# Physical Exam Essentials vs FP Notebook

The clearest difference is price: FP Notebook at Free against Physical Exam Essentials's $2.99. FP Notebook also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.7) and ratings volume (3.3K vs 10). Physical Exam Essentials's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (10.2 vs 14.3). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

FP Notebook is free to download; Physical Exam Essentials costs $2.99 up front. FP Notebook sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Physical Exam Essentials asks for nothing beyond the download.

FP Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FP Notebook has 3.3K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Physical Exam Essentials's written reviews are positive against 61% of FP Notebook's.

Physical Exam Essentials ships an update every 7 months, FP Notebook every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Physical Exam Essentials | FP Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.7 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physical-exam-essentials/id343091870/reviews) | **[4.8 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fp-notebook/id835973313/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **3.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 44.1% of reviews | **61.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Paid** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#54** |
| Size | 23 MB | 134 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.2** | 14.3 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Hipposoft, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/314644548) | [Atmosphere Apps, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/334077424) |

## What reviewers say

### Physical Exam Essentials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physical-exam-essentials/id343091870)

This app provides a quick overview of patient physical exams, serving as a reference for medical students and professionals. It helps users remember exam techniques, view illustrations, and understand the significance of findings. It's designed for quick reviews of procedures across various medical categories.

**Highlights:** Quick overview of patient physical exams, Illustrations of exam maneuvers, Clinical Correlates for findings, Descriptions of special tests, Guide for describing findings, 14 different examination categories

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great quick reference
- 👍 Useful for studying
- 👍 Good for medical students
- 👍 Informative content
- 👍 Easy to navigate

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Lacks depth/superficial content
- 👎 Outdated interface/design
- 👎 Annoying disclaimer/ads
- 👎 Not comprehensive enough
- 👎 Poorly formatted

**Reported bugs**

- App no longer works after iOS update
- Doesn't work
- Download issue
- Incorrect abdominal quadrants labelling
- Advertisements on a PAID app

**Requested features**

- MSK section
- Ability to change font size
- Update app overall
- Add musculoskeletal system
- Add MSK section with specific tests


### FP Notebook

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

**Currently charting:** #54 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 Physical Exam Essentials free?

Physical Exam Essentials costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is FP Notebook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Physical Exam Essentials or FP Notebook?

FP Notebook is rated higher. Physical Exam Essentials averages 2.7 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while FP Notebook averages 4.8 from 3.3K ratings.

### Do Physical Exam Essentials or FP Notebook have ads?

Neither Physical Exam Essentials nor FP Notebook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Physical Exam Essentials or FP Notebook?

Physical Exam Essentials ships an update every 7 months, and FP Notebook every 2 months. Most recently, Physical Exam Essentials was updated on September 30, 2026 and FP Notebook on October 3, 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.*