# MedCalX vs Guide Dose

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Guide Dose at 86% against MedCalX's 46%. Guide Dose also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.0). MedCalX's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MedCalX sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Guide Dose sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MedCalX ships an update every 5 months, Guide Dose every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | MedCalX | Guide Dose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.8 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medcalx/id1041464932/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **31** | — |
| Positive reviews | 45.8% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 45 MB | 144 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ossus GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/286022405) | [MedCalc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1699306069) |

## What reviewers say

### MedCalX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medcalx/id1041464932)

This medical calculator app provides healthcare professionals with a comprehensive tool for complex medical formulas, scores, and classifications. It offers an extensive library of over 300 medical calculations, patient management features, and sharing capabilities.

**Highlights:** Extensive medical formula library (300+), Patient management and data saving, Customizable workflows, Multiple result sharing options, Detailed information and references, US and SI unit support, iCloud synchronization for favorites

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MedCalc 3 Upgrade | Free | one-time |
| Doximity Registration | Free | one-time |
| MedCalX Unlock | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 📱 Comprehensive collection of medical formulas and scores
- 🚀 Fast calculations and quick access
- 📚 Includes PubMed links and background information
- 🌍 Multi-language support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paywalls for previously free calculators
- 🔄 Forced paid upgrades for existing users
- ❌ Missing many important medical scores
- ⏱️ Infrequent updates and maintenance
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- App crashes when taking patient photos
- App fails to open or becomes unresponsive
- Unable to restore previous purchases
- Doximity unlock feature not working

**Requested features**

- SCORE2 and other modern cardiovascular risk scores
- TRiP(cast) score
- Valve disease calculations
- Pediatric medication dosing calculators
- Electrolyte and fluid replacement calculations


### Guide Dose

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guide-dose-for-physicians/id6453359266)

This app provides healthcare professionals and students with quick access to clinical information, drug doses, and decision-support tools. It features a structured experience for study, reference, and organizing medical data, including AI-powered informational support.

**Highlights:** Search by medication or indication, Patient profile for contextualized readings, Organized clinical references and labeling, Modules on physiology, medications, and CPR, Clinical AI for informational support, Protocols and consultation flows, Auxiliary clinical tools

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Guide Dose Pro (monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Guide Dose Pro (annual) | $69.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MedCalX free?

MedCalX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Guide Dose free?

Guide Dose is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do MedCalX or Guide Dose have ads?

Neither MedCalX nor Guide Dose shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MedCalX or Guide Dose?

MedCalX ships an update every 5 months, and Guide Dose every 5 days. Most recently, MedCalX was updated on October 24, 2026 and Guide Dose on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*