# Essentials Handbook vs ISMA Online

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Essentials Handbook at 100% against ISMA Online's 50%. Essentials Handbook also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). ISMA Online's advantage is ratings volume (8 vs 2) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Essentials Handbook holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Essentials Handbook's written reviews are positive against 50% of ISMA Online's.

Essentials Handbook ships an update every 5 weeks, ISMA Online every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essentials Handbook | ISMA Online |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essentials-handbook/id1251459425/reviews)** | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isma-online/id1416817470/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **8** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Center for Physician Education, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1217564930) | [Elite Tech Systems, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1416817469) |

## What reviewers say

### Essentials Handbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essentials-handbook/id1251459425)

This educational handbook provides essential information for physicians covering general hospital procedures, systems, patient care, and infection control. It serves as a comprehensive resource for medical professionals.

**Highlights:** General Ins & Outs, Systems Information, Patient Care Guidelines, Infection Control Protocols

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### ISMA Online

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isma-online/id1416817470)

Access the latest continuing medical education content on the go. Physicians and nurses can find and complete courses anytime, anywhere, with the ability to start, stop, and return to learning sessions.

**Highlights:** On-the-go learning, Access up-to-date CME content, Find and complete courses, Start, stop, and resume learning, Available for physicians and nurses

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essentials Handbook free?

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

### Is ISMA Online free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Essentials Handbook or ISMA Online?

Essentials Handbook is rated higher. Essentials Handbook averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while ISMA Online averages 4.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Essentials Handbook or ISMA Online have ads?

Neither Essentials Handbook nor ISMA Online shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Essentials Handbook or ISMA Online?

Essentials Handbook ships an update every 5 weeks, and ISMA Online every 3 months. Most recently, Essentials Handbook was updated on November 2, 2026 and ISMA Online on November 2, 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.*