Comparison

ClinicalKey vs Dermpedia

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

Dermpedia

This professional educational tool provides medical professionals with access to a library of dermatopathology videos, live courses, and workshops. It offers CME-accredited content from leading experts in the field, delivered through a convenient streaming platform.

Highlights
  • Stream dermatopathology case videos
  • Access live CME events
  • On-demand courses and workshops
  • Expert mentorship and "over-the-shoulder" learning
  • Offline video viewing
Features
Read full description

This app is a professional educational tool intended solely for medical professionals. It is a reader app which accompanies the Dermpedia website. It allows Dermpedia members to stream Dermpedia library of videos and gives them access to live and on-demand courses and workshops. Dermpedia is an online dermatopathology society. It has provided CME education since 2009. The purpose of Dermpedia is to provide American Medical Association-accredited CME courses, workshops and seminars for physicians specializing in the field of dermatopathology. CME content is delivered via live events using video streaming platforms and growing on-demand video recordings of live events hosted on the website. Dermpedia in combines convenience of Netflix-style streaming platform with rigor of life CME-accredited events giving the users access to the knowledge and expertise of dermatopathology masters. The key features of Dermpedia include: • The Archives: Stream hundreds of high-definition dermatopathology cases anytime, anywhere. • Live CME Events: Join interactive, accredited courses, workshops and learn directly from world-class faculty in real-time. • Expert Mentorship: Experience the "over-the-shoulder" learning style that only Dermpedia provides. The primary target audicene are board-certified dermatopathologists, pathologists and dermatologists. However, Dermpedia contents is also suitable for ambitious trainees including medical students, residents and fellows. Importantly, Dermpedia does not provide the options for the patients to seek medical advice, opinions about their medical problems or treatment options. The field of dermatopathology concerns the knowlege and skill of making pathological diagnoses and classification of disease based on examination of microscopic slides. Discussion on Dermpedia is conducted at a very high level which is not accessible to untrained members of the general public. Dermpedia provides content curated by recognized dermatopathology experts which are leaders in the field. These experts are invited by the Founder, Dr. Artur Zembowicz, MD, PhD, Professor of Pathology at Tufts Medical School in Boston, to participate due to their reputation and contributions to the peer-reviewed literature. Some content and Dermpedia events are free. Dermpedia is supported by member subscriptions which can be purchased on the website. There are no in app purchases. The app allows the users to log in to the websites and browse their library, view the calendar and access live events. The app allows the users to download their videos and watch them offline. The users without subscription can create a free account and have access to free content and some live events. -- For more information see our: -Terms of Service: https://dermpedia.org/terms -Privacy Policy: https://dermpedia.org/privacy

Screenshots

ClinicalKey4 screens
Dermpedia3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Dermpedia at free against ClinicalKey's subscription. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ClinicalKey ships an update every 5 weeks, Dermpedia monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
ClinicalKey versus Dermpedia: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterClinicalKeyDermpedia
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews8.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationSubscriptionFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB65 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperElsevier Inc.Dermatopathology Consultations LLC

Customer experience

ClinicalKey

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

Dermpedia

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

Dermpedia

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

ClinicalKey

No in-app purchases

None

Dermpedia

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ClinicalKey free?
ClinicalKey is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dermpedia free?
Dermpedia is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ClinicalKey or Dermpedia have ads?
Neither ClinicalKey nor Dermpedia shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ClinicalKey or Dermpedia?
ClinicalKey ships an update every 5 weeks, and Dermpedia monthly. Most recently, ClinicalKey was updated on October 16, 2026 and Dermpedia on October 1, 2026.

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