Looking for a Free Mirth Connect Alternative?
Open Integration Engine™ is the community-driven, open source fork of Mirth Connect. Free forever. No licensing fees. No restrictions.
Open Integration Engine™ — Free. Open Source. Trusted.
Why Are People Looking for Mirth Connect Alternatives?
In March 2025, NextGen Healthcare announced that Mirth Connect would transition from a dual-license model (open source and commercial) to a single commercial, proprietary license starting with version 4.6. The open source edition — used by thousands of healthcare organizations worldwide — will no longer receive updates.
If your organization relies on Mirth Connect’s open source version, you’re now facing a decision: pay for a commercial license, stay on an unsupported version (4.5.2), or move to an actively maintained open source alternative.
That’s exactly why Open Integration Engine exists.
What Is Open Integration Engine?
Open Integration Engine (OIE) is the vendor-neutral, community-supported fork of Mirth Connect. It’s built and maintained by the same healthcare integration professionals who have used Mirth Connect for years — and who believe that a healthcare integration engine should remain free, open, and accessible to everyone.
OIE is not a new or unproven product. It’s built on the same battle-tested codebase that has powered mission-critical healthcare integrations for nearly two decades. If you know Mirth Connect, you already know OIE.
OIE vs. Mirth Connect: What’s the Difference?
| Feature | Open Integration Engine | Mirth Connect 4.6+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free — always | Commercial license required |
| Open Source | Yes — MPL 2.0 | No — proprietary from 4.6 |
| Source Code Access | Full access on GitHub | Closed source |
| HL7 v2 / v3 | ✓ | ✓ |
| FHIR | ✓ | ✓ |
| DICOM | ✓ | ✓ |
| TLS / mTLS Plugin | Free — open source plugin | Included in Enterprise tier |
| Channel History Plugin | Free — open source plugin | Included in Enterprise tier |
| Vendor Lock-in | None — vendor neutral | Single vendor |
| Community Governance | Open steering committee | Corporate roadmap |
| Docker Support | Official images (amd64 + arm64) | ✓ |
| Commercial Support | Multiple independent vendors | NextGen Healthcare |
Built for Healthcare. Built for You.
Open Integration Engine supports the protocols and standards your organization already uses:
- HL7 v2.x — ADT, ORM, ORU, MDM, SIU, and more
- HL7 v3 / CDA — Clinical document exchange
- FHIR R4 — Modern API-based interoperability
- DICOM — Medical imaging workflows
- X12 / EDI — Claims and eligibility transactions
- Custom TCP, HTTP, SFTP, database — Connect anything to anything
It runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS. Deploy it on bare metal, VMs, Docker, or in the cloud. It’s the same flexibility you’ve always had with Mirth — without the licensing uncertainty.
What Makes OIE Different
Truly Free, Truly Open
OIE is licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0. There are no hidden costs, no “community vs. enterprise” tiers, and no features locked behind a paywall. What you download is what you get — the full engine with no restrictions.
Community Governed
OIE is governed by an open steering committee, not a single corporation. The project is pursuing non-profit status and exploring alignment with the Linux Foundation to ensure long-term sustainability and vendor neutrality. No single company controls the roadmap.
Backed by Real Healthcare IT Companies
OIE isn’t a side project. It’s supported by healthcare integration companies including Diridium Technologies (USA), NovaMap Health (UK/EU), Zen Healthcare IT, Meditecs, and a growing ecosystem of vendors and contributors worldwide. Commercial support is available from multiple independent providers.
Drop-in Compatibility
OIE is a direct fork of Mirth Connect. Your existing channels, code templates, scripts, and configurations work with OIE. Migration is straightforward — in most cases, it’s as simple as pointing to a new server.
Getting Started
Getting up and running with OIE takes minutes:
Install
Download the installer from the OIE Downloads page and follow the standard installation process you already know from Mirth Connect.
Migrating from Mirth Connect?
If you’re currently running Mirth Connect 4.5.2 or earlier, migrating to OIE is straightforward. Export your channels and code templates, install OIE, and import them. Your integrations, transformers, and scripts carry over directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is OIE really free? Yes. OIE is free to download, use, and deploy — even in production, even in commercial environments. There are no licensing fees, no per-channel costs, and no usage limits. It’s licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0.
Is OIE the same as Mirth Connect? OIE is a community-maintained fork of Mirth Connect, built from the same open source codebase (version 4.5.2). It’s fully compatible with existing Mirth Connect channels and configurations. The OIE community is actively developing new features and plugins beyond what Mirth Connect offered in its open source editions.
Will my existing Mirth Connect channels work with OIE? Yes. OIE maintains compatibility with Mirth Connect channels, code templates, and scripts. Migrating is straightforward — export from Mirth, import into OIE.
Who maintains OIE? OIE is maintained by a community of healthcare integration professionals and governed by an open steering committee. Multiple healthcare IT companies contribute to development, testing, and support. The project is vendor-neutral by design.
Can I get commercial support for OIE? Yes. Multiple independent vendors offer commercial support, managed hosting, custom development, and consulting services for OIE. See the Commercial Support Vendors page for a current list.
Is OIE HIPAA-compliant? OIE provides the technical capabilities needed to support HIPAA-compliant deployments, including TLS/mTLS encryption, access controls, and audit logging. As with any integration engine, compliance depends on how you configure and deploy it within your environment.
What about the TLS/SSL Manager that Mirth Connect now charges for? The OIE community has developed a free, open source TLS plugin that provides robust mTLS support, web-based certificate management, cipher suite controls, and TLS debugging — at no cost. It was co-developed by Diridium Technologies and NovaMap Health and contributed to the community. How do I get involved? Join the OIE Discord community, contribute on GitHub, or contact the project directly. Whether you’re a developer, an integration analyst, or an organization looking to participate, there’s a place for you.
Join Thousands of Healthcare Organizations
The Mirth Connect codebase has been trusted by healthcare organizations worldwide for nearly twenty years. Open Integration Engine carries that legacy forward — free, open source, and community-driven. No vendor lock-in. No surprise licensing changes. Just a reliable integration engine that works.
This project is an independent, third-party work and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or associated with NextGen Healthcare or Mirth Connect in any way. Open Integration Engine™, OIE™, and the OIE logo are trademarks of the Open Integration Engine project.