Comparison

IDSA (Journals) vs MedStudy

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

Head to head
About

IDSA (Journals)

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
Read full description

About the app The IDSA (Infectious Diseases Society of America) Journals app from Oxford University Press enables you to read the leading journals Clinical Infectious Diseases, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, and Open Forum Infectious Diseases both online and offline on your iOS device (provided you have a relevant personal subscription, institutional subscription, or society membership). You can: • download issues when you’re online, so that you can read them whether you’re connected to the Internet or not • view the tables of contents for issues when you’re online, whether you have downloaded them yet or not • easily read issues from cover to cover by swiping through articles • download and read advance articles (published ahead of print) • download and read the PDF version of an article • use the in-app search feature • bookmark your favorite articles • add your own notes to articles • share articles by email or on social media About the journals Clinical Infectious Diseases publishes for practitioners and researchers. Topics include clinical descriptions and prevention of infections, public health, the evaluation of current and novel treatments, and the promotion of optimal practices for diagnosis and treatment. The Journal of Infectious Diseases publishes research results on microbiology, immunology, epidemiology, and related disciplines; on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases; on the microbes that cause them; and on disorders of host immune responses. Open Forum Infectious Diseases publishes clinical, translational, and basic research in a fully open access, online journal. It focuses on the intersection of biomedical science and clinical practice, with an emphasis on knowledge that could improve patient care globally. The journals are published on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) by Oxford University Press. Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide.

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

IDSA (Journals)4 screens
MedStudy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: MedStudy at 4.8 against IDSA (Journals)'s 3.0. MedStudy also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (199 vs 2). IDSA (Journals)'s advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). On price, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MedStudy holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MedStudy has 199 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of IDSA (Journals)'s written reviews are positive against 22% of MedStudy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

IDSA (Journals) ships an update every 4 months, MedStudy every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
IDSA (Journals) versus MedStudy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIDSA (Journals)MedStudy
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)4.8 (199 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews22.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2199 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB22 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperOxford University PressMedStudy

Customer experience

IDSA (Journals)

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

MedStudy

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

In-app purchases

None

IDSA (Journals)

No in-app purchases

None

MedStudy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is IDSA (Journals) free?
IDSA (Journals) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MedStudy free?
MedStudy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, IDSA (Journals) or MedStudy?
MedStudy is rated higher. IDSA (Journals) averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while MedStudy averages 4.8 from 199 ratings.
Do IDSA (Journals) or MedStudy have ads?
IDSA (Journals) shows ads; MedStudy does not.
Which is updated more often, IDSA (Journals) or MedStudy?
IDSA (Journals) ships an update every 4 months, and MedStudy every 2 months. Most recently, IDSA (Journals) was updated on October 11, 2026 and MedStudy on October 13, 2026.

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