# UpToDate vs MD Reference

The clearest difference is rating: UpToDate at 3.6 against MD Reference's 3.0. UpToDate also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). MD Reference's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 28%) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 18.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MD Reference sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. UpToDate asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpToDate holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: UpToDate has 579 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 28% of UpToDate's written reviews are positive against 50% of MD Reference's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpToDate ships an update every 5 weeks, MD Reference every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UpToDate | MD Reference |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.6 (579 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uptodate/id334265345/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/md-reference/id1509330680/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **579** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 28.4% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 56 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [UpToDate, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/334265348) | [Uptodate In Medicine MMC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1428873400) |

## What reviewers say

### UpToDate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uptodate/id334265345)

This clinical decision support tool provides healthcare professionals with evidence-based guidance to improve patient care. It features AI-powered conversational answers, continuously updated medical content, and tools for drug reference, calculations, and patient education.

**Highlights:** Expert AI conversational guidance, Gold standard clinical content, Practice-changing updates, Patient education materials, Drug reference and interactions, Clinical calculators, Kidney dosing guidance

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Invaluable medical resource
- 🚀 Quick and easy to use
- 🔍 Comprehensive and up-to-date content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
- 🔌 Unreliable offline functionality
- 💰 Expensive subscription cost

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to download offline content
- Constant need to re-authenticate
- Incompatibility with recent iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Highlight and annotate content
- Improved institutional login support
- Dark mode and font size options


### MD Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/md-reference/id1509330680)

This medical reference app aims to improve healthcare quality by providing medical professionals with updated knowledge and modern technologies. It helps practitioners stay informed about advancements and apply them in their practice. The service operates on a subscription basis with various plans available.

**Highlights:** Enhances medical knowledge, Keeps users updated on new technologies, Facilitates practical application of knowledge, Subscription-based access, Personalized user accounts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 month subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| 3 months subscription | $8.99 | per 3 months |
| 6 months subscription | $14.99 | per 6 months |
| 12 months subscription | $23.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UpToDate free?

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

### Is MD Reference free?

MD Reference is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, UpToDate or MD Reference?

UpToDate is rated higher. UpToDate averages 3.6 out of 5 from 579 ratings, while MD Reference averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do UpToDate or MD Reference have ads?

MD Reference shows ads; UpToDate does not.

### Which is updated more often, UpToDate or MD Reference?

UpToDate ships an update every 5 weeks, and MD Reference every 4 months. Most recently, UpToDate was updated on October 12, 2026 and MD Reference on October 4, 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.*