# IDSA (Journals) vs PathogenAR

The clearest difference is rating: PathogenAR at 5.0 against IDSA (Journals)'s 3.0. PathogenAR also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

PathogenAR holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PathogenAR has 15 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

IDSA (Journals) ships an update every 4 months, PathogenAR every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 30, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IDSA (Journals) | PathogenAR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idsa-journals/id1222863668/reviews) | **[5.0 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pathogenar/id1489343174/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **15** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 46 MB | 137 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Oxford University Press](https://appshunter.io/developer/439233805) | [National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases](https://appshunter.io/developer/1342358975) |

## What reviewers say

### IDSA (Journals)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idsa-journals/id1222863668)

Access leading infectious diseases journals offline on your iOS device. Download issues, bookmark articles, and add personal notes. Features include in-app search and PDF viewing.

**Highlights:** Offline journal access, Downloadable issues and PDFs, In-app search, Bookmark articles, Add personal notes, Share articles

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### PathogenAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pathogenar/id1489343174)

Explore interactive stories about infectious diseases in augmented reality. This educational app uses touch gestures or a Merge Cube to bring pathogens to life, offering an engaging way to learn about disease.

**Highlights:** Augmented Reality exploration, Interactive pathogen stories, Touch gesture controls, Merge Cube device compatibility, Educational disease content

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IDSA (Journals) free?

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

### Is PathogenAR free?

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

### Which has better reviews, IDSA (Journals) or PathogenAR?

PathogenAR is rated higher. IDSA (Journals) averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while PathogenAR averages 5.0 from 15 ratings.

### Do IDSA (Journals) or PathogenAR have ads?

IDSA (Journals) shows ads; PathogenAR does not.

### Which is updated more often, IDSA (Journals) or PathogenAR?

IDSA (Journals) ships an update every 4 months, and PathogenAR every 2 months. Most recently, IDSA (Journals) was updated on August 30, 2026 and PathogenAR on June 4, 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.*