Comparison

PICU Essentials vs MedStudy

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

Head to head
About

PICU Essentials

A practical handbook for medical professionals in pediatric intensive care units, drawing on 20 years of experience. Content is peer-reviewed and updated regularly, applicable across various settings. Proceeds support app maintenance and development.

Highlights
  • Practical handbook for PICU professionals
  • Based on 20 years of PICU practice
  • Peer-reviewed content
  • Regular content updates
  • Applicable in most settings
  • Supports app development
Features
Read full description

This app was designed to be used as a practical handbook for rotating residents, advanced practice providers, and fellows. It is based upon 20 years of PICU practice, and while much of the content describes practice or protocols here at UFHealth/Shands Children’s Hospital, it could be applied in most settings. This app is now in use in over 50 countries. All content is peer-reviewed, and content is reviewed for currency every 1-2 years and as needed. All proceeds from this app go toward maintaining and developing the app itself. Privacy Policy: https://skywave.io/picu-privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://skywave.io/picu-terms-of-use/

About

MedStudy

Access a comprehensive suite of medical study tools, including practice questions, flashcards, video lectures, and audio pearls. Track your progress, bookmark key content, and customize study decks for any stage of your medical education or career.

Highlights
  • Thousands of practice Q&As and flashcards
  • Board review videos with variable playback speed
  • Bookmark lectures and take notes
  • Detailed performance tracking
  • Offline video and audio downloads
  • Cross-platform web and mobile access
Read full description

Access QBank+, Flashcards, Video Board Review and Audio Pearls on your mobile devices. Features include: Thousands of practice Q&As and review flashcards Stream hours of laser-focused board review videos with variable playback speed Bookmark essential lectures and take notes using text or voice-to-text In-depth explanations of all Qbank+ answer options Detailed medical images and illustrations Set up unlimited Qbank+ question and flashcard review decks Generate unlimited Qbank+ test decks and sharpen your exam skills Customize question and flashcard decks to focus on specific topics or question sets Access question and flashcard decks seamlessly across web or mobile for anytime, anywhere study Highlight key points in Q&A using four color options for more focused practice and review—available in study and test decks! Detailed Qbank+ and flashcard performance tracking Visualize your progress across video and audio lectures Video and audio continue streaming while you multitask in other apps (now with picture in picture) Download video and audio topics for offline study From medical school to board prep to recertification to maintaining competency, we help you study strong—wherever you are on your medical journey. MEDSTUDY FOR INTERNAL MEDICINE For over 30 years, MedStudy has been trusted by Internal Medicine residents preparing for the ABIM Certification exam in ACGME-accredited allopathic and osteopathic programs, as well as by practicing physicians studying for the ABIM Maintenance of Certification Exam, LKA, and hospitalists taking the Focused Practice in Hospitalist Medicine exam. MEDSTUDY FOR PEDIATRICS MedStudy is the gold standard resource for Pediatricians studying for the ABP Certification exam in ACGME-accredited allopathic and osteopathic programs, as well as by practicing physicians studying for the ABP Maintenance of Certification Exam or MOCA-Peds. MEDSTUDY FOR MED SCHOOL Truly learn the foundations of medicine with everything you need to excel in medical school, the USMLE exams, and beyond.

Screenshots

PICU Essentials4 screens
MedStudy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MedStudy at none against PICU Essentials's 1. MedStudy also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months). PICU Essentials's advantage is review sentiment (56% vs 22%) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. PICU Essentials sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. MedStudy asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for PICU Essentials against 4.8 for MedStudy. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 124 and 199 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 56% of PICU Essentials's written reviews are positive against 22% of MedStudy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PICU Essentials ships an update every 6 months, MedStudy every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
PICU Essentials versus MedStudy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPICU EssentialsMedStudy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (124 ratings)4.8 (199 ratings)
Positive reviews55.6% of reviews — better22.2% of reviews
Number of ratings124199 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size130 MB22 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperAtmosphere Apps, Inc.MedStudy

Customer experience

PICU Essentials

All ratings124 ratings
Positive96.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive55.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative44.4%

MedStudy

All ratings199 ratings
Positive96.0%
Neutral0.5%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive22.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative77.8%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

PICU Essentials

Subscriptions1
  • Annual Subscription14 Days trial$9.991 Year
None

MedStudy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PICU Essentials free?
PICU Essentials is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MedStudy free?
MedStudy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PICU Essentials or MedStudy?
PICU Essentials and MedStudy are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 124 and 199 ratings respectively.
Do PICU Essentials or MedStudy have ads?
Neither PICU Essentials nor MedStudy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PICU Essentials or MedStudy?
PICU Essentials ships an update every 6 months, and MedStudy every 2 months. Most recently, PICU Essentials was updated on August 24, 2026 and MedStudy on September 21, 2026.

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