Comparison

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.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Thousands of exam-like questions
  • Detailed explanations with media
  • Quiz building by topic
  • Progress tracking
  • Test-like interface
  • 3D images and animations
  • Simulated exams
Features
Read full description

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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

Kaplan Medical Classic4 screens
Core Step Prep3 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Kaplan Medical Classic versus Core Step Prep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKaplan Medical ClassicCore Step Prep
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (532 ratings) — better4.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews61.3% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings532 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB19 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperKaplanTerry Trent

Customer experience

Kaplan Medical Classic

All ratings531 ratings
Positive94.0%
Neutral1.7%
Negative4.3%
Written reviews31 reviews
Positive61.3%
Neutral3.2%
Negative35.5%

Core Step Prep

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

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
Show 4 more
  • 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
Show 5 more
  • 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

None

Kaplan Medical Classic

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

Core Step Prep

Subscriptions6
  • 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
Show 3 more
  • 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?
Kaplan Medical Classic is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Core Step Prep free?
Core Step Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Kaplan Medical Classic or Core Step Prep?
Kaplan Medical Classic is rated higher. Kaplan Medical Classic averages 4.7 out of 5 from 532 ratings, while Core Step Prep averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Kaplan Medical Classic or Core Step Prep have ads?
Neither Kaplan Medical Classic nor Core Step Prep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Kaplan Medical Classic or Core Step Prep?
Kaplan Medical Classic ships an update every 3 months, and Core Step Prep every 6 days. Most recently, Kaplan Medical Classic was updated on November 7, 2026 and Core Step Prep on October 30, 2026.

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