Comparison

Picmonic Medical School Study vs Octopus Giggle

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

Head to head
About

Picmonic Medical School Study

This app uses visual mnemonics and spaced repetition to help medical students and other healthcare professionals retain vast amounts of information. It offers engaging video lessons and quizzes designed to make studying more efficient and effective, leading to better exam performance.

Highlights
  • Visual mnemonic videos
  • Spaced repetition quizzing
  • 2,000+ video lessons
  • 24,000+ key facts
  • Multiple choice quizzes
  • Daily quizzes
  • Textbook mappings
Features
Read full description

Get through medical school by learning using real medical imagery alongside consistent character symbols! For FREE you can access our most popular Videos, Multiple Choice Quiz Questions, and Daily Quiz with Spaced Repetition for 5 days. Get unlimited access with an affordable subscription. Ridiculously efficient. Unbelievably effective. Make Studying Fun & Remember More in Less Time with Picmonic, the world’s best visual mnemonic video & spaced repetition quizzing study tool that’s research-proven to increase memory retention 331%! 2,000+ entertaining 3-minute picture mnemonic video + quiz lessons covering 24,000+ key facts. Ditch boring textbook memorization, recall information faster and retain it longer to ace your basic sciences / didactic courses, clinicals and boards exams with less study time using unforgettable images and stories...it's Cliff Notes meets Saturday morning cartoons! • Program Options: Medical (MD/DO/NMD), Physician Assistant, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Pre-Health / MCAT, Medical Terminology • Courses: Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Pathology, Anatomy, Embryology, Internal Med, Infectious Disease, Surgery, Psych, Peds, OB, Derm • Curriculum: Systems or Organ Based • Study Guides: USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 CK, COMLEX, PANCE® 2019 blueprint, NPTE, NBCOT • Textbook mappings: First Aid, Pathoma and PANCE Prep Pearls -- follow along page by page! “My biggest regret about Picmonic is that I did not start using it sooner. I am so grateful for Picmonic!!! Picmonic was a life changer! Made review easier and more fun.” Andee G, Med Grad @Oklahoma “My grades have really improved since using Picmonic…I wish I would have known how to effectively use it in my first and second semesters.” Jonathan K, MS2 @Ross “I massively underestimated how useful Picmonic would be! I signed up with to test it with the intention of cancelling within the first seven days! But it has changed my life at med school!” Jake C, MS2 “My only regret with Picmonic was not finding out about it at the beginning of PA school! As soon as I got it, I immediately improved in studying more efficiently!” Joe H, PA-S2 @Mercer “Picmonic literally saved me during my first round of PA school midterms and I can’t wait to keep using it for the next couple years!” Sherin J, PA-S1 @Yale Struggling to remember all the high-yield facts from First Aid, Pathoma, Robbins & Goljan, or Boards and Beyond? Picmonic forms a mental scaffold of memory anchors so that you show up to lecture prepared to remember everything you learn so you ace course exams and then your USMLE Q Bank score goes 250+. Get a question wrong with UWorld USMLE, Osmosis, Firecracker, USMLE RX, SMARTYPANCE or Kaplan QBanks, hop over to Picmonic to review and start enjoying school! Read more information Medscape style and save time vs watching Amboss or Lecturio videos. Repetition is key to success, so utilize our Anki / Memorang style Spaced Repetition Daily Quiz on your phone on the go to make any moment a study moment :) *NURSING & PRE-HEALTH students, click “Picmonic Developer” under this description to download: -- Picmonic for Nursing: RN, LPN, Nurse Practitioner -- Picmonic for Anatomy & Physiology: Allied Health, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Paramedic, Biology, Anatomy & Physiology and more! Premium Access: Upgrade for all features & content in your area of study. Monthly, semesterly and annual subscriptions are available, prices vary by product & location. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase and any unused portion of a free trial period will then be forfeited. Subscriptions automatically renew and your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, at the original subscription price, unless auto-renew is turned off thru iTunes Account Settings prior to being charged. https://picmonic.com/pages/terms-of-use"

About

Octopus Giggle

This app helps preschoolers learn about emotions and family recognition through interactive games using your family's real faces. It offers a safe, ad-free experience with no internet required, allowing children to engage with loved ones' expressions and voices.

Highlights
  • 22 facial expressions for learning
  • Teaches emotions and face parts
  • Family recognition games
  • Record family voices
  • Share family profiles remotely
  • Kid's Corner creative space
  • Child lock for safety
Features
Read full description

Octopus Giggle - Learning through Laughing! Your preschooler discovers emotions, facial expressions, and family recognition through interactive play with YOUR family's real faces. We built the original version 20 years ago for our own little ones, and now we've rebuilt it from the ground up for a new generation of preschoolers. Capture facial expressions from mom, dad, grandparents, siblings and anyone your little one loves, then watch them learn and laugh as they tap to make faces change. WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT No AI. No ads. No tracking. No internet required. No data collection. Just meaningful learning through laughing, giggling, and quality family time. Built by a family, for families. HOW IT WORKS Take photos of 22 different facial expressions, from big smiles and tongue-out faces to winks, puffed cheeks, and peek-a-boo. Your preschooler taps anywhere on the face and watches it magically transform, learning emotions and facial features along the way! GRANDPARENTS & FAMILY EVERYWHERE Nana in Florida? Auntie in London? No problem! Family members download Octopus Giggle, capture their silly faces and record their voice, then share their profile with you through AirDrop or email. One tap to send, one tap to import. Your preschooler gets to see, tap, and hear the people they love, no matter how far away they live. Unlimited profiles mean the whole family can join in! FEATURES Face Expressions: 22 expressions your preschooler discovers by tapping Learning Games: Teaches emotions, face parts, and family recognition using YOUR voice Doodle Me: Draw on family faces with crayons, markers, pencils, and sparkles Family Sharing: Grandparents and relatives capture their faces and send profiles to you Kid's Corner: A safe creative space just for your little one Record Your Voice: Your preschooler hears mommy or daddy during learning games Two Ways to Capture: Photo Booth guides you through all 22 expressions, or capture at your own pace Unlimited Profiles: Mom, dad, grandparents, aunts, uncles - everyone gets their own Child Lock: On by default so little fingers can't accidentally delete profiles, photos, or voice recordings PRIVACY FIRST No ads, ever. No internet required. No cloud uploads. No AI processing. No accounts. No tracking. All photos stay on your device. Period. Credits: Thank you Nolly!! Named in honor of their papa.

Screenshots

Picmonic Medical School Study4 screens
Octopus Giggle4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Octopus Giggle at free against Picmonic Medical School Study's free with in-app purchases. Octopus Giggle also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 77%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). Picmonic Medical School Study's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 1). On price, rating, ads and 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

Both are free to download. Picmonic Medical School Study sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month and Octopus Giggle sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Picmonic Medical School Study against 5.0 for Octopus Giggle. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Picmonic Medical School Study has 1.2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of Picmonic Medical School Study's written reviews are positive against 100% of Octopus Giggle's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Picmonic Medical School Study ships an update monthly, Octopus Giggle every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Picmonic Medical School Study versus Octopus Giggle: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPicmonic Medical School StudyOctopus Giggle
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (1.2K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews77.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.2K — better1
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.516.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size117 MB11 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperPicmonic - The Visual Learning CommunityJulie Watson

Customer experience

Picmonic Medical School Study

All ratings1,152 ratings
Positive96.9%
Neutral1.8%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive77.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative22.7%

Octopus Giggle

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Picmonic Medical School Study

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Subscription renewal issues
  • Inability to access content consistently
  • Progress not updating properly

Requested features

3 requests
  • Revive free picmonic per day option
  • Add nurse practitioner category
  • Improve compatibility with other study tools

Octopus Giggle

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Picmonic Medical School Study

Subscriptions9
  • Premium7 Days trial4 variants$11.991 Month
  • Premium7 Days trial2 variants$14.991 Month
  • Premium7 Days trial$15.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • Premium7 Days trial$24.991 Month
  • Premium7 Days trial$28.991 Month
  • Premium7 Days trial4 variants$29.991 Month
  • Premium7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Premium7 Days trial$239.991 Year
  • Medicine (MD/DO) Premium7 Days trial$239.991 Year
1 purchases

Octopus Giggle

One-time1
  • Lifetime Unlock$4.99

Questions

Is Picmonic Medical School Study free?
Picmonic Medical School Study is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Octopus Giggle free?
Octopus Giggle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Picmonic Medical School Study or Octopus Giggle?
Octopus Giggle is rated higher. Picmonic Medical School Study averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Octopus Giggle averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Picmonic Medical School Study or Octopus Giggle have ads?
Neither Picmonic Medical School Study nor Octopus Giggle shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Picmonic Medical School Study or Octopus Giggle?
Picmonic Medical School Study ships an update monthly, and Octopus Giggle every 2 weeks. Most recently, Picmonic Medical School Study was updated on October 17, 2026 and Octopus Giggle on October 10, 2026.

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