# Physical Exam Essentials vs QuickEM

The clearest difference is review sentiment: QuickEM at 91% against Physical Exam Essentials's 44%. QuickEM also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.7) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 10 months). Physical Exam Essentials's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and price ($2.99 vs $9.99). On ratings volume, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Physical Exam Essentials costs $2.99 and QuickEM $9.99 up front. QuickEM sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Physical Exam Essentials asks for nothing beyond the download.

QuickEM holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 10 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Physical Exam Essentials's written reviews are positive against 91% of QuickEM's.

Physical Exam Essentials ships an update every 10 months, QuickEM every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Physical Exam Essentials | QuickEM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [2.7 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physical-exam-essentials/id343091870/reviews) | **[4.6 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quickem/id930734530/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 44.1% of reviews | **90.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#70** |
| Size | 10 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Hipposoft, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/314644548) | [Dirkes Medical, PLLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1668683062) |

## 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


### QuickEM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quickem/id930734530)

**Currently charting:** #70 Top Paid · Medical (US App Store)

This emergency medicine reference app provides clinicians with instant access to critical information, including differentials, treatments, and validated medical calculators. It's designed for rapid lookup of ED-specific care, organized by chief complaints and clinical categories, and works completely offline.

**Highlights:** 80+ chief complaint topics, 90+ medical calculators, Offline access, No login or ads, Adult and pediatric coverage, Evidence-based content, Customizable favorites

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Features | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Physical Exam Essentials free?

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

### Is QuickEM free?

QuickEM costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Physical Exam Essentials or QuickEM?

QuickEM is rated higher. Physical Exam Essentials averages 2.7 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while QuickEM averages 4.6 from 10 ratings.

### Do Physical Exam Essentials or QuickEM have ads?

Neither Physical Exam Essentials nor QuickEM shows ads.

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

Physical Exam Essentials ships an update every 10 months, and QuickEM every 2 months. Most recently, Physical Exam Essentials was updated on October 16, 2026 and QuickEM on October 8, 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.*