 4,000 points in eight months loses the remaining four. On Similia Pro, AI-toolkit operations draw on a credit allowance while repertory analyses and cases are unlimited. Free is capped, not metered. VB's list is euro-only with no regional pricing; Compass has an India zone at well under half its US and UK prices.
Repertories
VB ships one repertory: "Complete access to the VB Repertory, including Kent Repertory and confirmed additions by Prof. Vithoulkas". The homepage's "most Reliable Repertory ever created" is the vendor's claim, not an independent finding. For Vithoulkas-trained practitioners the single curated book is the point: the analysis weights his confirmed rubrics his way. Our guide to Kent's Repertory explains what sits underneath.
Similia ships seven classical repertories on Free and one premium repertory per Pro edition (Murphy's MetaRepertory, the Complete Repertory 2026 or the Saine Repertory 2025), with Suggesta 2.1 and Qrep5 as add-ons. Every loaded repertory answers the same search, so you triangulate without changing books; the Murphy vs Kent vs Complete Repertory comparison explains how they differ. The trade-off is one editorial voice against breadth.
Materia medica
VB's count depends on the page: the pricing page says "Access 9 Materia Medica texts from renowned masters, including Vithoulkas Keynotes", the home and features pages say "10 Materia Medicas of Masters with Advanced Search". No page lists the titles.
Free includes the 21 classic books, read in full. Every Pro edition adds Scholten's series, Pro Murphy adds Nature's Materia Medica 4th edition, and Mangialavori 100 MM is a one-time add-on. Materia Medica Search across the sources your plan includes requires eligible paid access; Free is for reading the books.
Expert system vs AI tools
VB's engine is built so you "Think like Vithoulkas in every case": it weights the repertorisation by symptom hierarchy, applies his intensity keynotes, offers "Get Additional Keynotes" to confirm the final choice, and interrupts you with guidance. Dr Latika Jaggi, one of VB's two India representatives, describes it in a testimonial as "alerting me if symptoms are added with incorrect intensity or if there is an imbalance in the case analysis" (source: vithoulkasbrain.com, 20 September 2026). That is an expert system in the classical sense: a rule set reproducing one expert's judgement.
Similia's AI does something else. On Free, semantic search reads meaning rather than wording within the seven classical repertories. On Pro, the AI toolkit works before and after repertorisation: Notes-to-Rubric extracts symptoms from notes and proposes rubrics for review, live audio transcription maps symptoms as the patient speaks, AI photo analysis reads clinical photographs, and AI case analysis proposes differential lines once the case is built, all using AI credits. None of them encodes a school: the tools find and structure symptoms, and the repertories you choose do the weighting. A Vithoulkas-trained practitioner could use both.
Patient case management and data
VB's pricing page lists "Your Personal Online Clinic", "Advanced Case Search" by remedy and main complaint, and "Global Case Sharing" with "homeopaths and groups worldwide". The rule on patient data is stated two ways. The trial page: "Users are strictly prohibited from entering, uploading, or processing any personal data or personally identifiable information." The Terms: "You are encouraged to apply data minimisation and to avoid entering direct patient identifiers (such as full name, contact details or identification numbers) where these are not necessary for your clinical use", with case data "stored in encrypted form" and Vithoulkas Brain acting as your processor. One page prohibits identifiers, the other discourages them; if your records must carry a patient's name, ask VB which applies before you subscribe. After access lapses, case data is kept for twelve months, with a one-month read-only window on request to download your cases.
Similia's cases are cloud-synced across your signed-in devices and encrypted in transit and at rest. Free allows 3 new cases and 3 analyses a month; Pro removes the cap. Notes-to-Rubric, AI case analysis, photo analysis and transcription run only with AI processing consent given inside the product, while semantic search sends the typed query for embedding. The HIPAA and GDPR guide covers the detail.
Platform and devices
A tie. VB is "completely online, so there is no installation required on your devices" and "fully accessible on desktops, tablets, and smartphones" with "an active internet connection". Similia is the same: any modern browser, online only.
Support, representatives and community
VB's support is personal: the representatives page lists named IACH representatives in 54 countries, and the homepage FAQ promises "personal meetings for both potential and active users" and "detailed video tutorials". The community is the academy's. Similia offers email support, guides and direct contact with the founding team, and its users come from many schools.
Updates and roadmap
VB's Terms are at version 1.0, dated July 2026; I found no software version number on its pages, and the Confirmed Repertory is described as "continuously evolving with new clinical data". No public changelog was found on 20 September 2026. Similia ships continuously and publishes every substantial change in a public changelog.
When VithoulkasBrain is the better choice
- You trained with Vithoulkas or through the IACH e-learning programme. VB applies his hierarchy and intensity keynotes to every case, and double points halve your effective price.
- You want one curated repertory rather than several. Kent plus the rubrics Vithoulkas confirmed in cured cases, with no competing gradings to reconcile.
- You analyse a few cases a month and prefer prepaid access. The Student package is €20 for three months, and unused points carry forward on renewal.
- You share cases with IACH colleagues. Global Case Sharing is built in.
When Similia is the better choice
- You want a permanent free tier. Seven classical repertories, 21 classic materia medica books and basic case management capped at 3 new cases and 3 analyses a month, with no points to watch.
- You triangulate across books. Kent, Boenninghausen, Murphy, Complete or Saine answer the same search, with AI semantic search within the seven classical repertories on Free.
- You want AI on the consultation itself. Notes-to-Rubric, AI case analysis, live audio transcription and photo analysis on Pro, with unlimited cases and analyses.
- You follow a school other than Vithoulkas's, or several. Similia's tools do not weight a case by any one teacher's rules.
- Your records need to hold patient details. Similia's cases can, with AI processing consent handled inside the product and the compliance position documented.
Verdict
VithoulkasBrain and Similia complement each other more than they compete. VB is the right answer for Vithoulkas-trained practitioners and IACH students who want his method encoded: one confirmed repertory, his intensity keynotes, and a prepaid price the double-points rule makes cheaper for the academy's own students. Similia is the right answer for the larger group who want breadth and AI: seven classical repertories and 21 classic books on a free tier that never expires, premium repertories by edition, and an AI toolkit on Pro that works on the consultation rather than on the school. Some practitioners will use both: VB to weigh a case Vithoulkas's way, Similia to get from notes to rubrics and keep the cases. If you are choosing today, start free; the best homeopathic software 2026 roundup compares five tools side by side.
