# Medscape vs OpenEvidence

The clearest difference is rating: OpenEvidence at 4.9 against Medscape's 3.6. OpenEvidence also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). 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.

OpenEvidence holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OpenEvidence has 12K ratings behind it against 1.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Medscape's written reviews are positive against 81% of OpenEvidence's.

Medscape ships an update every 2 weeks, OpenEvidence weekly. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Medscape | OpenEvidence |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medscape/id321367289/reviews) | **[4.9 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openevidence/id6612007783/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.4K | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | 63.7% of reviews | **80.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#36** |
| Size | 276 MB | 95 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | +17 |
| Developer | [WebMD](https://appshunter.io/developer/295076332) | [OpenEvidence Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761260627) |

## 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


### OpenEvidence

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openevidence/id6612007783)

**Currently charting:** #36 Top Free · Medical (US App Store)

This app provides healthcare professionals with evidence-based clinical decision support and medical information. It acts as a search engine, sourcing answers from peer-reviewed literature and leading medical organizations to aid in high-stakes medical decisions at the point of care.

**Highlights:** Clinical decision support, Medical search engine, Sourced from peer-reviewed literature, FDA and CDC data integration, Partnerships with leading medical journals, Verified healthcare professional access

**Features:** Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate and concise answers
- 💡 Provides references and sources
- 👍 Helpful for clinical practice
- 🚀 Efficient search and retrieval
- 👍 Invaluable quick reference tool

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App not working in latest update
- ⚠️ Requires specific prompts for complete information

**Reported bugs**

- App not working in latest update

**Requested features**

- Availability on MacBook
- Integration with clinical workflows and EMRs


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Medscape free?

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

### Is OpenEvidence free?

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

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

OpenEvidence is rated higher. Medscape averages 3.6 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while OpenEvidence averages 4.9 from 12K ratings.

### Do Medscape or OpenEvidence have ads?

Medscape shows ads; OpenEvidence does not.

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

Medscape ships an update every 2 weeks, and OpenEvidence weekly. Most recently, Medscape was updated on October 16, 2026 and OpenEvidence on October 16, 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.*