# ESC (Journals) vs NCD Academy

The clearest difference is rating: NCD Academy at 4.9 against ESC (Journals)'s 2.0. NCD Academy also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). ESC (Journals)'s advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 90%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

NCD Academy holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NCD Academy has 21 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of ESC (Journals)'s written reviews are positive against 90% of NCD Academy's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ESC (Journals) ships an update every 5 months, NCD Academy every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ESC (Journals) | NCD Academy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esc-journals/id1222539258/reviews) | **[4.9 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ncd-academy/id1501602635/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **21** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 90.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 47 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +12 | 17+ |
| Developer | [Oxford University Press](https://appshunter.io/developer/439233805) | [American College of Cardiology](https://appshunter.io/developer/502174543) |

## What reviewers say

### ESC (Journals)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esc-journals/id1222539258)

Access and read leading cardiology journals offline on your iOS device. Download issues, save favorite articles, take notes, and share content. Includes a search feature and a podcast.

**Highlights:** Offline journal access, Download issues, Bookmark articles, Add notes to articles, In-app search, Share articles, Listen to podcast

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### NCD Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ncd-academy/id1501602635)

This app provides essential education for frontline health workers on managing non-communicable diseases, starting with cardiovascular disease. It aims to empower professionals to better address the global burden of these conditions.

**Highlights:** NCD management education, Cardiovascular disease focus, Empowering frontline health workers, Risk factor management, Global health burden reduction

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ESC (Journals) free?

ESC (Journals) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NCD Academy free?

NCD Academy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ESC (Journals) or NCD Academy?

NCD Academy is rated higher. ESC (Journals) averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while NCD Academy averages 4.9 from 21 ratings.

### Do ESC (Journals) or NCD Academy have ads?

ESC (Journals) shows ads; NCD Academy does not.

### Which is updated more often, ESC (Journals) or NCD Academy?

ESC (Journals) ships an update every 5 months, and NCD Academy every 2 months. Most recently, ESC (Journals) was updated on November 4, 2026 and NCD Academy on November 3, 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.*