Kaplan Medical Classic vs Core Step Prep
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Kaplan Medical Classic
Prepare for USMLE and COMLEX exams with a comprehensive question bank. Access thousands of practice questions, detailed explanations, and multimedia learning tools. Track your progress and simulate exam conditions on the go.
- Thousands of exam-like questions
- Detailed explanations with media
- Quiz building by topic
- Progress tracking
- Test-like interface
- 3D images and animations
- Simulated exams
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MOBILE APP FOR THE KAPLAN USMLE® STEP 1 QBANK KAPLAN USMLE ® STEP 2 CK QBANK KAPLAN COMLEX ® LEVEL 1 QBANK KAPLAN COMLEX ® LEVEL 2-CE QBANK Take your Kaplan Medical Qbank on the go! Use this app for your trial and actively enrolled accounts: USMLE Step 1 Qbank: 3,300+ exam-like questions USMLE Step 2 CK Qbank: 2,900+ exam-like questions COMLEX Level 1 / Step 1 Qbank: 1400 exam-like Level 1 questions and 2,800 questions for Step 1 KAPLAN COMLEX ® LEVEL 2-CE QBANK: 500+ exam-like Level 2-CE questions Qbank Free Trial Products: Access to 40 exam-like questions The app automatically syncs with your desktop account - giving you: The ability to build and take quizzes by topic and organ system Detailed explanations for each question including strategic overviews and a variety of media like videos, 3D images, and diagrams. Tracked progress on all quizzes The latest features and the newest content Get all the practice for the USMLE and COMLEX you could ever need. -ALWAYS AT THE CUTTING EDGE We constantly update our content, images, and questions so you can stay ahead of the curve. -LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES Detailed review materials help you boost your score and keep on boosting it. -LEARN THE TEST WITH REALISTIC PRACTICE If you have signed up for our Qbank, you’ll get a test-like interface with thousands of questions. This means that you’ll get the hang of the exam before test day. -KAPLAN QBANK SUBSCRIPTIONS INCLUDE If you have already signed up for our Qbank, you can use this app to access: Thousands of exam-like USMLE Step 1, Step 2CK, and COMLEX Level 1, Level 2-CE questions (or 40 questions with a trial account) An interface that replicates the actual test Succinct answer explanations 3D BioDigital images and animations Instructive videos by Dr. Armando 2 full-length simulated exams Detailed progress reports -GET STRATEGIC Step-by-step strategies walk you through each question, so you can think like a physician. Review in-depth explanations and master the material. -UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL 3D animations and images make big concepts come to life. Zoom in. Pan around. Learn by exploring the body, inside out.
Core Step Prep
This platform offers a high-yield question bank and study tools designed for USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK preparation. It focuses on recurring exam concepts with expert-crafted questions, actionable analytics, and realistic practice interfaces. Enhance your board prep with targeted study blocks and detailed explanations.
- High-yield USMLE-style questions
- Step 1 + Step 2 CK coverage
- Expert-crafted questions
- Actionable analytics
- Customizable quizzes
- Realistic exam interface
- Detailed explanations
- Flashcards with spaced repetition
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CoreStepPrep brings your USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 study workflow to iPhone, iPad, and native Mac. Build focused question blocks, study detailed explanations, and connect practice with notes, flashcards, reference documents, and progress insights. Your eligible access and study activity stay connected with the CoreStepPrep website. PRACTICE WITH PURPOSE • Create Tutor or Exam blocks by bank, system, discipline, difficulty, and question status • Use Smart blocks, saved presets, question IDs, and assigned curriculum blocks • Keep notes, bookmarks, highlights, scratch paper, calculator, and reference labs close to your questions • Continue already-loaded sessions when your connection is interrupted, with visible save and recovery status • Review correct, incorrect, and unanswered questions, then build focused remediation practice BUILD YOUR STUDY LIBRARY • Search and organize notes with folders and tags; export CSV, Markdown, or PDF • Review and manage flashcards, and export eligible personal or premium Anki decks • Read high-yield documents with contents, search, zoom, favorites, and saved reading progress • Search Core Concepts and move between questions and related explanations UNDERSTAND YOUR PROGRESS • Resume your work from Today and follow recent activity • Explore system and discipline results, accuracy, usage, and available peer comparisons • Use native USMLE, Shelf/CMS, and osteopathic prediction tools • Browse session history and revisit completed reviews MADE FOR APPLE DEVICES • A compact iPhone workspace and adaptive iPad and Mac sidebars • Native touch, pointer, and keyboard controls • Handoff, shortcuts, and links that return to your study context • Widgets and Live Activities on supported iPhone and iPad devices • Question of the Day, Live Quiz, and contextual support Some content and features require eligible CoreStepPrep access. Step 1 and Step 2 access may be purchased separately. Subscription availability and terms are shown before purchase. Internet access is required to load new content and synchronize changes; offline continuation applies to sessions already loaded on that device. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://corestepprep.com/#/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Kaplan Medical Classic at 61% against Core Step Prep's 0%. Kaplan Medical Classic also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 6). Core Step Prep's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 months). On price, ads, monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Core Step Prep sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Kaplan Medical Classic asks for nothing beyond the download.
Kaplan Medical Classic holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kaplan Medical Classic has 532 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Kaplan Medical Classic's written reviews are positive against 0% of Core Step Prep's.
Kaplan Medical Classic ships an update every 3 months, Core Step Prep every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Kaplan Medical Classic | Core Step Prep |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (532 ratings) — better | 4.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 61.3% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 532 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 63 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Kaplan | Terry Trent |
Customer experience
Kaplan Medical Classic
Core Step Prep
Bugs and requests
Kaplan Medical Classic
Reported bugs
9 issues- Account showing as non-existent despite active subscription
- App crashes when creating custom quizzes
- Media cannot be played on iPad for certain questions
- Constant re-login required when minimizing app
- App claims to be updating despite having latest version
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- Cannot access deluxe NCLEX testing resources
- Login screen freezes and access issues
- 'Course not supported' errors for purchased courses
- Unsupported features displayed throughout app
Requested features
10 requests- NCLEX integrated testing support on mobile app
- MCAT online course support
- NCLEX nursing test prep support
- Step 1 24-month Integrative Q-Bank support
- Media playback functionality for all question types
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- Font size customization options
- Question difficulty level display
- Android app version
- Advance notification of maintenance windows
- Password remember functionality
Core Step Prep
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Kaplan Medical Classic
No in-app purchases
Core Step Prep
- USMLE Step 1 Qbank - 1 wk access$9.997 Days
- USMLE Step 2 CK Qbank - 1 wk access$9.997 Days
- USMLE Step 1 Qbank - 1 mo. access$29.991 Month
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- USMLE Step 2 CK Qbank - 1 mo access$29.991 Month
- USMLE Step 2 CK Qbank - 6 mo access$99.996 Months
- USMLE Step 1 Qbank - 6 mo access$99.996 Months
Questions
Is Kaplan Medical Classic free?
Is Core Step Prep free?
Which has better reviews, Kaplan Medical Classic or Core Step Prep?
Do Kaplan Medical Classic or Core Step Prep have ads?
Which is updated more often, Kaplan Medical Classic or Core Step Prep?
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