# MD on Call vs Bates' Pocket Guide

The clearest difference is price: Bates' Pocket Guide at Free against MD on Call's $9.99. Bates' Pocket Guide also leads on ratings volume (302 vs 1) and device support (4 vs 2). MD on Call's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 41%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Bates' Pocket Guide is free to download; MD on Call costs $9.99 up front. Bates' Pocket Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MD on Call asks for nothing beyond the download.

MD on Call holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bates' Pocket Guide has 302 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of MD on Call's written reviews are positive against 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's.

MD on Call ships an update every 4 months, Bates' Pocket Guide every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MD on Call | Bates' Pocket Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/md-on-call/id333195169/reviews)** | [4.8 (302 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bates-pocket-guide/id650795652/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **302** |
| Positive reviews | **78.1% of reviews** | 40.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 17 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Messil inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/333195172) | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) |

## What reviewers say

### MD on Call

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/md-on-call/id333195169)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Handy checklist for on-duty
- 👍 Useful in ER
- 👍 Great app design
- 👍 Packed with useful info
- 👍 Pragmatic content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Could cover more content
- 👎 Needs update for iPhone X
- 👎 Content and references outdated
- 👎 Needs a refresh
- 👎 More conditions could be added

**Reported bugs**

- Incompatible with iPhone X
- Incorrect advice regarding Metaclopramide
- Incorrect TDF to morphine conversion data

**Requested features**

- 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


### Bates' Pocket Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bates-pocket-guide/id650795652)

This app provides essential information for obtaining health histories and conducting physical exams. It features step-by-step techniques, updated images, and differential diagnoses for quick and accurate interpretation of findings. Ideal for students and professionals needing a fast reference.

**Highlights:** Over 130 detailed topics, Step-by-step instructions, Updated photographs and illustrations, Two-column layout, New Algorithms for symptom approaches, Differential diagnoses, Highlighting and note-taking, Advanced search

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed. | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Reliable reference
- 🖼️ Helpful pictures for diagnosis
- 📚 Good for quick reference
- 💡 Easy to understand and logical format
- 🎯 Useful for clinicals and easy to maneuver

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Overpriced app
- 🔄 Outdated software
- 🖱️ Not user-friendly navigation
- 💸 Repeated payments required
- ❌ Incorrect information/algorithms

**Reported bugs**

- Sectional information is wrong
- Topics do not correlate to information
- Asterisk information is incorrect
- App information needs updating and reviewing
- Software is glitchy

**Requested features**

- Update and review app information for accuracy
- Improve content layout and navigation
- Offer better preview options before purchase
- Provide discounts for existing textbook/resource owners
- Clarify product offerings to avoid buyer confusion


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MD on Call free?

MD on Call costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?

Bates' Pocket Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, MD on Call or Bates' Pocket Guide?

MD on Call is rated higher. MD on Call averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 from 302 ratings.

### Do MD on Call or Bates' Pocket Guide have ads?

Neither MD on Call nor Bates' Pocket Guide shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MD on Call or Bates' Pocket Guide?

MD on Call ships an update every 4 months, and Bates' Pocket Guide every 14 months. Most recently, MD on Call was updated on October 22, 2026 and Bates' Pocket Guide on October 21, 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.*