# Medscape vs First Pharmacy

The clearest difference is rating: First Pharmacy at 4.7 against Medscape's 3.6. First Pharmacy also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Medscape's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (1.4K vs 58). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

First Pharmacy holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Medscape has 1.4K ratings behind it against 58, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Medscape ships an update every 2 weeks, First Pharmacy every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Medscape | First Pharmacy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medscape/id321367289/reviews) | **[4.7 (58 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-pharmacy/id6504174503/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.4K** | 58 |
| Positive reviews | 63.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 275 MB | 85 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [WebMD](https://appshunter.io/developer/295076332) | [FIRST PHARMACY U LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1751242668) |

## 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


### First Pharmacy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-pharmacy/id6504174503)

This app provides quality healthcare services and medical expertise. It is legally registered with regulatory bodies, ensuring professional standards in clinical services.

**Highlights:** Quality healthcare provision, Medical expertise, Clinical services, Regulatory body registration, Professional standards

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Medscape free?

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

### Is First Pharmacy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Medscape or First Pharmacy?

First Pharmacy is rated higher. Medscape averages 3.6 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while First Pharmacy averages 4.7 from 58 ratings.

### Do Medscape or First Pharmacy have ads?

Medscape shows ads; First Pharmacy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Medscape or First Pharmacy?

Medscape ships an update every 2 weeks, and First Pharmacy every 3 months. Most recently, Medscape was updated on October 12, 2026 and First Pharmacy on October 5, 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.*