Comparison

Patient Controller NR vs myMerlin™

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

Head to head
About

Patient Controller NR

Manage your prescribed neuromodulation therapy programs conveniently from your smartphone. This app allows you to control stimulation settings, check device status, and even connect with your clinician remotely for adjustments.

Highlights
  • Turn stimulation ON/OFF
  • Select stimulation programs
  • Adjust stimulation amplitude
  • Check device battery
  • Activate MRI mode
  • Remote clinician connection
  • Secure video chat
Read full description

This Patient Controller NR app is for use with Abbott non-rechargeable (NR) devices, such as Proclaim™ SCS systems, Proclaim™ DRG therapy, and Infinity™ DBS systems. The NeuroSphere™ Patient Controller NR app was developed by Abbott for people living with chronic pain and neurologic disorders who are treated by Abbott neuromodulation devices. This application helps patients conveniently manage the programs prescribed by their physicians and uses Bluetooth® wireless technology to communicate between the implanted stimulator and the Patient Controller NR app. The Patient Controller NR app runs on Abbott recommended devices (as mentioned below) and is easy to use, while the wireless interface provides patients the convenience of managing prescribed stimulation settings from a familiar iOS device. Some of the key functions available for patients include: - Turn stimulation ON/OFF - Select stimulation programs for changing therapy needs - Adjust stimulation amplitude - Check device battery - Turn on MRI mode for MR Conditional systems - Activate and de-activate Surgery Mode In addition, NeuroSphere™ Virtual Clinic on the Patient Controller NR app enables users to connect with their clinicians for routine programming adjustments remotely. Patients no longer need to visit the clinic for adjustments to their prescribed stimulation settings. Secure in-app video chat enables telehealth sessions directly from within the PC application. Note: - This application will work on select Appleⱡ iPhoneⱡ devices running iOS 12.5.5 or later. - For a list of compatible devices see www.NMmobiledevicesync.com/cp - For the Privacy Policy see https://www.virtualclinic.abbott/policies - For the Terms of Use see https://www.virtualclinic.abbott/policies - iPod Touch is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. - iOS is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. - ⱡiPhone is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. - Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth Special Interest Group

About

myMerlin™

This application securely transmits heart rhythm data from an insertable cardiac monitor to your doctor. It allows you to log symptoms, review past transmissions, and stay connected with your healthcare provider for better heart rhythm monitoring.

Highlights
  • Continuous heart rhythm monitoring
  • Automatic event recording
  • Symptomatic event logging
  • View past and upcoming transmissions
  • Secure data transmission to doctor
  • Remote monitoring setting updates (device dependent)
Read full description

The Abbott Insertable Cardiac Monitor (ICM) is a slim profile device which continuously monitors your heart rhythm and automatically records events of interest as configured by your doctor. The myMerlin™ app securely and proactively transmits information per a schedule set by your doctor. The app’s intuitive user-friendly interface allows you to record symptomatic events, view past and upcoming transmissions and helps you stay connected with your doctor. This makes it easier for your healthcare provider to obtain information about your heart’s rhythm. Some ICM device models include the ability for the device monitoring settings to be updated remotely by a healthcare provider. This app will only function once paired with an Abbott Insertable Cardiac Monitor, an implantable device available via prescription only. THE APP DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY HEALTH SERVICES OR MEDICAL ADVICE. IF YOU SUSPECT YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, YOU SHOULD SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION FROM LOCAL EMERGENCY SERVICES OR YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.

Screenshots

Patient Controller NR3 screens
myMerlin™4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: myMerlin™ at 2.9 against Patient Controller NR's 2.4. Patient Controller NR's advantage is update cadence (every 5 months vs every 12 months) and ratings volume (773 vs 106). On price, review sentiment, 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

myMerlin™ holds the better App Store score, 2.9 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Patient Controller NR has 773 ratings behind it against 106, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 15% of Patient Controller NR's written reviews are positive against 17% of myMerlin™'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Patient Controller NR ships an update every 5 months, myMerlin™ every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Patient Controller NR versus myMerlin™: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPatient Controller NRmyMerlin™
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.4 (773 ratings)2.9 (106 ratings) — better
Positive reviews15.3% of reviews17.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings773 — better106
Update frequencyEvery 5 months — betterEvery 12 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.5.5 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size124 MB53 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperSt. Jude Medical, Inc.Abbott

Customer experience

Patient Controller NR

All ratings732 ratings
Positive28.8%
Neutral8.9%
Negative62.3%
Written reviews157 reviews
Positive15.3%
Neutral5.1%
Negative79.6%

myMerlin™

All ratings71 ratings
Positive39.4%
Neutral4.2%
Negative56.3%
Written reviews98 reviews
Positive17.3%
Neutral9.2%
Negative73.5%

Bugs and requests

Patient Controller NR

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes after iOS updates
  • Bluetooth connection frequently drops
  • Unable to access device settings on newer phones

Requested features

4 requests
  • Update app to support latest iPhone models
  • Add ability to set custom program names
  • Integrate with Apple Watch for easier control
  • Provide real-time battery level monitoring

myMerlin™

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Patient Controller NR

No in-app purchases

None

myMerlin™

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Patient Controller NR free?
Patient Controller NR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is myMerlin™ free?
myMerlin™ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Patient Controller NR or myMerlin™?
myMerlin™ is rated higher. Patient Controller NR averages 2.4 out of 5 from 773 ratings, while myMerlin™ averages 2.9 from 106 ratings.
Do Patient Controller NR or myMerlin™ have ads?
Neither Patient Controller NR nor myMerlin™ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Patient Controller NR or myMerlin™?
Patient Controller NR ships an update every 5 months, and myMerlin™ every 12 months. Most recently, Patient Controller NR was updated on October 29, 2026 and myMerlin™ on November 1, 2026.

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