# Medscape vs Visualmed

The clearest difference is rating: Visualmed at 4.5 against Medscape's 3.7. Visualmed also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). Medscape's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Visualmed sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Medscape asks for nothing beyond the download.

Visualmed holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Medscape has 1.5K ratings behind it against 201, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Medscape's written reviews are positive against 62% of Visualmed's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Medscape ships an update every 2 weeks, Visualmed every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Medscape | Visualmed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medscape/id321367289/reviews) | **[4.5 (201 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/visualmed-clinical-trials/id1423485924/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 201 |
| Positive reviews | **63.9% of reviews** | 62.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 276 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [WebMD](https://appshunter.io/developer/295076332) | [Usama Nasir](https://appshunter.io/developer/1089083580) |

## What reviewers say

### Medscape

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medscape/id321367289)

This app provides healthcare professionals with immediate clinical answers, medical news, and CME/CE activities. It features AI-driven tools for patient visit transcription and summarization, patient calling, and instant expert answers to medical questions. Access a comprehensive drug database, calculators, and procedural videos to enhance clinical practice.

**Highlights:** AI-driven Scribe for transcription and summarization, AI Search for instant medical answers, Drug Interaction Checker, Pill Identifier, 450+ medical calculators, Free CME/CE credits, Medical news and expert commentary

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick and easy to use
- 📚 Comprehensive medical information
- 💻 Offline access to content
- 🆓 Free app with no ads
- 🏥 Useful for healthcare professionals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and freezes
- 📱 Not optimized for iPad/larger screens
- 🛒 Issues with Amazon gift card rewards
- ⏱️ Slow response speed and lagging
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find information

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening after recent update
- Unable to access articles or content
- Broken links and issues with CME activities
- Logging in and account management problems
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Allow users to manually enter city during registration
- Add more languages (e.g., Spanish)
- Improve CME/education features and tracking
- Introduce an ad-free paid version
- Enhance search functionality and organization


### Visualmed

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/visualmed-clinical-trials/id1423485924)

Access over 1500 summarized clinical trials with visual abstracts for quick understanding. Stay updated on the latest medical evidence without reading lengthy research papers. Ideal for clinicians, students, and healthcare professionals.

**Highlights:** 1500+ summarized clinical trials, Visual abstracts of study design, intervention, outcomes, Search and filter by condition, trial name, specialty, Daily new trial additions, Mobile-optimized interface

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Concise summaries of trials
- 🚀 Efficient information access
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 💡 Visual abstracts and infographics
- 📚 Vast database of studies

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Shift to subscription model
- 😠 Feeling of being ripped off
- 📉 Decreased graphic quality (recent)
- ❌ Content paywalled for old users
- 👎 Unreasonable subscription fees

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening
- Visual summaries not loading
- Only cardiology content showing up
- App keeps shutting down
- Cannot pass the logo screen

**Requested features**

- Consider grandfathering in users who paid previously
- Refund for users who paid and now can't access content
- Improve app structure and layout
- Department-specific approach (medicine, critical care, etc.) instead of disease-specific
- Developer response to user comments about issues


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Medscape free?

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

### Is Visualmed free?

Visualmed is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Medscape or Visualmed?

Visualmed is rated higher. Medscape averages 3.7 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Visualmed averages 4.5 from 201 ratings.

### Do Medscape or Visualmed have ads?

Medscape shows ads; Visualmed does not.

### Which is updated more often, Medscape or Visualmed?

Medscape ships an update every 2 weeks, and Visualmed every 2 months. Most recently, Medscape was updated on October 27, 2026 and Visualmed on October 26, 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.*