# Max vs Pillbug.app

The clearest difference is ads: Pillbug.app at none against Max's shown. Pillbug.app also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (92% vs 75%). Max's advantage is ratings volume (9.5K vs 35). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Max against 4.9 for Pillbug.app. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Max has 9.5K ratings behind it against 35, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Max's written reviews are positive against 92% of Pillbug.app's.

Max ships an update every 6 days, Pillbug.app every 9 days. Both last shipped on September 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Max | Pillbug.app |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (9.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/max-pill-reminder/id1502063556/reviews) | **[4.9 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pillbugapp/id6739673106/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.5K** | 35 |
| Positive reviews | 75.1% of reviews | **92.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 127 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Artify Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1158512054) | [Wellcove Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1187329385) |

## What reviewers say

### Max

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/max-pill-reminder/id1502063556)

This app helps you build healthy habits with personalized medication reminders. It tracks when you take your pills and can alert you if you miss a dose. You can also share management of reminders with family or friends.

**Highlights:** Personalized medication schedules, Customizable alarm sounds, Automatic tracking of taken medications, Health journal creation, Missed dose alerts, Shareable medication management

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple, intuitive design
- 🐶 Cute animal reminders
- 📞 Effective phone call reminders
- 🆓 No paywalls or ads
- 👍 Helps users remember to take medication

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs with time/timezone changes
- 🔔 Redundant notifications even after marking medication as taken
- 🔒 Potential privacy concerns with lack of developer information
- 🔋 Requires app to be open in background for notifications

**Reported bugs**

- Reminders not working consistently
- Issues with app freezing or not opening
- Time changes causing incorrect reminder times

**Requested features**

- Add ability to edit times/doses of past medication entries
- Implement Apple Watch integration
- Allow customization of reminder sounds/voices
- Add medication quantity tracking for refill reminders


### Pillbug.app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pillbugapp/id6739673106)

This app helps you remember to take your medications and supplements with fun, reliable reminders. It features a unique scan-to-log system to ensure accurate tracking and offers optional shared management for families.

**Highlights:** Fun and engaging medication reminders, Patent-pending Scan to Log feature, Widget for easy access, Warning for incorrect pill intake, Optional shared medication management, Privacy-focused, data stays on device

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Max free?

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

### Is Pillbug.app free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Max or Pillbug.app?

Pillbug.app is rated higher. Max averages 4.8 out of 5 from 9.5K ratings, while Pillbug.app averages 4.9 from 35 ratings.

### Do Max or Pillbug.app have ads?

Max shows ads; Pillbug.app does not.

### Which is updated more often, Max or Pillbug.app?

Max ships an update every 6 days, and Pillbug.app every 9 days. Most recently, Max was updated on September 30, 2026 and Pillbug.app on September 30, 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.*