Comparison

Merck Manual Professional vs FP Notebook

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Merck Manual Professional

This medical reference app offers healthcare practitioners and students clear, practical explanations for thousands of conditions across major medical and surgical specialties. It includes photos, illustrations, instructional videos, drug information, quizzes, and case simulations to stay updated with the latest clinical information.

Highlights
  • Thousands of medical topics
  • Photos and illustrations
  • Instructional 'How to' videos
  • Drug reference information
  • Knowledge quizzes
  • Interactive case simulations
Features
Read full description

SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT DOWNLOAD *** Downloading this app is a 2-step process: the first step is a download of the app template, and the second step is a full download of app content. Please do not navigate away from the app until both steps have been completed. *** The amount of clinical information currently doubles every 18 months and the pace is only getting faster. Stay up-to-date with the Merck Manual Professional app. This useful medical reference app provides health care practitioners and students with clear, practical explanations for thousands of conditions in all major medical and surgical specialties. With many new features and enhancements, this app covers etiology, pathophysiology, and options for evaluation and treatment. The trusted Merck Manual Professional medical app offers: • Thousands of topics written and updated regularly by more than 350 academic physicians • Photos and Illustrations of thousands of disorders and diseases • “How to” Videos on numerous outpatient procedures and physical examinations. Concise instructional videos by medical experts on these key topics: - Casting and splinting techniques - Orthopedic examinations - Neurologic examinations - Obstetric procedures - Outpatient procedures (including IV lines, tubes, catheters, dislocation reductions and more) • Drug Reference Information* • Quizzes* check knowledge of medical disorders, symptoms, and treatments • Interactive Case Simulations* test ability to treat a specific patient over the disease course • Medical News and Commentary* covering the most current and important medical topics • Editorials* written by top medical experts *Internet access needed. About Merck Manuals Our mission is simple: We believe that health information is a universal right and that every person is entitled to accurate, accessible and usable medical information. We have a responsibility to protect, preserve and share the best current medical information to enable more informed decisions, enhance relationships between patients and professionals, and improve health care outcomes around the world. That’s why we are making the Merck Manuals available for free in digital form to professionals and patients around the world. No registration or subscription required, and no ads. NOND-1179303-0001 04/16 This mobile application is intended for Healthcare Professionals in the United States, its territories, Puerto Rico, and Canada only. For more information please read the End User License Agreement at https://www.merck.com/policy/terms-of-use/merck-apps-home.html. For more information about our privacy practices, please see our privacy commitment at https://www.msdprivacy.com To report an adverse event with a specific Merck product, please call the Merck National Service Center at 1-800-672-6372. For questions or help with the app, please contact merckmanualsinfo@merck.com

About

FP Notebook

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
Currently charting
Read full description

Family Practice Notebook is a rapid access, point-of-care medical reference for primary care and emergency clinicians. Started in 1995, this collection now contains over 6100 interlinked topic pages divided into a tree of 31 specialty books and over 700 chapters. FP Notebook’s content is updated monthly with systematic literature reviews and conferences. Please purchase an auto-renewing subscription to receive the latest content. The text content for this mobile application is identical to its online counterparts: fpnotebook.com and fpnotebook.com/mobile. Although access to this application is not restricted, the information found here is intended for use by medical providers. Non-clinical users may find the material challenging to understand, and should address specific medical concerns with their medical providers. Try before you buy with a 14-day FREE trial. After that it's only $24.99/year for access, including continuous content updates. Privacy Policy/Terms & Conditions - http://www.fpnotebook.com/disclaimer.htm

Screenshots

Merck Manual Professional4 screens
FP Notebook4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Merck Manual Professional at none against FP Notebook's 3. Merck Manual Professional also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 61%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). FP Notebook's advantage is chart position (#59 vs unranked) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. FP Notebook sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Merck Manual Professional asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Merck Manual Professional against 4.9 for FP Notebook. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1K and 3.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Merck Manual Professional's written reviews are positive against 61% of FP Notebook's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Merck Manual Professional ships an update every 4 months, FP Notebook every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Merck Manual Professional versus FP Notebook: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMerck Manual ProfessionalFP Notebook
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1K ratings)4.9 (3.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews91.6% of reviews — better61.1% of reviews
Number of ratings1K3.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterSubscription
Best chart rank—#59 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size196 MB141 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperMerck & Co IncAtmosphere Apps, Inc.

Customer experience

Merck Manual Professional

All ratings1,036 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral1.5%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews275 reviews
Positive91.6%
Neutral2.2%
Negative6.2%

FP Notebook

All ratings3,337 ratings
Positive96.6%
Neutral1.2%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews72 reviews
Positive61.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative38.9%

User reviews

Merck Manual Professional

From 1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💯 Excellent medical resource
  • 🔍 Comprehensive and up-to-date information
  • 🎓 Valuable for medical professionals and students
  • 🔍 Reliable and trusted source
  • 🖥️ Great offline accessibility

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes and freezes
  • 🔍 Lack of search functionality
  • 🔍 Outdated or missing content
  • 🔍 Difficult navigation and organization

FP Notebook

From 3.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 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

Room to improve

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

Bugs and requests

Merck Manual Professional

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes when searching for certain conditions
  • Images and videos not loading properly
  • Offline mode not working as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add personalization features like notes, highlights, and flashcards
  • Improve search functionality and relevance
  • Provide more frequent content updates
  • Enhance app stability and performance

FP Notebook

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • App freezing or crashing on certain devices
  • Subscription issues or unexpected charges

Requested features

2 requests
  • Ability to earn continuing education credits through the app
  • Improved search functionality

In-app purchases

None

Merck Manual Professional

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

FP Notebook

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription$1.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription$19.991 Year
  • Annual Sub14 Days trial$24.991 Year

Questions

Is Merck Manual Professional free?
Merck Manual Professional is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FP Notebook free?
FP Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Merck Manual Professional or FP Notebook?
FP Notebook is rated higher. Merck Manual Professional averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while FP Notebook averages 4.9 from 3.3K ratings.
Do Merck Manual Professional or FP Notebook have ads?
Neither Merck Manual Professional nor FP Notebook shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Merck Manual Professional or FP Notebook?
Merck Manual Professional ships an update every 4 months, and FP Notebook every 2 months. Most recently, Merck Manual Professional was updated on October 17, 2026 and FP Notebook on October 16, 2026.

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