Comparison

MD on Call vs ODB Formulary

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

Head to head
About

MD on Call

This app provides quick, practical guidance for physicians, residents, and medical students to manage common on-call issues. It offers concise tips for acute assessment and management, helping users efficiently address patient problems without needing to consult lengthy textbooks.

Highlights
  • Quick assessment and management tips
  • Covers 26 frequent on-call situations
  • Management of common electrolyte abnormalities
  • ECG interpretation with examples
  • Guidance on writing medical orders
  • Searchable by acronyms and keywords
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

"fantastic for a review when rushing to a consult." -- Casey Park MD on Call is already trusted by thousands of physicians, residents and medical students around the world. We’ve been there; At 3 AM, you don’t feel like going through a textbook or a long UpToDate article; you just want to get things done. **************** REVIEWS "If you have ever needed a quick reference to learn on the fly or been stumped by a late night call while cross-covering and you are willing to spend a few dollars to avoid that feeling, you should consider this app." iMedicalApps.com “It has all those handy little things that drug guides and medical references just don’t capture concisely.” “I would pay at least double the cost for this handy little reference.” Dr Jessica Otte, drottematic blog **************** **************** AUDIENCE junior residents, interns and medical students INTRO In medical school, we learn a lot about diseases and the basis for their management. However, we are traditionally less exposed to apparently easy problems like pain, nausea or hypokalemia. Quite often, those issues are brought to the attention of the nursing staff in the evening. At that time, the treating team is away and you're on call, running all over the hospital. MD on Call gives you tips on how to QUICKLY assess and manage (acutely) common problems so you can go on assessing the next patient, or to your room to get some well deserved sleep. -- it is NOT meant to replace a textbook -- FEATURES MD on call is divided into 5 main sections: • Issues • 26 frequent on call situations (including management of some specific conditions) Abdominal Pain* Acute Coronary Syndrome* Agitation / Violence Anaphylaxis Bleeding Bradycardia* Chest Pain Constipation Death (Pronouncing) Decreased LOC Dysuria / UTI* Dyspnea Fever Febrile neutropenia Headache Hypertension Hypotension Insomnia Meningitis Nausea / Vomiting Pain Palliation Pneumonia Seizure Tachycardia Wound Dehiscence Wound Infection • Labs • Common electrolytes abnormalities (including management) Hypo Ca, K, Mg, Na, PO4, glycemia Hyper Ca, K, Na, glycemia • ECG • Normal and abnormal ECG values, now with examples • Misc • Suggestions on how to write orders for admission, "comfort measures only", "on call" notes, OR and procedure notes. Transfusions: general information and common reactions Misc: CSF values, opioid conversion... • Lines and Tubes • How to manage common problems, such as a blocked NG tube. • Search • Search using acronyms or keywords **************** Feedback is more than welcome : visit the website for more details **************** DISCLAIMER This publication (application) is to be used as a guide only. It is intended only for use by licensed medical practitioners and medical students. Every doctor (or prescriber) is responsible for their actions. This guide is not meant to replace clinical judgment. The authors of MD on call make no claims regarding the accuracy of the information contained herein. The authors of this application and its content shall not be liable for any injury and/or damage to persons or property arising from the use of this application. It is the responsible of the licensed prescriber to verify the indications, contraindications and dosage of the medication (and actions) they prescribe.

About

ODB Formulary

Features
Read full description

Introducing the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Formulary App. The Complete e-Formulary Database in the palm of your hand plus links to Health Canada-approved Product Monographs. After the initial download & installation, the app is available for Offline use – access on the road, out and about, at point of care, etc. You will need internet access for the monthly formulary updates. Web version of ODB Formulary app is also available at https://on.rxcoverage.ca/ Some of the key features: •Simplified Search for Brand/Generic Name, Manufacturer, DIN/PIN/NPN •One-click access to Product details – Therapeutic Notes, LU Clinical Criteria, Interchangeable Products, and more •Easy to navigate by Generics, Therapeutic Classes, Benefit Categories, and Manufacturers. •Instant information on over 5,000 drugs and other substances covered by Ontario drug benefit programs (including some nutrition products, diabetic testing agents, valved holding chambers and flash glucose monitoring systems). •Synonyms for the Generic Names are searchable e.g., Cyclosporine vs Ciclosporin (INN), Cephalexin vs Cefalexin (INN), Pizotyline vs Pizotifen (INN), etc. •Benefit Category column for prompt info on coverage status •Interchangeability Check by DIN/PIN or Generic composition •My Formulary feature enables you to build your own formulary by simply bookmarking your favourite medicines •Access links to Health Canada-approved Product Monographs, etc. DISCLAIMER: The ODB Formulary App provides access to the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Formulary database under a non-commercial license from Ontario's Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care. While we strive for accuracy and currency of the data, the app is to be used for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended as a complete replacement for the official provincial publications and should not be relied upon solely for final treatment decisions or claims adjudication. The app may not have real-time updates, and users are responsible for verifying information. Offline access may not guarantee continuous availability or data accuracy. The app may contain links to external resources; their content is beyond our control. We disclaim warranties and shall not be liable for any damages arising from app use. By using the app, users agree to indemnify and hold harmless the developers and Ontario's Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care. For all inquiries, please contact rxcoverage.ca@gmail.com

Screenshots

MD on Call4 screens
ODB Formulary4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ODB Formulary at Free against MD on Call's $9.99. ODB Formulary also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). MD on Call's advantage is chart position (#99 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

ODB Formulary is free to download; MD on Call costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MD on Call ships an update every 4 months, ODB Formulary every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
MD on Call versus ODB Formulary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMD on CallODB Formulary
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews78.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#99 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB40 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperMessil inc.RxCoverage Canada Inc.

Bugs and requests

MD on Call

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Incompatible with iPhone X
  • Incorrect advice regarding Metaclopramide
  • Incorrect TDF to morphine conversion data

Requested features

16 requests
  • Cover more content
  • Update for iPhone X compatibility
  • Revise content and references for up-to-date information
  • Add more conditions
  • Include common diseases and treatments
Show 11 more
  • Add an 'edit' function to modify and add vignettes
  • Add more clinical scenarios
  • Add medicine dose information
  • Add drug interaction information
  • Include more information with supporting references
  • More streamlined interface
  • Translate to German
  • Translate to French
  • Add more topics
  • Add more clinical high yields and topics
  • Add more futures needed while oncall

ODB Formulary

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

MD on Call

No in-app purchases

None

ODB Formulary

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MD on Call free?
MD on Call costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ODB Formulary free?
ODB Formulary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do MD on Call or ODB Formulary have ads?
Neither MD on Call nor ODB Formulary shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MD on Call or ODB Formulary?
MD on Call ships an update every 4 months, and ODB Formulary every 3 weeks. Most recently, MD on Call was updated on November 6, 2026 and ODB Formulary on November 3, 2026.

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