# ClinicalKey vs BMJ Best Practice

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BMJ Best Practice at 87% against ClinicalKey's 9%. BMJ Best Practice also leads on monetization model (freemium vs subscription). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ClinicalKey ships an update every 5 weeks, BMJ Best Practice monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ClinicalKey | BMJ Best Practice |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.7 (207 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bmj-best-practice/id1105379489/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **207** |
| Positive reviews | 8.8% of reviews | **86.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Size | 68 MB | 102 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | **15.0.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +12 | 17+ |
| Developer | [Elsevier Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/367031326) | [BMJ Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/345548841) |

## What reviewers say

### ClinicalKey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clinicalkey/id1041998175)

This app provides medical professionals with instant access to a vast library of clinical knowledge, including synoptic content and in-depth reference materials. It helps users stay updated on medical advancements, confirm diagnoses, and advance their research skills, all while offering CME/MOC/CE credits.

**Highlights:** Access to 30+ medical specialties, Synoptic content for quick answers, Full-text reference books and journals, Mobile-optimized medical calculators, Earn CME/MOC/CE credits, Intuitive search functionality

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 High-quality, evidence-based clinical content
- 🎯 Intuitive interface and quick reference format
- 🔍 Similar functionality to website version
- 👍 Browse feature restoration appreciated by users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔓 Constant forced logout issues
- 🔐 Institutional login authentication failures
- ⏳ App freezes and perpetual loading screens
- 🚫 Missing textbook access in app vs website
- 📵 Frequent crashes and force closures

**Reported bugs**

- App stuck on loading screen after initial login
- Forced logout when closing or minimizing app
- Institutional login not working despite web access
- App crashes during search queries
- OpenAthens authentication failures

**Requested features**

- PDF download capability within the app
- Favorite/bookmark textbooks and articles
- Landscape mode support for iPad
- Find-on-page text search function
- Automatic session persistence and page memory


### BMJ Best Practice

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bmj-best-practice/id1105379489)

Access up-to-date, evidence-based clinical guidance for healthcare professionals. This app offers offline access to diagnostic, treatment, and prevention information, along with patient leaflets, calculators, and procedure videos. It also tracks CME/CPD activities.

**Highlights:** Evidence-based clinical guidance, Offline access, Patient leaflets, Medical calculators, Guidance videos, CME/CPD tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and reliable
- 💡 Comprehensive and up-to-date content
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🔍 Excellent resource for healthcare professionals
- 🧠 Helpful for learning and revision

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent mandatory updates and downloads
- 🔌 Issues with offline access and background downloads
- 🤖 Compatibility problems on certain devices
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality for calculators

**Reported bugs**

- App getting stuck on download screen
- Inability to open the app on certain devices
- Automatic logout issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to save favorites and bookmarks
- Improved support for landscape mode and split-screen
- Author/reference details for content
- Institutional login option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ClinicalKey free?

ClinicalKey is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BMJ Best Practice free?

BMJ Best Practice is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do ClinicalKey or BMJ Best Practice have ads?

Neither ClinicalKey nor BMJ Best Practice shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ClinicalKey or BMJ Best Practice?

ClinicalKey ships an update every 5 weeks, and BMJ Best Practice monthly. Most recently, ClinicalKey was updated on November 4, 2026 and BMJ Best Practice on November 11, 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.*