Nursing Central vs Medtastic
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
Medtastic
This app serves as a pocket clinical companion for nursing students and professionals. It offers quick access to essential drug information, diagnoses, lab values, and clinical skills. Features include audio heart and lung sounds, EKG practice, and study tools like quizzes and flashcards.
- Drug reference with nursing considerations
- Diagnoses and care plans
- Normal lab values and interpretations
- Real audio of heart and lung sounds
- EKG rhythm practice
- Step-by-step clinical skills
- Quizzes and flashcards
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Medtastic puts an offline nursing reference and active-study toolkit in your pocket—so you can review drugs, rhythms, sounds, labs, diagnoses, and skills wherever you study. BUILT FOR NURSING STUDENTS Look up the information you need without jumping between textbooks, PDFs, and multiple apps. Medtastic organizes nursing-focused reference material into fast, readable cards and practice tools. WHAT’S INSIDE • 900+ drug cards with classes, mechanisms, indications, boxed warnings, hold parameters, nursing actions, labs to monitor, and patient teaching • Dosing information separated by route and sourced from FDA label data • 550+ diagnoses with overviews, pathophysiology, assessments, interventions, and differentials • 150+ lab values and 19 panels, including normal, high, low, and critical ranges • 23 live EKG rhythms drawn in real time on a monitor or paper view, with descriptions, interventions, medications, and a live quiz, plus real reference strips for 15 key rhythms • Real heart and lung sound recordings with descriptions and quizzes • 95+ step-by-step nursing skills with supplies and safety notes • Quizzes, flashcards, lab cards, and case studies for active recall • A seven-question Daily Challenge that helps you build a study streak • NEW: an interactive 3D heart and lungs that beat in sync with the EKG: open the chambers, watch the valves move, and follow the blood flow • Medical terminology, procedure definitions, certification reminders, hydration tools, and an interactive 3D skeleton MADE FOR STUDYING ANYWHERE • Works offline—no signal needed for bundled study content • Fast search across drugs, diagnoses, and labs • Light and dark themes • No account required • No ads and no cross-app tracking • Study progress and preferences stay on your device WHO IT’S FOR Medtastic is designed for nursing students in class and clinicals, new graduates building confidence, and nurses who want a convenient refresher. ACCESS Medtastic is a free download with a required plan: Medtastic Monthly, Medtastic Annual, or one-time Lifetime access. Eligible Apple Accounts get a one-month introductory free trial with Medtastic Monthly; after the trial it renews at the monthly price shown in the app. SUBSCRIPTION & LEGAL Medtastic Monthly and Medtastic Annual are auto-renewable subscriptions. Monthly includes a free first month for eligible new subscribers; Annual is billed once a year. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Lifetime is a one-time purchase and does not renew. IMPORTANT Medtastic is an educational study reference only. It is not medical advice, clinical decision support, or a substitute for professional judgment, training, official drug labeling, or facility policy. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Always follow your institution’s protocols and consult a qualified professional for clinical decisions. Questions or feedback? Email support@medtastic.org. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://medtastic.org/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Medtastic at every 6 days against Nursing Central's every 6 weeks. Medtastic also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 74%) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid). Nursing Central's advantage is ratings volume (11K vs 6) and chart position (#88 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Nursing Central sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per year and Medtastic sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Medtastic holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nursing Central has 11K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Nursing Central's written reviews are positive against 100% of Medtastic's.
Nursing Central ships an update every 6 weeks, Medtastic every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Nursing Central | Medtastic |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (11K ratings) | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 74.4% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 11K — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | #88 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 52 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Unbound Medicine, Inc. | Medtastic LLC |
Customer experience
Nursing Central
Medtastic
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
Medtastic
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Nursing Central
- Intravenous Medications$49.991 Year
- Drugs and Tools Renewal$49.991 Year
- Nursing Central$99.991 Year
- NCLEX-RN Quest$19.99
- RNotes 5th Edition$29.99
- RNotes$29.99
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- 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
Medtastic
- Medtastic Monthly1 Month trial$4.991 Month
- Medtastic Annual$29.991 Year
- Medtastic Lifetime$79.99
Questions
Is Nursing Central free?
Is Medtastic free?
Which has better reviews, Nursing Central or Medtastic?
Do Nursing Central or Medtastic have ads?
Which is updated more often, Nursing Central or Medtastic?
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