MacRepertory Alternative 2026 — Cloud & Free to Start

If MacRepertory or ReferenceWorks stopped updating — or simply quit launching after a Mac OS update — you are not alone, and you are not doing anything wrong. Synergy Homeopathic ended legacy support in 2025, and the modern path forward is a cloud repertory and materia medica platform that runs in any browser, on any device, and can't be orphaned by an operating-system upgrade. Similia is one such platform, with a free forever tier so you can re-run one of your own cases before you pay anything.

Disclosure: I'm the founder of Similia. I've tried to be even-handed below — I name where the desktop incumbents genuinely win, and corrections are welcome by email.

Why MacRepertory & ReferenceWorks users are switching in 2026

The trigger here is not marketing spin — it's stated on Synergy Homeopathic's own website: as of April 30, 2025, they stopped accepting MacRepertory and ReferenceWorks tickets for technical support, and existing users are directed to a next-generation product (Synergy Viva, launched April 2025). In plain terms: active development and support on the legacy MacRepertory and ReferenceWorks applications have stopped.

There is a second, more mechanical problem. According to Synergy's support documentation, the legacy MacRepertory/ReferenceWorks application is 32-bit. Apple removed support for 32-bit software in macOS Catalina (2019) and every release since, which only run 64-bit applications. That means a routine Mac OS update can silently stop the program from launching — you didn't break anything, the platform underneath it changed. This is precisely the situation that sends practitioners to a search engine typing "macrepertory not working" or "macrepertory alternative."

What Synergy recommends (and the catch)

Synergy's own successor is Synergy Viva, which the company says launched in April 2025. It is a paid Windows/Mac program with optional AI add-ons (marketed under names like "Genie"). That is a perfectly reasonable destination for some practices — if you want to stay in the Synergy ecosystem and you're comfortable with another desktop install, it's the path of least resistance.

The catch is twofold. First, Synergy Viva's public pricing is quote-on-request rather than openly published (unverified — confirm a current quote with the vendor). Second, and more importantly for the pain that brought you here: the "official" path is another paid desktop binary. If your last install was orphaned by a Mac OS update, it is fair to ask whether a fresh desktop install is the most durable place to rebuild your reference library — or whether this is the moment to move the whole workflow to the browser. That's the comparison worth making before you commit.

What to look for in a MacRepertory alternative

A MacRepertory alternative is software that replaces the discontinued MacRepertory/ReferenceWorks for homeopathic repertorisation and materia medica research. Because legacy MacRepertory is 32-bit, it no longer runs on modern macOS — which makes browser-based platforms, which update server-side, structurally more durable than a desktop install.

With that definition in mind, here are the criteria that actually matter when you're choosing a replacement for professional work:

1. It runs on your current OS — and won't break on the next update. This is the lesson of the 32-bit story. Whatever you pick should not be hostage to Apple's or Microsoft's release calendar.
2. It carries the repertories you actually use. For most classical practice that means Kent, Boericke, Boenninghausen, and a modern synthetic such as Murphy's MetaRepertory or the Complete Repertory.
3. Materia medica breadth. ReferenceWorks was primarily an MM research tool. A credible replacement needs depth across Boericke, Kent, Clarke, Allen, Hering and the modern schools.
4. Case management with sync. Your case archive should travel with you, not live on one machine's hard drive.
5. A free way to evaluate before paying. After being burned once by software that later died, "try it free first" is not a luxury — it's risk management.
6. Modern search. Exact-rubric-only lookup forces you to know the repertory's phrasing in advance. Semantic, natural-language search lets you describe what the patient said and find the rubric.

Desktop vs cloud: the lesson from the 32-bit break

This is the core durability argument, and it's worth stating plainly. A desktop binary is compiled for a specific operating system at a specific point in time. When the OS vendor drops an old architecture — as Apple did with 32-bit apps — that binary can stop running, and if the publisher has ended development (as Synergy has for MacRepertory/ReferenceWorks), there is no fix coming. A browser-based application has no local binary to orphan: it updates on the server, and the browser is the only thing that has to stay current. You cannot lose your repertory to a Mac OS upgrade if your repertory lives in the cloud.

This is not an argument that cloud is universally superior — offline desktop suites still have real strengths, covered below. It is an argument that durability is now a first-class buying criterion, and it favours the browser.

Why a browser-based platform is the durable answer

The honest question for a MacRepertory switcher isn't "which other desktop suite should I buy?" — it's "how do I make sure this doesn't happen again?" The path Synergy points to is another paid desktop install, which carries the same structural risk that orphaned your last one: a binary compiled for today's operating system, dependent on the publisher continuing to ship updates for it indefinitely.

A browser-based platform removes that risk by design. There is no local binary to be orphaned; the software updates server-side, and the only thing that has to stay current is your browser. That single property — durability — is why the rest of this guide focuses on rebuilding your workflow in the cloud rather than ranking one desktop suite against another. If you want the wider market view, our roundup of the best homeopathic software in 2026, tested covers the landscape.

A cloud-native alternative: how Similia maps to a MacRepertory workflow

If you spent years inside MacRepertory and ReferenceWorks, the useful question isn't "what are the features?" — it's "how does my existing way of working translate?" Here is that translation, step by step.

• Repertorisation grid → semantic search across classical repertories. Where MacRepertory had you build an analysis by selecting exact rubrics, Similia lets you search cloud repertory software in natural language across Kent, Boericke, Boenninghausen, Murphy's MetaRepertory and the Complete Repertory, then add the rubrics you choose to the analysis. You can still work rubric-by-rubric; you just no longer have to know the phrasing in advance.
• ReferenceWorks-style MM research → 20+ materia medica sources. The MM research habit moves over directly: Similia carries 20+ materia medica sources with full remedy profiles — Boericke, Kent, Clarke, Allen, Hering and the modern schools — searchable in plain language so cross-references surface without flipping between books.
• Analysis tools → AI case analysis and Notes-to-Rubric. Paste consultation notes and let the platform propose matching rubrics for your review, then run AI case analysis and semantic search to surface differential remedy lines. None of this replaces clinical judgement; it removes mechanical lookup time.
• Per-machine licences → a free forever tier. Instead of licensing books per machine, the core repertory + materia medica + search workflow is available on a tier you never have to renew.

What you gain

Moving to the browser buys you four concrete things a desktop install can't: cross-device sync (the same login on a Mac, an iPad, an Android phone or a Linux laptop); AI consultation transcription via Live Audio Mode; semantic, natural-language rubric lookup; and — the headline benefit for anyone reading this — no OS-break risk. Your repertory will not stop working because Apple shipped an update.

What you give up — honest caveats

This is a switcher's guide, not a sales page, so the trade-offs belong here in plain sight. A cloud platform needs an internet connection; if you work somewhere with no reliable connectivity, an offline desktop suite still has the edge. Similia is also not a 1:1 match for the largest desktop suites' sheer library size — if your daily work depends on dozens of specialist secondary repertories, the deepest desktop libraries still win on raw count. And some premium content is gated behind Pro: Murphy's MetaRepertory, the Complete Repertory 2026, the Saine Repertory, and Jan Scholten's modern materia medica series are paid tiers, not free. If those specific titles are non-negotiable for you, plan for a Pro subscription rather than the free tier. (If you're deciding which repertory to standardise on in the first place, that comparison may help.)

How to migrate off MacRepertory this week

You do not need a long, risky migration project. There's no proprietary database to convert and nothing to "import-or-lose," so you can evaluate the entire core workflow before paying anything. Here's a low-friction path you can complete in an afternoon:

1. Create a free account. Sign up for the free homeopathic software tier — no credit card required.
2. Re-create one recent case. Pick a case you know well and rebuild it the way you actually practise: chief complaint, modalities, observations, repertorisation. This tests rubric lookup and materia medica reference against your real workflow, not a demo script.
3. Run one analysis with semantic search. Deliberately use natural-language search instead of your old exact-rubric habit on at least one rubric, so you can feel the difference for yourself.
4. Decide if you need a Pro repertory. If your practice is built on Murphy, the Complete Repertory 2026, or Saine, note that those are Pro tiers and try the 14-day trial; if you work mostly from Kent/Boericke/Boenninghausen, the free tier may already cover you.
5. Keep your old printouts and exports. Your historical MacRepertory cases and any PDFs you exported stay yours for reference — nothing forces you to abandon them on day one.

Because the core repertory, materia medica and semantic-search workflow is free forever, you can validate the whole thing before any payment changes hands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is MacRepertory still supported in 2026?

No. Synergy Homeopathic stopped accepting MacRepertory and ReferenceWorks technical-support tickets as of April 30, 2025, and now directs users to its successor, Synergy Viva (launched April 2025). Development on the legacy applications has stopped (source: synergyhomeopathic.com).

Why won't MacRepertory run on my new Mac?

According to Synergy's support documentation, the legacy MacRepertory/ReferenceWorks is a 32-bit application. macOS Catalina (2019) and every release since only run 64-bit software, so a Mac OS update can stop the legacy app from launching. The problem is the operating-system change, not your installation.

What replaced MacRepertory and ReferenceWorks?

Synergy Homeopathic's own successor is Synergy Viva (launched April 2025), a paid Windows/Mac program. Cloud alternatives such as Similia run in any browser with a free tier, so the workflow can never be orphaned by an OS update.

What is the best free alternative to MacRepertory?

Similia is a cloud homeopathy platform with a free-forever tier that includes classical repertories (Kent, Boericke, Boenninghausen and more), materia medica, and natural-language semantic search. Complete Dynamics also offers a free desktop Browser Edition of the Complete Repertory.

Is there a MacRepertory alternative that works on Mac, Windows and tablets?

Yes. A browser-based platform like Similia runs on any device — Mac, Windows, iPad or Android — with no install, because it updates server-side instead of shipping an OS-specific binary that a future operating-system release can break.

Do I need to buy software to repertorise after MacRepertory?

No. You can repertorise across several classical repertories and read materia medica on a free cloud tier. Paid tiers add premium repertories — for example Murphy's MetaRepertory, the Complete Repertory 2026 and the Saine Repertory — plus AI features, but the core workflow is free.

How does Similia compare to desktop suites like Synergy Viva?

Synergy Viva and other desktop suites are paid programs with very large libraries and offline operation. Similia is a cloud platform with a free tier, semantic search and AI case analysis, best suited to practitioners who want cross-device access without maintaining a desktop install that an OS update could orphan.

Can I keep using my old MacRepertory cases?

Your historical case notes and printouts remain yours. A cloud tool lets you re-key or reference them as you move over, and because the core workflow is free you can evaluate the new setup before committing anything.

The bottom line

Your repertory shouldn't stop working because Apple shipped an update. That's the real lesson of the MacRepertory and ReferenceWorks end-of-life: a desktop binary is only as durable as the operating system it was compiled for, and once development ends, an OS upgrade can quietly take your reference library with it. The most defensible answer for 2026 is a platform that updates server-side and can't be orphaned.

Synergy Viva is a legitimate destination if you want to stay in the Synergy ecosystem with another desktop install. But if you're rethinking the workflow rather than just reinstalling it, Similia runs in any browser, on any device, with the core repertory, materia medica and semantic-search workflow free forever. Create a free account, re-run one of your own cases, and decide for yourself — and if you already know you need Murphy, Complete or Saine, the 14-day Pro trial is there too. Free forever, with Pro plans you can test before you pay.