# IOL Reference vs polaHelp

The clearest difference is price: IOL Reference at Free against polaHelp's $9.99. IOL Reference also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

IOL Reference is free to download; polaHelp costs $9.99 up front. polaHelp sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. IOL Reference asks for nothing beyond the download.

IOL Reference ships an update weekly, polaHelp every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IOL Reference | polaHelp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iol-reference/id1626671895/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **15** | — |
| Positive reviews | 88.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 823 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.5** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Gurpal Virdi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1626671897) | [Andras Balint](https://appshunter.io/developer/630385311) |

## What reviewers say

### IOL Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iol-reference/id1626671895)

This ophthalmology utility helps surgeons find FDA-approved intraocular lenses. It features a searchable database of nearly 10,000 lenses, updated with new approvals and changes. The app also serves as a social media and networking platform for eye care professionals.

**Highlights:** Searchable IOL database, FDA-approved lens catalog, Database updates, Ophthalmology networking, Eye care tools

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### polaHelp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polahelp/id6755364979)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| polaHelpPro | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IOL Reference free?

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

### Is polaHelp free?

polaHelp costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Do IOL Reference or polaHelp have ads?

Neither IOL Reference nor polaHelp shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IOL Reference or polaHelp?

IOL Reference ships an update weekly, and polaHelp every 6 weeks. Most recently, IOL Reference was updated on October 24, 2026 and polaHelp on October 28, 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.*