# Patient Controller NR vs Patient Controller RC

The clearest difference is rating: Patient Controller RC at 3.1 against Patient Controller NR's 2.4. Patient Controller NR's advantage is ratings volume (732 vs 112) and iOS requirement (12.5.5 vs 15.6.1). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Patient Controller RC holds the better App Store score, 3.1 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Patient Controller NR has 732 ratings behind it against 112, 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 22% of Patient Controller RC's.

Patient Controller NR ships an update every 5 months, Patient Controller RC every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Patient Controller NR | Patient Controller RC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.4 (732 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patient-controller-nr-us/id1059237634/reviews) | **[3.1 (112 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patient-controller-rc-us/id6444318464/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **732** | 112 |
| Positive reviews | 15.3% of reviews | **21.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 124 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.5.5** | 15.6.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [St. Jude Medical, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/591520737) | [Abbott](https://appshunter.io/developer/402314324) |

## What reviewers say

### Patient Controller NR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patient-controller-nr-us/id1059237634)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful for pain management
- 🔒 Secure connection to device

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iPhones
- 🔋 Battery life problems with iPod controller
- ⏱️ Slow connection and response times
- 🤔 Lack of customization options

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Patient Controller RC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patient-controller-rc-us/id6444318464)

Manage your Abbott neuromodulation device programs from your smartphone. Control stimulation settings, monitor your device, and connect with your clinician remotely for adjustments and telehealth sessions.

**Highlights:** Turn stimulation ON/OFF, Select stimulation programs, Adjust stimulation amplitude, Check device battery, Monitor charging, Remote clinician connection, Secure in-app video chat

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Effective pain relief and device functionality
- 👍 User-friendly interface and easy control
- 🔧 Works well on supported iPhone models
- 💪 Reliable implant performance for chronic pain management
- 🤝 Good customer support in some regions

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Severely outdated iPhone compatibility (lags 2-3+ years behind current models)
- 📱 Forces users to carry multiple phones simultaneously
- 🐢 Extremely slow update cycle for new device support
- 🔌 Provided iPhone SE controller has poor battery life
- 🔗 Frequent app disconnections requiring restarts

**Reported bugs**

- App incompatible with iPhone 15, 16, 17 series
- Frequent disconnections from device requiring app restart
- App crashes and won't open
- Password update rejection
- Incompatibility with iOS 18.3.2 and newer

**Requested features**

- Support for iPhone 15, 16, 17 and newer models
- Android app version
- Apple Watch app integration
- Sleep timer functionality
- User-adjustable intermittent pulse programs


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Patient Controller NR free?

Patient Controller NR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Patient Controller RC free?

Patient Controller RC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Patient Controller NR or Patient Controller RC?

Patient Controller RC is rated higher. Patient Controller NR averages 2.4 out of 5 from 732 ratings, while Patient Controller RC averages 3.1 from 112 ratings.

### Do Patient Controller NR or Patient Controller RC have ads?

Neither Patient Controller NR nor Patient Controller RC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Patient Controller NR or Patient Controller RC?

Patient Controller NR ships an update every 5 months, and Patient Controller RC every 4 months. Most recently, Patient Controller NR was updated on September 25, 2026 and Patient Controller RC on August 24, 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.*