Medical Lab Tests vs Bates' Pocket Guide
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Medical Lab Tests
This app provides instant access to reference ranges, clinical significance, and interpretations for a wide array of laboratory tests. Designed for healthcare professionals and students, it offers detailed information on over 17 categories of lab tests, working offline for convenient use in clinical settings.
- Instant lab test lookup
- 17+ lab test categories
- Reference ranges (SI & US units)
- Interpretation of abnormal values
- Offline functionality
- Powerful search
- Favorites list
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The go-to lab reference for healthcare professionals, medical students, and nurses — trusted on hospital wards, in classrooms, and during clinical rotations. INSTANT LAB TEST LOOKUP Search or browse 17 categories of laboratory tests and get immediate access to reference ranges, clinical significance, and differential interpretations for both high and low values. Categories include: Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells, Coagulation, Electrolytes & Metabolites, Arterial Blood Gas, Enzymes & Proteins, Ions & Trace Metals, Cardiac Tests, Liver & Pancreas, Lipids, Hormones, Immunology, Cancer Markers, Cerebrospinal Fluid, Drugs, Toxicology, and Urine. BUILT FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE Each lab test entry includes: — A concise description of the test and its clinical relevance — Reference ranges in both SI and US (conventional) units — Detailed interpretation of abnormal values — Differentials for elevated and decreased results DESIGNED FOR YOUR WORKFLOW — Powerful search to find any test in seconds — Favorites for the values you check most often — Works fully offline — no Wi-Fi needed on the ward — Clean, intuitive interface optimized for iPhone and iPad — No account creation required — your privacy is respected — Automatically updated content library WHO IT'S FOR Whether you're a resident reviewing morning labs, a nursing student preparing for NCLEX, a medical student studying for USMLE Step 2, or an attending refreshing a rare test — Medical Lab Tests puts reliable reference data at your fingertips. Rated #1 Lab Values Application by iMedicalApps.com. DISCLAIMER All information is provided for educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult qualified healthcare providers for clinical decisions. Questions or suggestions? Contact us at mail@mediconapps.com — we read every message. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Bates' Pocket Guide
This app provides essential information for obtaining health histories and conducting physical exams. It features step-by-step techniques, updated images, and differential diagnoses for quick and accurate interpretation of findings. Ideal for students and professionals needing a fast reference.
- Over 130 detailed topics
- Step-by-step instructions
- Updated photographs and illustrations
- Two-column layout
- New Algorithms for symptom approaches
- Differential diagnoses
- Highlighting and note-taking
- Advanced search
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*Featuring the latest content from the latest edition* ABOUT THE BATES' GUIDE: The Bates’ Pocket Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking contains the critical information needed to obtain a meaningful health history, conduct a thorough physical exam, and interpret the findings quickly and accurately. Locate answers fast and review step-by-step techniques and possible findings using the distinctive two-column format with updated images. Bates’ Pocket Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking is the ideal quick-reference resource for today’s medical, PA, pharmacy, and nursing students. FEATURES: • Over 130 detailed topics with step-by-step instructions • Updated photographs, illustrations, and references reinforce key content based on the latest evidence-based information • Two-column layout optimized for smartphones and tablets • New Algorithms provide helpful starting approaches for patients with common presenting symptoms. • Differential diagnoses for common, normal, and abnormal findings • Highlight and take notes within any entry • Advanced Search helps find topics quickly • “Favorites” for bookmarking important entries Authors: Lynn S. Bickley MD, FACP, Peter G. Szilagyi MD, MPH, Richard M. Hoffman MD, MPH, FACP, Rainier P. Soriano MD Publisher: Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Powered by: Unbound Medicine Unbound Privacy Policy: www.unboundmedicine.com/privacy Unbound Terms of Use: https://www.unboundmedicine.com/end_user_license_agreement
Screenshots
Verdict
Medical Lab Tests and Bates' Pocket Guide both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 61% of Medical Lab Tests's written reviews are positive against 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's. Medical Lab Tests also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 304). Bates' Pocket Guide's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). 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. Medical Lab Tests sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Bates' Pocket Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Medical Lab Tests against 4.8 for Bates' Pocket Guide. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 304 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of Medical Lab Tests's written reviews are positive against 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's.
Medical Lab Tests ships an update every 3 months, Bates' Pocket Guide every 14 months. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.
| Parameter | Medical Lab Tests | Bates' Pocket Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (1.1K ratings) — better | 4.8 (304 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 61.5% of reviews — better | 40.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K — better | 304 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 14 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Medicon Apps | Unbound Medicine, Inc. |
Customer experience
Medical Lab Tests
Bates' Pocket Guide
User reviews
Medical Lab Tests
From 1.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Best diagnostic labs app
- 👍 Wonderful application
- 👍 Very helpful and convenient
- 👍 Wonderful and useful application
- 👍 Excellent app
Room to improve
- 💰 Requires paid subscription
- 🐛 Crashes frequently, cannot see information
- 💰 Paid app now requires additional in-app purchases
- 🌍 Not suitable for users outside the US
- 🌍 Not suitable for Canadian users
Bates' Pocket Guide
From 304 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Reliable reference
- 🖼️ Helpful pictures for diagnosis
- 📚 Good for quick reference
- 💡 Easy to understand and logical format
- 🎯 Useful for clinicals and easy to maneuver
Room to improve
- 💰 Overpriced app
- 🔄 Outdated software
- 🖱️ Not user-friendly navigation
- 💸 Repeated payments required
- ❌ Incorrect information/algorithms
Bugs and requests
Medical Lab Tests
Reported bugs
3 issues- Incorrect tube color information
- Not compatible with iPhone 5
- Spelling errors in the app
Requested features
7 requests- Add ceruloplasmin test
- Include vitamin and mineral panels
- Add D-dimer test
- Add venous and capillary blood gas tests
- Include more coagulation and virology tests
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- Add urinalysis and CSF values
- Provide option to upload and compare personal lab results
Bates' Pocket Guide
Reported bugs
9 issues- Sectional information is wrong
- Topics do not correlate to information
- Asterisk information is incorrect
- App information needs updating and reviewing
- Software is glitchy
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- Hard to navigate between topics
- Algorithm images are mismatched with titles
- Doesn't take Bates account
- Didn't work (iOS 7)
Requested features
5 requests- Update and review app information for accuracy
- Improve content layout and navigation
- Offer better preview options before purchase
- Provide discounts for existing textbook/resource owners
- Clarify product offerings to avoid buyer confusion
In-app purchases
Medical Lab Tests
- Monthly$1.991 Month
- Quarterly$2.993 Months
- Half-yearly$3.996 Months
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Yearly$9.991 Year
- One Month subscription$0.99
- 3 Months subscription$1.99
- 6 Months subscription$2.99
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- One year subscription$3.99
- Pro Version$19.99
Bates' Pocket Guide
- Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed.$69.99
Questions
Is Medical Lab Tests free?
Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?
Which has better reviews, Medical Lab Tests or Bates' Pocket Guide?
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Which is updated more often, Medical Lab Tests or Bates' Pocket Guide?
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