Comparison

DrDrugs vs polaHelp

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

Head to head
About

DrDrugs

This medical reference app provides comprehensive drug information, including over 1,400 monographs and 700 dosing calculators. It focuses on safe practice and patient care, offering audio pronunciations and updated content for various patient populations and high-alert medications.

Highlights
  • 1,400+ drug monographs
  • 700+ built-in dosing calculators
  • Audio pronunciations for 1200+ drugs
  • NDC codes for 1300+ monographs
  • BEERS, REMS, and NDC indices
  • Pediatric, geriatric, and OB dosing
  • High Alert Medication identification
Features
Read full description

"Try before you buy" – Download the FREE app, which includes sample content. An in-App purchase is required to unlock all content. Davis’s Drug Guide for Physicians, 20th Edition is a trusted drug reference designed for medical students, residents, and practicing physicians. It delivers essential information needed to prescribe and manage medications safely across the lifespan. The guide features well-organized monographs for hundreds of generic drugs and thousands of trade names, emphasizing clinical prescribing, monitoring, administration, and patient management. This comprehensive resource enhances patient safety with high-alert medication markers, life-threatening side effects highlighted in red bold text, REMS icons for high-risk drugs, and detailed guidance on drug interactions. It also includes special considerations for pediatric, geriatric, pregnancy, lactation, and reproductive-age patients. The 20th Edition provides comprehensive prescribing information physicians need to deliver optimal patient care. DrDrugs includes 700+ built-in drug dosing calculation tools, enabling users to review a drug, calculate dosage, and administer medication seamlessly within a single workflow. Comprehensive coverage on 1,400+ drug monographs including more than: - 5,000 trade & generic drugs as well as expanded coverage of herbal products - 150 drug classifications, both therapeutic and pharmacologic (if available) - 500 commonly used combination drugs, including the dosage amount of the active generic ingredient - Most complete life-span drug dosing considerations for adult, pediatric, & geriatric patients Coverage on vulnerable populations including: - New indications & dosing recommendations for top 100 pediatric drugs - Pediatric, geriatric & OB medication administration considerations - A complete immunization schedule - Special techniques for administering medications to children - Oral rehydration solutions - Drugs and breast feeding - List of drugs associated with increased number of falls in the elderly More High Alert Coverage and Patient Safety Information than any other drug guide including: - Special highlights to identify High Alert Medications with high risks for patient injury & information throughout the monograph that explain what the physician can do to ensure patient safety - “Do not confuse with" & "Do not crush, break, or chew" caution statements highlighted to support safe practice - Information on how to prevent administration errors, detect dosing & dispensing errors & detect or prevent adverse drug reactions (ADR)s. - Explanations on how to administer medication safely by all routes–including signs and symptoms for toxicity & overdose, safe handling tips & how to educate patients for safe medication use in the home Plus integrated dosing calculators-700+ built in weight-based drug dosing calculation tools, simply review a drug, calculate the dose & administer all in a single step, without needing to switch to a separate drug dosing program. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Purchase a yearly auto-renewing subscription for full content access and updates. • Yearly auto-renewing subscription: $38.99 Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account upon purchase confirmation. Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. Users can manage subscriptions and disable auto-renewal anytime through device Settings > iTunes & App Store. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited upon subscription purchase where applicable. If you have any questions or comments, email us any time: customersupport@skyscape.com or call 508-299-3000 Privacy Policy- https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/privacypolicy.aspx Terms & Conditions- https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/licenseagreement.aspx Author(s): Cynthia A. Sanoski Publisher: F. A. Davis Company

About

polaHelp

Features
Read full description

**1.** As an optometrist or ophthalmologist, you often encounter situations where the patient cannot clearly express how they perceive the Polatest images. This application makes the examination easier: the patient can adjust on the screen what they see during the Polatest, while the app helps you calculate how many prism diopters may be required. **Polatest images:** * Cross * Cross with fusion stimulus * Horizontal/vertical clip * Horizontal/vertical clock * Double clock --- **2.** The near Maddox-cross feature presents the well-known examination in a modernized form. Place a Maddox lens in front of one of the patient’s eyes, and the central dot will turn into a line, allowing you to detect deviations at reading distance. --- **3.** When examining children, it can sometimes be difficult to keep their attention during the procedure. The app helps maintain their focus by showing random figures designed for children. --- **4.** For patients suffering from central visual field loss (e.g., AMD), you can teach them to use the extrafoveal areas of the retina for reading. Using the red circle, you can guide their fixation while they attempt to read the text. You may support this with yoked prisms, and you can adjust the size and position of both the circle and the text to help them find the most effective gaze positions. --- **5.** Once you have determined the necessary prism values, the built-in calculator helps you work out how to prescribe or order the glasses. You can use the commonly applied horizontal and vertical axes, but in special situations, you can also calculate with oblique prisms. --- **Note:** Under **Settings → Apps → polaHelp**, set the distance between the patient and the Polatest screen! Since any application may contain errors, always double-check the prism diopter values. I cannot take responsibility for incorrectly manufactured glasses based on the app’s results. The application is primarily designed for iPad.

Screenshots

DrDrugs4 screens
polaHelp4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: DrDrugs at Free against polaHelp's $9.99. DrDrugs also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). polaHelp's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). On in-app purchases 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

DrDrugs is free to download; polaHelp costs $9.99 up front. DrDrugs sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and polaHelp sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DrDrugs ships an update every 4 months, polaHelp every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
DrDrugs versus polaHelp: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDrDrugspolaHelp
PriceFree — better$9.99
Rating4.5 (35 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings35 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB4 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperSkyscape Medpresso IncAndras Balint

In-app purchases

6 purchases

DrDrugs

Subscriptions5
  • Drug Guide-Physicians 1/M Sub$3.991 Month
  • 25% off Limited Period Offer$29.491 Year
  • 20% off Limited Period Offer$31.491 Year
Show 2 more
  • 15% off Limited Period offer$33.491 Year
  • Drug Guide-Physicians 1/Y Sub$38.991 Year
One-time1
  • Drug Guide for Physicians,17Ed$49.99
1 purchases

polaHelp

One-time1
  • polaHelpPro$9.99

Questions

Is DrDrugs free?
DrDrugs is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is polaHelp free?
polaHelp costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Do DrDrugs or polaHelp have ads?
DrDrugs shows ads; polaHelp does not.
Which is updated more often, DrDrugs or polaHelp?
DrDrugs ships an update every 4 months, and polaHelp every 6 weeks. Most recently, DrDrugs was updated on October 24, 2026 and polaHelp on October 20, 2026.

Other comparisons