Comparison

MSD Manual Consumer vs Physiotherapy Notebook

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

Head to head
About

MSD Manual Consumer

Access clear, practical explanations for thousands of medical disorders, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments in everyday language. This app provides expert-written health information, including photos, illustrations, and animations, for on-the-go reference.

Highlights
  • Medical information in everyday language
  • Explanations of disorders, symptoms, diagnoses, treatments
  • Photos and illustrations
  • Animations of diseases and treatments
  • Interactive quizzes
  • Medical news and commentary
Features
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SPECIAL NOTES ABOUT DOWNLOAD *** Downloading this app is a 2-step process: the first step is a download of the app template, and the second step is a full download of app content. This can take up to 5 to 10 minutes. Please do not navigate away from the app until both steps have been completed. *** App Permissions Install Settings Note: • We do not collect or use any personal information. There are, however, some permissions necessary for the app to function properly. 1. Photos/Media/Files – This allows the app to store the medical content and multimedia for offline use without requiring the user to reload all the large content when the app updates. 2. Device and App History – This is used only to keep the app and content up to date. Developed especially for patients, caregivers, and families, this version of the MSD Manual medical information app is created just for you. Now with many new features and enhancements, the MSD Manual Consumer app is written in everyday language. This Consumer Version provides clear, practical explanations for thousands of medical disorders, including symptoms and what doctors do to diagnose and treat medical conditions. The trusted MSD Manual Consumer medical information app for on-the-go reference offers: • Health and medical information written and updated regularly by more than 350 medical experts • Topics searchable by symptom, diagnosis or treatment, all written in easy-to-understand language • Photos and Illustrations on thousands of disorders and diseases • Animations that visually demonstrate diseases and treatments • Interactive Quizzes* to test knowledge on health topics • Medical News and Commentary* covering the most current and important health topics • Editorials* written by top medical experts • Self-assessments* to check your health and fitness levels *Internet access needed. About MSD Manuals Our mission is simple: We believe that health information is a universal right and that every person is entitled to accurate, accessible and usable medical information. We have a responsibility to protect, preserve and share the best current medical information to enable more informed decisions, enhance relationships between patients and professionals, and improve health care outcomes around the world. That’s why we are making the MSD Manuals available for free in digital form to professionals and patients around the world. No registration or subscription required, and no ads. NOND-1179303-0001 04/16 This mobile application is intended for use outside the United States, its territories, Puerto Rico, and Canada only. For more information please read the End User License Agreement at https://www.msd.com/policy/terms-of-use/home.html For more information about our privacy practices, please see our privacy commitment at https://www.msdprivacy.com Adverse Event Reporting: In a country outside the United States, there may be specific procedures in place to address reports of adverse events. Please contact your local MSD office or local health authority for more information. For questions or help with the app, please contact msdmanualsinfo@msd.com

About

Physiotherapy Notebook

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Physiotherapy Notebook is a professional documentation app for physiotherapists on iPhone and iPad. Keep client profiles, session notes, measurements and follow-up records together in one organized workspace. DOCUMENT YOUR SESSIONS Write with the keyboard on iPhone and iPad, or take handwritten notes with Apple Pencil on iPad. Use ready-to-use physiotherapy documentation templates and export session notes as PDF. FOLLOW PROGRESS OVER TIME Record pain ratings and range-of-motion measurements by body region. Review recorded measurements in charts, link entries to sessions and goals, and keep initial assessments, functional goals and home exercise records alongside your notes. ORGANIZE YOUR PRACTICE Keep client information and session history in one place. Plan appointments with the calendar and optionally synchronize sessions with Apple Calendar. Use client code names when you prefer. KEEP YOUR WORK WITH YOU Work with records stored on your device. Optional iCloud backup and synchronization use your own iCloud account. Protect access with Face ID, Touch ID or an app passcode, depending on your device. Features include: • Client profiles and session history • Keyboard notes and Apple Pencil handwriting on iPad • Initial assessment records • Pain and range-of-motion tracking • Functional goals and home exercise documentation • Physiotherapy note templates • Calendar and optional Apple Calendar synchronization • PDF export and attachments • Optional iCloud backup and synchronization • App lock and automatic locking • English and Turkish interfaces Physiotherapy Notebook is a documentation tool for professionals. It does not diagnose, interpret scores, recommend treatment or generate exercise prescriptions. Clinical decisions and the content of records remain the responsibility of the professional. A Premium auto-renewable subscription is required to access the app's features. Monthly and yearly plans are available. Eligible new subscribers can start with a 7-day free trial. Unless canceled during the trial, the selected plan continues as a paid subscription. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

MSD Manual Consumer4 screens
Physiotherapy Notebook4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MSD Manual Consumer at none against Physiotherapy Notebook's 2. MSD Manual Consumer also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). Physiotherapy Notebook's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Physiotherapy Notebook sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. MSD Manual Consumer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MSD Manual Consumer ships an update every 2 months, Physiotherapy Notebook every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
MSD Manual Consumer versus Physiotherapy Notebook: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMSD Manual ConsumerPhysiotherapy Notebook
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (42 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings42 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size205 MB30 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperMerck Sharp & Dohme LLCAlper CUHADAROGLU

In-app purchases

None

MSD Manual Consumer

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Physiotherapy Notebook

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium7 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is MSD Manual Consumer free?
MSD Manual Consumer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Physiotherapy Notebook free?
Physiotherapy Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MSD Manual Consumer or Physiotherapy Notebook have ads?
Neither MSD Manual Consumer nor Physiotherapy Notebook shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MSD Manual Consumer or Physiotherapy Notebook?
MSD Manual Consumer ships an update every 2 months, and Physiotherapy Notebook every 2 weeks. Most recently, MSD Manual Consumer was updated on October 16, 2026 and Physiotherapy Notebook on October 4, 2026.

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