# CORE vs FP Notebook

The clearest difference is price: FP Notebook at Free against CORE's $39.99. FP Notebook also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.2) and ratings volume (3.3K vs 31). CORE's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 14.3). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

FP Notebook is free to download; CORE costs $39.99 up front. CORE sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and FP Notebook sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

FP Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FP Notebook has 3.3K ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of CORE's written reviews are positive against 58% of FP Notebook's.

CORE ships an update every 3 months, FP Notebook every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CORE | FP Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $39.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.2 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/core-clinical-orthopedic-exam/id329470520/reviews) | **[4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fp-notebook/id835973313/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 31 | **3.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 50.8% of reviews | **58.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#50** |
| Size | 26 MB | 134 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 14.3 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Clinically Relevant Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/329470523) | [Atmosphere Apps, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/334077424) |

## What reviewers say

### CORE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/core-clinical-orthopedic-exam/id329470520)

This app serves as a portable, expert reference for diagnosing musculoskeletal and orthopedic disorders. It provides a comprehensive database of clinical tests with detailed instructions, video demonstrations, diagnostic properties, and links to medical references for evidence-based diagnosis.

**Highlights:** Database of over 400 clinical tests, Step-by-step text instructions, Video demonstrations, Diagnostic properties (sensitivity, specificity), Links to supporting medical references, Covers all extremities and spine

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CORE Exam Videos | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Useful for clinicians
- 👍 Great for students
- 👍 Comprehensive information
- 👍 Links to videos
- 👍 Evidence-based content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App not opening
- 🐛 App crashing
- 🐛 Videos not working
- 🐛 Server errors
- 🐛 Paid for upgrade, asked to pay again

**Reported bugs**

- App will not open
- App locks up
- App unresponsive
- Unable to connect to CRTech server
- Videos don’t work

**Requested features**

- Fix the app so it opens
- Fix videos not working
- Fix server errors
- Provide refunds for non-functional app
- Add more specific test information


### FP Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fp-notebook/id835973313)

**Currently charting:** #50 Top Grossing · Medical (US App Store)

A comprehensive medical reference for primary care and emergency clinicians, offering rapid access to over 6100 interlinked topic pages. Content is updated monthly through literature reviews and conferences, providing up-to-date information for medical professionals.

**Highlights:** Rapid access medical reference, Over 6100 interlinked topic pages, Content updated monthly, 31 specialty books, 700+ chapters, Point-of-care tool

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Annual Sub | $24.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent, comprehensive medical reference
- ⚡️ Efficient, concise, and easy to use
- 🧠 Invaluable for medical students, residents, and practitioners
- 🤝 Highly recommended by users
- 🕰️ Frequently used and relied upon for years

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model frustrates some users who previously had free access
- 🐞 Occasional app freezing or crashing issues reported
- 🔍 Built-in search function could be improved

**Reported bugs**

- App freezing or crashing on certain devices
- Subscription issues or unexpected charges

**Requested features**

- Ability to earn continuing education credits through the app
- Improved search functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CORE free?

CORE costs $39.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is FP Notebook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CORE or FP Notebook?

FP Notebook is rated higher. CORE averages 2.2 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while FP Notebook averages 4.8 from 3.3K ratings.

### Do CORE or FP Notebook have ads?

Neither CORE nor FP Notebook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CORE or FP Notebook?

CORE ships an update every 3 months, and FP Notebook every 2 months. Most recently, CORE was updated on September 22, 2026 and FP Notebook on September 23, 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.*