# CorePendium vs Run the Board

CorePendium and Run the Board both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Run the Board's written reviews are positive against 62% of CorePendium's. Run the Board also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly). CorePendium's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 4). On price, rating, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Run the Board sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. CorePendium asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for CorePendium against 5.0 for Run the Board. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CorePendium has 1.5K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 62% of CorePendium's written reviews are positive against 100% of Run the Board's.

CorePendium ships an update monthly, Run the Board every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CorePendium | Run the Board |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/corependium/id1581291387/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/run-the-board-em-sim/id6772322725/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 61.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 49 MB | 527 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [EM:RAP, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/804248263) | [James Napolitano](https://appshunter.io/developer/1874362281) |

## What reviewers say

### CorePendium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/corependium/id1581291387)

This app provides a comprehensive, continuously updated, and peer-reviewed clinical reference for Emergency and Urgent Care Medicine. It features integrated multimedia, offline access, intuitive navigation, and medical calculators, making it an essential tool for medical professionals on the go.

**Highlights:** Expert-backed, continuously revised content, Integrated media library (ECGs, X-rays, videos, audio), Offline access to all content, Intuitive navigation with Rapid Access and Deep Dive sections, Integrated medical calculators, Links to EM:RAP knowledge base content

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great resource
- 👍 Excellent and usable app
- 👍 Terrific point of care resource
- 👍 Invaluable for EM residents

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lacking search functionality
- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔍 Poor indexing and content organization

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch
- Compatibility issues with older devices

**Requested features**

- iPad version
- Ability to track progress and bookmark content
- Video playback controls (speed, rewind)


### Run the Board

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/run-the-board-em-sim/id6772322725)

This app simulates the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) Certifying Exam with AI-powered cases and realistic medical scenarios. Practice all 8 case types, interpret EKGs and ultrasound clips, and receive detailed performance scores based on ABEM criteria. Includes voice input for responses and a full-length mock exam.

**Highlights:** AI-powered realistic cases, All 8 ABEM case types, Real ultrasound and EKG interpretation, Detailed ABEM scoring reports, Full-length mock exam simulation, Voice input for responses, Quick action panels

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Run the Board Pro | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CorePendium free?

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

### Is Run the Board free?

Run the Board is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, CorePendium or Run the Board?

Run the Board is rated higher. CorePendium averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Run the Board averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do CorePendium or Run the Board have ads?

Neither CorePendium nor Run the Board shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CorePendium or Run the Board?

CorePendium ships an update monthly, and Run the Board every 4 days. Most recently, CorePendium was updated on October 25, 2026 and Run the Board on October 17, 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.*