# Medscape vs Osmosis

The clearest difference is rating: Osmosis at 4.8 against Medscape's 3.6. Osmosis also leads on ads (none vs shown). Medscape's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and review sentiment (64% vs 47%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Osmosis sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $16.99 per month. Medscape asks for nothing beyond the download.

Osmosis holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.4K and 3.9K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Medscape's written reviews are positive against 47% of Osmosis's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Medscape ships an update fortnightly, Osmosis monthly. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Medscape | Osmosis |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medscape/id321367289/reviews) | **[4.8 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/osmosis-med-school-study-app/id646540641/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.4K | **3.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **63.7% of reviews** | 47.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #194 | **#89** |
| Size | 263 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [WebMD](https://appshunter.io/developer/295076332) | [Knowledge Diffusion](https://appshunter.io/developer/646540644) |

## What reviewers say

### Medscape

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

**Currently charting:** #194 Top Free · Medical (US App Store)

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


### Osmosis

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/osmosis-med-school-study-app/id646540641)

**Currently charting:** #89 Top Grossing · Medical (US App Store)

This app helps medical students learn complex concepts faster and retain more information. It offers animated videos, flashcards, notes, and board-style questions to prepare for exams and build clinical skills.

**Highlights:** Animated medical videos, Spaced repetition flashcards, Board-style practice questions, Downloadable notes and videos, Clinical decision-making trees, Cross-platform syncing

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Osmosis Full Access Monthly | $16.99 | per month |
| Clinical Sciences Monthly | $16.99 | per month |
| Osmosis Basic Sciences Monthly | $16.99 | per month |
| Osmosis Suite Access Monthly | $49.00 | per month |
| Clinical Science 6 Month | $129.00 | per 6 months |
| Clinical Science Access Yearly | $169.00 | per year |
| Basic Sciences Access 6 Month | $179.00 | per 6 months |
| Osmosis Full Access 6 Month | $179.99 | per 6 months |
| Osmosis Full Access Yearly | $199.99 | per year |
| Basic Sciences Access Yearly | $199.99 | per year |
| Osmosis Suite Access 6 Month | $229.00 | per 6 months |
| Osmosis Suite Access Yearly | $249.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great study tool
- 💡 Helpful videos and flashcards
- 👍 Engaging and easy to understand content
- 🚀 Efficient for on-the-go learning
- 👍 Customizable study experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with crashes and glitches
- 🔋 Offline functionality issues
- 👎 Limited features compared to website
- 👎 Subscription confusion and billing issues
- 👎 Slow and unresponsive app performance

**Reported bugs**

- Verification email never sent
- Videos won't play or keep restarting
- Inability to access high-yield notes on app
- Flashcards and quizzes not working properly
- App getting stuck on loading/login screens

**Requested features**

- Add speech pathology to the platform
- Provide Arabic subtitles for videos
- Implement split-screen functionality
- Allow editing of flashcards on mobile
- Improve search and playlist features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Medscape free?

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

### Is Osmosis free?

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

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

Osmosis is rated higher. Medscape averages 3.6 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while Osmosis averages 4.8 from 3.9K ratings.

### Do Medscape or Osmosis have ads?

Medscape shows ads; Osmosis does not.

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

Medscape ships an update fortnightly, and Osmosis monthly. Most recently, Medscape was updated on September 23, 2026 and Osmosis on September 23, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Medscape or Osmosis?

Medscape currently peaks at #194 in the App Store charts, and Osmosis at #89. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*