Comparison

ClinicalKey vs Embolus

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ClinicalKey

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
Read full description

INSTITUTIONAL SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED. Access the latest advances in clinical knowledge anytime, anywhere with ClinicalKey®- the essential resource for medical professionals. ClinicalKey combines the speed of synoptic content with the depth of a comprehensive clinical reference tool in one intuitive solution to provide clinicians trusted information in the moments that matter most. With ClinicalKey, you can: • Stay abreast of rapidly expanding clinical knowledge • Quickly confirm diagnosis and treatment information • Advance critical thinking skills and research Please note: To access our extensive content library, ensure you have a subscription to ClinicalKey from your organization. To get started: 1. Download the free ClinicalKey app for iOS on your iPad® or iPhone®. 2. Follow the prompts to connect to your organization’s account.The app will ask questions to get you to the right content. 3. Choose the method of access that is right for you: 4. Select Access via Network if you need a quick answer and your device is connected to your organization's network. 5. Select Access via Institution for other ways to connect. 6. Once you have gained access, create or sign- in to your Elsevier ClinicalKey user account to save favorites and earn CME/MOC/CE/MOC/CE. ClinicalKey® Because you want to find a better way to help your patients ClinicalKey combines the speed of synoptic content with the depth of a comprehensive clinical reference tool in one intuitive solution to give clinicians trusted information in the moments that matter. With the ClinicalKey, clinicians will be able to: • Enhance patient care with trusted resources and deep insights across 30+ specialties • Combine efficiency and confidence in your practice with access to quick answers and information that is continuously updated • Excel in your field by building foundational knowledge and keeping up with the latest trends through full-text reference books and journals, while earning free CME/MOC/CE credit • Stay abreast of rapidly expanding clinical knowledge • Quickly confirm diagnosis and treatment information • Advance critical thinking skills and research ClinicalKey App for iOS Features: • Trusted Comprehensive content covering more than 30 medical and surgical specialties • Easy-to-scan, clinically focused medical topic synopses • Intuitive search with auto-suggest/ • Easy search with auto-completion • Direct navigation to your favorite books and journals • Mobile-optimized medical calculators • Access to full-text books, full-text journals, guidelines, multimedia and more • Access via Institutional IP; individuals will not be able to earn CME/MOC/CE, save, or share content when using IP authentication. Please register for remote access via your institutional web version of ClinicalKey. ClinicalKey Registrants (non-IP) customers will enjoy: • Opportunity to earn CME and fulfill MOC requirements with the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) • Ability to favorite and save content • Option to print and email topics, videos or graphics • Earn and track free CME/MOC/CE credit Ability to favorite and save content Print and email topics, videos or graphics to patients and colleagues iPad and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the US and other countries.

About

Embolus

This app provides clinical case studies and data interpretation exercises focused on laboratory haemostasis. It's designed to test and improve your knowledge for postgraduate Haematology exams and offers realistic patient and lab data.

Highlights
  • 70 clinical cases
  • 6 key haemostasis areas
  • Realistic patient data
  • Lab data interpretation
  • Exam question familiarization
  • Progress tracking
Features
Read full description

Embolus originates from the popular website, Practical-Haemostasis.com, and is our second Haemostasis product. See sangmedicine.com for additional information. The app offers clinical cases and data interpretation exercises in laboratory haemostasis and is designed to both assess and reinforce your knowledge in this area and in addition to assist with your preparations for post-graduate examinations in Haematology. Embolus is intended for doctors in haematology training programmes, laboratory staff and anyone with an interest in laboratory haemostasis. #FEATURES# STUDY 70 different cases addressing 6 key areas of Haemostasis: - Screening Tests - Factor Assays - Genetic Tests - Platelet Function Tests - Thrombophilia Tests - Miscellaneous Tests EXPLORE realistic patient and laboratory data FAMILIARISE yourself with exam question format TRACK your progress and highlight areas that you feel require additional reading/review

Screenshots

ClinicalKey4 screens
Embolus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Embolus at 71% against ClinicalKey's 9%. ClinicalKey's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Embolus sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. ClinicalKey asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ClinicalKey ships an update every 5 weeks, Embolus every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
ClinicalKey versus Embolus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterClinicalKeyEmbolus
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.7 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews8.8% of reviews71.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—16 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB43 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperElsevier Inc.Sang Medicine Ltd

Customer experience

ClinicalKey

Written reviews102 reviews
Positive8.8%
Neutral4.9%
Negative86.3%

Embolus

All ratings16 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%

Bugs and requests

ClinicalKey

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • 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
Show 9 more
  • Network change warnings appearing incorrectly
  • Search results returning unrelated content
  • Textbook search not finding available books
  • App won't load after recent updates
  • Blank search results for valid queries
  • Scrolling in table of contents sidebar not functioning
  • Landscape orientation not supported
  • App doesn't remember page position when reopened
  • Restricted access to books after updates

Requested features

10 requests
  • 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
Show 5 more
  • Text size and screen color customization
  • Fingerprint/passcode login option
  • Browse feature with category filtering
  • Offline access to downloaded materials
  • Feature parity with website version

Embolus

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

ClinicalKey

No in-app purchases

8 purchases

Embolus

One-time8
  • Screening Tests$1.99
  • Factor Assays$1.99
  • Platelet Function Tests$1.99
Show 5 more
  • Genetic Tests$1.99
  • Thrombophilia Tests$1.99
  • Miscellaneous Tests$1.99
  • Cloud Sync$1.99
  • Haemostasis$9.99

Questions

Is ClinicalKey free?
ClinicalKey is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Embolus free?
Embolus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ClinicalKey or Embolus have ads?
Neither ClinicalKey nor Embolus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ClinicalKey or Embolus?
ClinicalKey ships an update every 5 weeks, and Embolus every 2 months. Most recently, ClinicalKey was updated on September 28, 2026 and Embolus on September 21, 2026.

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