# Emergency Central vs Bedside EM

The clearest difference is rating: Emergency Central at 4.8 against Bedside EM's 4.2. Emergency Central also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.4). Bedside EM's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 63%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Emergency Central sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $99.99 per year and Bedside EM sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Emergency Central holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 55 and 60 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of Emergency Central's written reviews are positive against 85% of Bedside EM's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Emergency Central ships an update every 9 months, Bedside EM every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Emergency Central | Bedside EM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emergency-central/id348981406/reviews)** | [4.2 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bedside-em/id413192645/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 55 | **60** |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | **85.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | #197 | **#196** |
| Size | 9 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) | [Dark Medical Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1046115244) |

## What reviewers say

### Emergency Central

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emergency-central/id348981406)

**Currently charting:** #197 Top Grossing · Medical (US App Store)

This comprehensive medical app provides emergency medicine professionals with instant access to disease information, diagnosis tools, and treatment protocols. It integrates drug guides, diagnostic test references, and a PubMed search to support clinical decision-making.

**Highlights:** Disease and diagnosis information, Step-by-step treatment resources, Drug dosing and interaction guide, Diagnostic test interpretation, PubMed database access, Clinical calculators, Bookmark favorites

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Emergency Central Renewal | $99.99 | per year |
| Emergency Central | $159.99 | one-time |


### Bedside EM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bedside-em/id413192645)

**Currently charting:** #196 Top Grossing · Medical (US App Store)

This comprehensive medical reference app provides evidence-based, peer-reviewed information for emergency medicine providers and those caring for acutely ill patients. It features a searchable, offline database with continuously updated content and a user-friendly interface.

**Highlights:** Offline access, Searchable database, Evidence-based content, Peer-reviewed updates, Pediatric tape, Clinical decision rules

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $199.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great quick reference
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 👍 Useful for residents and attendings
- 👍 High-yield information
- 👍 Well-organized content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Lost notes and bookmarks
- 🐛 Missing dental portion
- 🐛 New upgrade is lacking
- 🐛 Incomplete toxicology information
- 🐛 Basic information

**Reported bugs**

- Lost notes and bookmarks since update
- Categories reorganized and hard to find
- Temporarily lost access after rebranding
- EKG illustrations covered by back task bar

**Requested features**

- Update privacy label
- Add settings button to enlarge print
- Add an 'update' option for newest information
- Support French language
- Add more categories


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Emergency Central free?

Emergency Central is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Bedside EM free?

Bedside EM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Emergency Central or Bedside EM?

Emergency Central is rated higher. Emergency Central averages 4.8 out of 5 from 55 ratings, while Bedside EM averages 4.2 from 60 ratings.

### Do Emergency Central or Bedside EM have ads?

Neither Emergency Central nor Bedside EM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Emergency Central or Bedside EM?

Emergency Central ships an update every 9 months, and Bedside EM every 5 months. Most recently, Emergency Central was updated on September 24, 2026 and Bedside EM on September 23, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Emergency Central or Bedside EM?

Emergency Central currently peaks at #197 in the App Store charts, and Bedside EM at #196. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*