Comparison

Nursing Central vs Nursing Diagnosis Reference

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

Head to head
About

Nursing Central

This comprehensive nursing app integrates multiple best-selling resources to provide quick access to vital clinical information. It offers detailed data on diseases, drugs, tests, and procedures, along with a medical dictionary and access to the PubMed database. Features include study tools, custom notes, and multimedia content to enhance learning and efficiency for healthcare professionals and students.

Highlights
  • Drug information with updates
  • Medical dictionary with 75,000+ entries
  • Laboratory and diagnostic test details
  • Disease and disorder information
  • PubMed database access
  • Exclusive study system (Grasp™)
  • Custom notes and highlights
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Five best-selling nursing apps combine to form the premier, integrated clinical nursing solution. Use valuable tools to find and apply the information you need. Purchase includes iOS app, macOS app, and web access. PLEASE NOTE: Current customers and institutional subscribers can use this app to download content to their iOS devices. ABOUT NURSING CENTRAL Nursing Central helps nurses and students be more efficient by providing detailed information on diseases, tests, drugs, and procedures where and when it is needed. The moment a question arises you can consult the updating database of 5,000 drugs, find a definition in the dictionary with 75,000+ entries, interpret hundreds of laboratory and diagnostic tests, and consult the latest disease information. You can also search the entire PubMed database or study unfamiliar topics using the exclusive study system - Grasp™, all from your mobile device Five best-selling nursing applications combine to form Nursing Central. DAVIS’S DRUG GUIDE FOR NURSES Refer to regularly updated information on dosing, contraindications, drug interactions, and patient education for more than 5,000 medications. TABER’S MEDICAL DICTIONARY Define over 75,000 medical terms and enhance learning with images, videos, and audio pronunciations. DAVIS’S LABORATORY AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTS Access rationale and results for tests as well as pretest requirements, intratest procedures, and post-test patient care. DISEASES AND DISORDERS Review complete coverage of more than 250 medical conditions. Prime PubMed Connect to the full PubMed journal citations and abstracts database on your mobile device. Stay up to date with your favorite nursing and medical journals with Prime Journals, perform powerful searches, receive suggestions on relevant articles with Prime ForYou, link directly to the publisher’s full text, and share articles via email or social media. Visually explore the literature using Grapherence®, a unique way to find related and relevant articles. FEATURES • Receive 1-year of drug updates • Create custom notes and highlights within entries • Consult trusted disease and test information • Jump quickly between resources using Cross Links • View thousands of colorful images, figures, and videos • Learn on the go with our exclusive study system - Grasp™ • Access the full PubMed database • Use the Full Text Search to help find topics across all resources • Bookmark important entries with “Favorites” • Get access to Nursing Central website for one year • Personalize your app by re-ordering resources to match your unique needs and preferences. DRUG AND CONTENT UPDATE RENEWAL • After initial Nursing Central purchase you will receive updates for one year • After one year, you can purchase updates for an additional year, at the discounted rate of $99.99. If you do not choose to purchase, you can continue to use the product but will not receive updates. • If you purchase updates, they will automatically renew annually at the renewal rate ($99.99) and charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase, unless auto-renew is turned off 24 hours prior to the conclusion of the one-year subscription period. • Account will be charged ($99.99) for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the yearly subscription term. • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Unbound Privacy Policy: www.unboundmedicine.com/privacy Unbound Terms of Use: https://www.unboundmedicine.com/end_user_license_agreement

About

Nursing Diagnosis Reference

This medical reference app provides evidence-based nursing diagnoses, interventions, and rationales for various clinical scenarios. It's designed for students and practicing nurses to streamline care planning and improve patient outcomes with up-to-date NANDA-I classifications.

Highlights
  • Evidence-based diagnoses
  • Interventions and rationales
  • Updated NANDA-I classifications
  • Quick reference format
  • Alphabetized monographs
  • Quality and Safety Education for Nurses criteria
Features
Read full description

"Try before you buy" - Download the FREE App, which includes sample content. In-App purchase required to unlock all content. Streamline patient care with the Nursing Diagnosis Reference Manual, 12th Edition! This essential guide offers clear, evidence-based diagnoses, interventions, and rationales for every clinical scenario. Perfect for students and practicing nurses, it’s a quick-reference must-have for accurate care planning and improved outcomes. Clearly written, logically organized, and updated to reflect the 2021-2023 NANDA-I definitions and classifications, Nursing Diagnosis Reference Manual, 12th Edition, delivers fast, easy access to essential information and instills the confidence students need to successfully apply diagnoses in a wide variety of clinical settings. This enhanced, thoroughly revised edition leverages the nursing process to guide students through 267 comprehensive monographs for NANDA-I-approved nursing diagnoses. Each standalone monograph is alphabetized for quick reference and written and reviewed by leaders throughout the field of nursing, making it easier than ever to access reliable, up-to-date nursing diagnosis information, related factors, and Quality and Safety Education for Nurses criteria for patient-centered care or safe practice. Content licensed from printed ISBN-13: 9781975201609 Content licensed from printed ISBN-10: 1975201604 If you have any questions or comments, email us any time: customersupport@skyscape.com or call 508-299-3000 Privacy Policy - https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/privacypolicy.aspx Terms and Conditions - https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/licenseagreement.aspx Author(s): Linda Phelps DNP, RN Publisher: Wolters Kluwer Health

Screenshots

Nursing Central4 screens
Nursing Diagnosis Reference4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Nursing Central at none against Nursing Diagnosis Reference's shown. Nursing Central also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (11K vs 28). Nursing Diagnosis Reference's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). 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. Nursing Central sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per year and Nursing Diagnosis Reference sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $30.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Nursing Central holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nursing Central has 11K ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Nursing Central ships an update every 6 weeks, Nursing Diagnosis Reference every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Nursing Central versus Nursing Diagnosis Reference: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNursing CentralNursing Diagnosis Reference
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (11K ratings) — better4.4 (28 ratings)
Positive reviews74.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings11K — better28
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#81 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB149 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperUnbound Medicine, Inc.Skyscape Medpresso Inc

Customer experience

Nursing Central

All ratings10,507 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews156 reviews
Positive74.4%
Neutral4.5%
Negative21.2%

Nursing Diagnosis Reference

All ratings28 ratings
Positive82.1%
Neutral3.6%
Negative14.3%

Bugs and requests

Nursing Central

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login and account issues
  • Syncing problems across devices
  • Outdated content and lack of updates
  • Compatibility problems with newer devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline access to content
  • More detailed disease and medication information
  • Integration with electronic medical records
  • Video tutorials and demonstrations
  • Improved search and filtering capabilities

Nursing Diagnosis Reference

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Nursing Central

Subscriptions3
  • Intravenous Medications$49.991 Year
  • Drugs and Tools Renewal$49.991 Year
  • Nursing Central$99.991 Year
One-time9
  • NCLEX-RN Quest$19.99
  • RNotes 5th Edition$29.99
  • RNotes$29.99
Show 6 more
  • Disaster Nursing$39.99
  • Taylor's Clinical$42.99
  • Nurse's Pocket Guide$49.99
  • Nurse's Pocket Guide 16e$49.99
  • Nurses' Health Assessment2 variants$59.99
  • Nursing Central$199.99
4 purchases

Nursing Diagnosis Reference

Subscriptions3
  • SparksTaylor's Nursing 3M sub$30.993 Months
  • SparksTaylor's Nursing 6M sub$40.996 Months
  • SparksTaylor's Nursing 1/Y sub$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • Nursing Diagnosis Reference$79.99

Questions

Is Nursing Central free?
Nursing Central is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nursing Diagnosis Reference free?
Nursing Diagnosis Reference is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Nursing Central or Nursing Diagnosis Reference?
Nursing Central is rated higher. Nursing Central averages 4.8 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Nursing Diagnosis Reference averages 4.4 from 28 ratings.
Do Nursing Central or Nursing Diagnosis Reference have ads?
Nursing Diagnosis Reference shows ads; Nursing Central does not.
Which is updated more often, Nursing Central or Nursing Diagnosis Reference?
Nursing Central ships an update every 6 weeks, and Nursing Diagnosis Reference every 7 months. Most recently, Nursing Central was updated on October 22, 2026 and Nursing Diagnosis Reference on October 8, 2026.

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