Comparison

PubMed PMC Bookshelf Search vs Radcalc Reference

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

Head to head
About

PubMed PMC Bookshelf Search

Access a vast collection of biomedical and life science literature, including journal articles and book chapters. This app provides a simple interface to search and retrieve citations, often with links to full-text content from various sources.

Highlights
  • Biomedical literature search
  • Journal article citations
  • Book and chapter citations
  • Links to full-text content
  • MEDLINE database access
  • PubMed Central (PMC) access
Features
Read full description

It's a simple & useful free PubMed search app. PubMed: PubMed comprises more than 30 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ Note: - This app uses NCBI APIs. - This app is run by an individual and has nothing to do with NCBI. --- PubMed Overview: PubMed is a free resource supporting the search and retrieval of biomedical and life sciences literature with the aim of improving health–both globally and personally. The PubMed database contains more than 30 million citations and abstracts of biomedical literature. It does not include full-text journal articles; however, links to the full text are often present when available from other sources, such as the publisher's website or PubMed Central (PMC). Available to the public online since 1996, PubMed was developed and is maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), at the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), located at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). About the Content Citations in PubMed primarily stem from the biomedicine and health fields, and related disciplines such as life sciences, behavioral sciences, chemical sciences, and bioengineering. PubMed facilitates searching across several NLM literature resources: - MEDLINE MEDLINE is the largest component of PubMed and consists primarily of citations from journals selected for MEDLINE; articles indexed with MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) and curated with funding, genetic, chemical and other metadata. - PubMed Central (PMC) Citations for PubMed Central (PMC) articles make up the second largest component of PubMed. PMC is a full-text archive that includes articles from journals reviewed and selected by NLM for archiving (current and historical), as well as individual articles collected for archiving in compliance with funder policies. - Bookshelf The final component of PubMed is citations for books and some individual chapters available on Bookshelf. Bookshelf is a full-text archive of books, reports, databases, and other documents related to biomedical, health, and life sciences. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/about/

About

Radcalc Reference

Features
Read full description

Radcalc is an offline-first reference tool for radiologists and imaging professionals. It brings together radiology calculators, incidental findings pathways, and tumor response criteria in a focused native app. Use calculator tools for orientation, browse condensed incidental-finding pathways, and review tumor-response criteria with cited references. All core content is bundled for offline access. Results and references are intended to support professional review, not replace clinical judgment. For educational and professional reference only. Radcalc is not a medical device and does not provide diagnosis or treatment. Verify results against the cited source guideline, local policy, and professional clinical judgment. Do not use for emergencies.

Screenshots

PubMed PMC Bookshelf Search3 screens
Radcalc Reference3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Radcalc Reference at none against PubMed PMC Bookshelf Search's shown. Radcalc Reference also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
PubMed PMC Bookshelf Search versus Radcalc Reference: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPubMed PMC Bookshelf SearchRadcalc Reference
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (181 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews27.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings181 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB21 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperFugaPiyo Inc.Parikh Radiology, P.L.L.C.

In-app purchases

None

PubMed PMC Bookshelf Search

No in-app purchases

None

Radcalc Reference

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PubMed PMC Bookshelf Search free?
PubMed PMC Bookshelf Search is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Radcalc Reference free?
Radcalc Reference is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do PubMed PMC Bookshelf Search or Radcalc Reference have ads?
PubMed PMC Bookshelf Search shows ads; Radcalc Reference does not.

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