Comparison

Lytes vs QuickEM

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

Head to head
About

Lytes

Provides quick, at-your-fingertips information on the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of electrolyte disorders. Features an intuitive interface for rapid access to practical medical knowledge, including references to PubMed.

Highlights
  • Causes, signs, diagnosis, and treatment of electrolyte disorders
  • Intuitive single-screen interface
  • 50 pages of practical medical information
  • Resume reading where you left off
  • PubMed reference links
Features
Read full description

Ah, electrolytes... They always seem to be too high or too low. But it's your job to get them back in line. Enter Lytes, the program that provides quick, at-your-fingertips information about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of electrolyte disorders. Our Lytes Selection Dial lets you drill down to the info you need within seconds. Features: • See causes, signs, diagnosis, and treatment with a flick of the thumb • Intuitive single screen interface keeps things straighforward • 50 pages of practical info for the wards • Lytes remembers where you left off when you return • All disorders provided with a reference section with links to PubMed ********************************** If you like the program please rate it. If you have any concerns or find any bugs please contact us at support@freeradicalsoft.com DISCLAIMER: Please consider that information provided by this program is intended to supplement but not substitute for the expertise and clinical judgment of a healthcare professional. The educational material is provided as is, and Free Radical does not warrant that it is accurate or up to date, although that is certainly our goal.

About

QuickEM

This emergency medicine reference app provides clinicians with instant access to critical information, including differentials, treatments, and validated medical calculators. It's designed for rapid lookup of ED-specific care, organized by chief complaints and clinical categories, and works completely offline.

Highlights
  • 80+ chief complaint topics
  • 90+ medical calculators
  • Offline access
  • No login or ads
  • Adult and pediatric coverage
  • Evidence-based content
  • Customizable favorites
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The Essential Emergency Medicine Reference Trusted by Clinicians QuickEM is the comprehensive bedside companion designed by emergency physicians for emergency physicians. Whether you're a medical student on your first ED rotation or an attending managing a busy department, QuickEM delivers the critical information you need—instantly. Built for Real Emergency Medicine • Over 80 chief complaint topics with differentials, history, tests, and treatments focused on ED-specific care • Over 90 validated medical calculators / tools • No login required • Zero fluff—only ED-relevant information Organized by How You Think • Chief complaints structured by presentation • Calculators grouped by clinical category • Smart search finds tools • Customizable favorites list for your go-to references Trusted by Every Level • Medical Students: Essential differentials and workup basics • Residents: Quick access to decision rules and scoring systems • Attendings: Rapid reference for less common presentations and 2nd brain refreshers Key Features: • Complete offline access—works without internet • No ads, no subscriptions, no account required • Covers adult and pediatric emergency medicine • Includes trauma protocols and resuscitation guides • Evidence-based content with source citations • Professional medical illustrations and ECG examples Content Highlights: • Cardiovascular: HEART Score, CHADS2-VASc, Wells Criteria • Neurological: NIHSS, Canadian Head CT Rules, HINTS Exam • Trauma: NEXUS, Canadian C-Spine, PECARN • Pediatrics: PEDS Vitals, Croup Score, Bronchiolitis • Toxicology: Rumack-Matthew, CIWA-Ar, Anion Gap • And more! Developed by practicing emergency physicians who understand what you need at 3 AM with multiple critical patients. QuickEM is designed to be the fastest way to look up the info you need. This app is designed exclusively for medical professionals and students. Not intended for patient or public use.

Screenshots

Lytes4 screens
QuickEM4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lytes at none against QuickEM's 1. Lytes also leads on price ($2.99 vs $9.99) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). QuickEM's advantage is review sentiment (91% vs 67%) and chart position (#66 vs unranked). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and monetization model 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

Lytes costs $2.99 and QuickEM $9.99 up front. QuickEM sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Lytes asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lytes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 10 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Lytes's written reviews are positive against 91% of QuickEM's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lytes ships an update every 3 months, QuickEM every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Lytes versus QuickEM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLytesQuickEM
Price$2.99 — better$9.99
Rating4.8 (10 ratings) — better4.6 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews90.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1010
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#66 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.1 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB78 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperFree Radical SoftwareDirkes Medical, PLLC

Customer experience

Lytes

All ratings10 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral8.3%
Negative25.0%

QuickEM

All ratings10 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive90.9%
Neutral9.1%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Lytes

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

QuickEM

One-time1
  • Premium Features$2.99

Questions

Is Lytes free?
Lytes costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is QuickEM free?
QuickEM costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Lytes or QuickEM?
Lytes is rated higher. Lytes averages 4.8 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while QuickEM averages 4.6 from 10 ratings.
Do Lytes or QuickEM have ads?
Neither Lytes nor QuickEM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lytes or QuickEM?
Lytes ships an update every 3 months, and QuickEM every 2 months. Most recently, Lytes was updated on October 15, 2026 and QuickEM on October 8, 2026.

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