Comparison

Pocket Pharmacist vs Mosby's Drug Reference

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pocket Pharmacist

Access comprehensive drug information curated by pharmacists, check for drug interactions, and test your knowledge with quizzes. Organize your medications and impress your medical team with neat printouts.

Highlights
  • Pharmacist-curated drug summaries
  • Unbiased drug information
  • Fast drug search (offline)
  • Drug interaction checker
  • Medication quizzes
  • Medication organizer
  • Printable medication summaries
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

"Pocket Pharmacist feels like you're talking to a live pharmacist versus reading through an encyclopedia!" Download now for a free trial. Not impressed? Simply unsubscribe and walk away without paying a dime (during the 1-week free trial period). DRUG INFORMATION ∙ Drug summaries are curated and summarized by a Pharmacist (Doctor of Pharmacy) -- focused on drugs approved by the United States FDA ∙ Unbiased information (zero pharmaceutical sponsorship and no advertisements) ∙ Wicked fast drug search (internet not required) INTERACTION CHECKER ∙ Provides interactions as well as overlapping precautions and side effects (no other app has this feature) ∙ Easy to understand (no complicated medical jargon) ∙ Super accurate MED QUIZ ∙ The best drug study guide, period. ∙ Test your drug and medication knowledge ∙ Unlimited multiple-choice questions and flashcards MED BOX ∙ All your medication information...nice and neat ∙ Impress your medical team with organized printouts ∙ Run interaction checks _______________________ FEATURED IN ∙ O (The Oprah Magazine) ∙ SteadyHealth ∙ iPhone Life Magazine ∙ Woman's Day ∙ CNET _______________________ In-App Auto-Renewable Subscription Details - Pocket Pharmacist Monthly and Pocket Pharmacist Yearly include an ad-free experience, access to all current features, drug information curated and summarized by a pharmacist (updated monthly), future features, technical updates, and prompt email support for the duration of the subscription period. - Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. - Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. - Your subscription will automatically renew at the duration selected unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. - Your iTunes Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. The cost of the renewal will be the subscription fee you have agreed to. - You can manage your subscription by visiting your iTunes Account Settings after purchase. - If you choose not to renew your subscription, you will no longer have access to the App after the end of the current period. For more information, please see Pocket Pharmacist's Privacy Policy (https://pocketpharmacist.io/privacy-policy) and Terms & Conditions of Use (https://www.pocketpharmacist.io/terms-conditions-of-use).

About

Mosby's Drug Reference

This app provides healthcare professionals with comprehensive drug information, including actions, usage, dosage, interactions, and side effects. It emphasizes patient safety with Black Box Warnings, Safety Alerts, and information on life-threatening side effects. Features include custom notes, highlights, and quick search functionality.

Highlights
  • Over 5,000 drug listings
  • Black Box Warnings and Safety Alerts
  • Drug action, usage, dosage, interactions, side effects
  • Custom notes and highlights
  • Full text search
  • Appendix of recent FDA-approvals
Features
Read full description

14-Day Free Trial ** Trusted by Health Care Professionals for Over 30 Years ** ABOUT MOSBY’S DRUG REFERENCE Based on the latest edition, Mosby's Drug Reference provides health care professionals with the tools they need to eliminate errors and improve accuracy. Drug monographs feature concise, easy-to-understand information and make finding answers easy with sections on each drug's action, usage, dosage, interactions, side effects, and more. With an emphasis on patient safety, this best-selling app includes Black Box Warnings for dangerous adverse reactions, Safety Alerts for situations requiring special attention, and a focus on life-threatening side effects of 50 common drug classes. FEATURES • More than 5,000 generic and trade-name drugs are profiled • Appendix of recent FDA-approvals • Icons for High Alert and Rarely Used medications • Highlighted Black Box Warnings, safety alerts, and life-threatening side effects • Helpful IV therapy updates • Create custom notes and highlights within entries • 150+ abbreviations listed for practical understanding • Unlabeled uses and help with easily confused drug names • Full Text Search helps find medications quickly • “Favorites” for bookmarking important entries FREE 14-DAY TRIAL: WHAT TO EXPECT • First-time users can access Unbound's complete Mosby's Drug Reference mobile app free for 14 days • After 14 days, your iTunes account will be charged $45.99 for a one-year subscription unless you have turned off auto-renew at least 24 hours before the free trial ends. • To manage your subscriptions, open Apple's “Settings” app and tap on the “iTunes & App Store" entry. Tap your Apple ID at the top of the screen and login. Tap subscriptions, then tap the subscription you wish to manage. •NOTE: If you choose not to purchase a subscription, content will no longer be viewable after the free trial period. iTunes automatic renewal: Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off 24 hours prior to the conclusion of your current period. Auto Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Your iTunes account will automatically be charged the current renewal rate ($45.99) within 24 hours prior to the end of the subscription period. If you choose not to renew, you will be able to use the app, however will not receive updates. Authors: Linda Skidmore-Roth, RN, MSN, NP Publisher: Elsevier Powered by: Unbound Medicine Unbound Privacy Policy: www.unboundmedicine.com/privacy Unbound Terms of Use: https://www.unboundmedicine.com/end_user_license_agreement

Screenshots

Pocket Pharmacist4 screens
Mosby's Drug Reference4 screens

Verdict

The call

Pocket Pharmacist and Mosby's Drug Reference both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 77% of Pocket Pharmacist's written reviews are positive against 32% of Mosby's Drug Reference's. Pocket Pharmacist also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (3.9K vs 235). Mosby's Drug Reference's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pocket Pharmacist sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Mosby's Drug Reference sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $45.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Pocket Pharmacist against 4.6 for Mosby's Drug Reference. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket Pharmacist has 3.9K ratings behind it against 235, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of Pocket Pharmacist's written reviews are positive against 32% of Mosby's Drug Reference's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pocket Pharmacist ships an update every 2 months, Mosby's Drug Reference every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Pocket Pharmacist versus Mosby's Drug Reference: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPocket PharmacistMosby's Drug Reference
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (3.9K ratings) — better4.6 (235 ratings)
Positive reviews77.0% of reviews — better31.8% of reviews
Number of ratings3.9K — better235
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 9 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#131 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB9 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperDanike, Inc.Unbound Medicine, Inc.

Customer experience

Pocket Pharmacist

All ratings3,859 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral2.1%
Negative4.1%
Written reviews165 reviews
Positive77.0%
Neutral1.8%
Negative21.2%

Mosby's Drug Reference

All ratings235 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral3.4%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive31.8%
Neutral9.1%
Negative59.1%

Bugs and requests

Pocket Pharmacist

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Subscription screen appears unexpectedly
  • Unable to access or delete personal information
  • Interaction checker not working properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add medication reminders
  • Include over-the-counter medications
  • Improve sync functionality between devices
  • Provide more customization options

Mosby's Drug Reference

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Pocket Pharmacist

Subscriptions2
  • Pocket Pharmacist Monthly7 Days trial2 variants$0.991 Month
  • Pocket Pharmacist Yearly7 Days trial2 variants$9.991 Year
1 purchases

Mosby's Drug Reference

Subscriptions1
  • Mosby's Drug Reference14 Days trial$45.991 Year

Questions

Is Pocket Pharmacist free?
Pocket Pharmacist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Mosby's Drug Reference free?
Mosby's Drug Reference is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pocket Pharmacist or Mosby's Drug Reference?
Pocket Pharmacist is rated higher. Pocket Pharmacist averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.9K ratings, while Mosby's Drug Reference averages 4.6 from 235 ratings.
Do Pocket Pharmacist or Mosby's Drug Reference have ads?
Neither Pocket Pharmacist nor Mosby's Drug Reference shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pocket Pharmacist or Mosby's Drug Reference?
Pocket Pharmacist ships an update every 2 months, and Mosby's Drug Reference every 9 months. Most recently, Pocket Pharmacist was updated on September 23, 2026 and Mosby's Drug Reference on September 24, 2026.

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