ClinicalKey vs TRACE Logbook
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
TRACE Logbook
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TRACE is the clinical logbook for doctors who don’t have time to keep one. TALK, DON’T TYPE Speak naturally. Describe the case, procedure, or learning point in your own words—what you saw, what you did, what you learned. TRACE extracts the key details, fills the fields, and prompts you if something important is missing. No dropdown hunting. When you stop talking, the entry is done. WHAT YOU CAN LOG * Clinical cases: Ward reviews, admissions, transfers, arrests, and trauma calls. * Procedures & skills: Intubations, lines, and bedside interventions. Templates adapt dynamically—prompting for ultrasound guidance only when clinically relevant. * Professional growth: CPD activities, teaching, and discussions. * Shifts & leave: Rota days, nights, and absences live on the same timeline, not in a separate spreadsheet. APPRAISAL & REVALIDATION Set your target dates and select your reminder intervals—from a year ahead to the day before. Insights tallies your case mix, procedural counts, supervision levels, and attendance across any date range. When review day comes, your portfolio numbers are already counted. INTELLIGENT PLACEMENTS Set your hospital and grade. TRACE stamps each case with the placement active on the date of the case—not the day you log it. Documenting last month’s rotation after switching trusts still logs the correct post. ACTIVE WORKLISTS Mark an admission as “Still on unit” and it automatically pins to your worklist, ready for updates when you close the encounter. CLEAN EXPORTS Export presentation-ready PDFs or multi-sheet Excel workbooks grouped by template. Filter date ranges and exclude sensitive fields as needed. BUILT FOR iPAD & MAC * Split view: Keep your master list fixed on the left while editing entries on the right. * Full keyboard control: Navigate between cases and through fields entirely using arrow keys. PRIVATE BY ARCHITECTURE * Private by default: Stored on-device and synced via personal iCloud. Data never hits TRACE servers. * No friction: No accounts, no passwords, no ads, no trackers, and no crash analytics. * Protected: Face ID prevents unauthorised viewing on an unlocked device. ANONYMOUS BY DESIGN Built from the ground up to prevent recording patient identifiers: * Zero patient-name fields. * Ages instead of dates of birth. * Automatic screening checks typed text before submission and scans exports before you share them. VOICE ASSISTANT PRIVACY Voice processing uses Google Gemini. Before the mic opens, TRACE reminds you that audio goes to Google and prompts you not to mention patient identifiers. Prefer not to use it? Dictation can be disabled entirely. TRACE operates under a signed Google Cloud Data Processing Agreement (DPA). Your voice input is never used to train models and is never reviewed by humans. IMPORTANT TRACE is a personal logbook for professional activity. It is not a medical device, patient record, or substitute for your trust’s electronic patient systems. TRACE PRO Includes a 1-week free trial to unlock voice logging and new entry creation. If your subscription lapses, you never lose access: you can always view, search, and export your entire historical logbook. * Plans: £4.99/month or £39.99/year * Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in Apple Account Settings. Privacy Policy: https://tracelogbook.com/privacy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ClinicalKey at none against TRACE Logbook's 2. ClinicalKey also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). TRACE Logbook's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On price, 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
Both are free to download. TRACE Logbook sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. ClinicalKey asks for nothing beyond the download.
ClinicalKey ships an update every 5 weeks, TRACE Logbook fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ClinicalKey | TRACE Logbook |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 8.8% of reviews | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 55 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Elsevier Inc. | TRACE LOGBOOK LTD |
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
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- 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
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- 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
TRACE Logbook
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ClinicalKey
No in-app purchases
TRACE Logbook
- TRACE Pro Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- TRACE Pro Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Questions
Is ClinicalKey free?
Is TRACE Logbook free?
Do ClinicalKey or TRACE Logbook have ads?
Which is updated more often, ClinicalKey or TRACE Logbook?
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