Every GP in England needs an electronic appraisal portfolio. The MAG paper form has been discontinued by NHS England. The choice for most GPs comes down to two platforms — Clarity (Agilio) and FourteenFish — or increasingly, a combination of a portfolio toolkit and an AI-assisted CPD layer that generates the learning content the toolkits organise.
FourteenFish
FourteenFish is the most widely used GP appraisal toolkit in the UK, now owned by EMIS (Egton Medical Information Systems). It is known for its intuitive, modern interface, excellent mobile apps (Learning Diary and Portfolio), and the "email-to-diary" feature that lets you forward course certificates, webinar confirmations, and learning evidence directly into your portfolio with zero friction.
Pricing: £42-50/year standard. RCGP members get an automatic 30% discount (approximately £35/year). New CCTs from 2021 onwards receive 5 years free as RCGP members. Bulk discounts available for practices. The Learning Diary and mobile app are free — you only pay at the point of appraisal submission.
Strengths: Intuitive UX that GPs consistently describe as "a joy to use." Excellent mobile apps for on-the-go CPD capture. Wide appraiser familiarity — most appraisers know the format, reducing friction during the appraisal meeting. The email-to-diary feature is genuinely time-saving. ISO 27001 certified. Syncs with GPCPD.com. Partners with NB Medical, Red Whale, and Doctors.net.uk for discounts.
Considerations: The interface, while clean, is utilitarian. Post-submission editing is possible (which some appraisers view as an information governance concern — Clarity locks the appraisal after submission). Some users find it better suited to appraisees than appraisers.
Clarity (Agilio)
Clarity, part of the Agilio Software ecosystem, offers appraisal portfolio management integrated with TeamNet (practice-level compliance and communication), the iLearn e-learning platform, and the AMP mobile app for CPD logging. It includes "hot topic" learning modules and knowledge-update content that doubles as CPD evidence.
Pricing: Subscription-based (annual). Often bundled through ICBs, practices, or PCNs. Pricing varies by organisational arrangement.
Strengths: Integrated CPD learning content built into the platform — reducing the need to find external CPD sources. Deep integration with the Agilio ecosystem for practices that use TeamNet. Strong organisational dashboards for ICBs and practice managers. ISO 27001 certified. Locks appraisal after submission (better governance). Some appraisers prefer Clarity's workflow for writing up appraisals.
Considerations: The interface can feel more complex than FourteenFish for individual clinicians. The value proposition is strongest when your practice or ICB already uses Agilio products. Check whether your appraisal service accepts Clarity outputs natively — most do.
How to Choose Between Them
If your priority is simplicity and mobile CPD capture: FourteenFish. The email-to-diary feature and mobile apps make CPD logging effortless.
If your priority is integrated learning content and practice-level tools: Clarity. The iLearn modules and TeamNet integration add value beyond portfolio management.
If your appraiser has a strong preference: use whichever they are more familiar with. Appraiser familiarity reduces friction and makes the meeting more productive.
If cost matters most: compare current subscription pricing directly. FourteenFish's RCGP discount makes it approximately £35/year for college members. Clarity's pricing depends on organisational arrangements.
The Missing Layer: AI-Assisted CPD
Neither Clarity nor FourteenFish generates CPD content. They organise and present the CPD you produce. The actual work — finding learning opportunities, completing them, reflecting on them, writing up the reflection — remains manual and is the part most GPs dread.
This is where AI can genuinely help.
iatroX's CPD module adds the content generation layer. It turns your daily clinical queries — the guideline lookups during consultations, the prescribing checks, the clinical reasoning exercises — into documented CPD entries. Each entry follows the GMC-compliant reflective structure: what happened, so what (what was the learning), now what (what will you change), and what was the impact.
The clinical queries you are already making during clinic become portfolio-ready evidence without a separate administrative task. The entries can then be referenced in your FourteenFish or Clarity portfolio.
The Q-Bank adds structured knowledge maintenance through spaced repetition — ensuring the clinical knowledge you need for safe practice stays current and your learning is active rather than passive. The Knowledge Centre provides structured guideline browsing for self-directed learning across conditions and specialties.
The Recommended Stack
Portfolio toolkit: FourteenFish (for most individual GPs) or Clarity (if your practice/ICB uses Agilio). Choose based on what your appraiser knows and what your organisation supports.
CPD generation: iatroX CPD. Turns clinical queries into documented professional development. Free.
Knowledge maintenance: iatroX Q-Bank. Structured, spaced-repetition learning throughout the year. Free.
Guideline reference: Ask iatroX. Instant NICE/CKS/BNF answers during consultations. Free.
The combination means your appraisal portfolio is populated continuously throughout the year by genuine clinical learning — rather than assembled in a panic two weeks before your appraisal meeting. The portfolio toolkit organises. The AI generates. The clinician reflects. Everyone benefits.