# Pocket Pharmacist vs Mosby's Drug Reference

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket Pharmacist | Mosby's Drug Reference |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-pharmacist/id387365379/reviews)** | [4.6 (235 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mosbys-drug-reference/id959042883/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.9K** | 235 |
| Positive reviews | **77.0% of reviews** | 31.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#145** | — |
| Size | 44 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Danike, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/387365382) | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket Pharmacist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-pharmacist/id387365379)

**Currently charting:** #145 Top Grossing · Medical (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pocket Pharmacist Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Pocket Pharmacist Yearly | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient for keeping track of medications
- 🚀 Quick and easy to use
- 💡 Helpful for healthcare professionals
- 🔍 Comprehensive drug information
- ⭐️ Excellent app overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model frustrates existing users
- 🇨🇦 Limited coverage for non-US drugs
- 🔒 Concerns about data privacy and access
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### Mosby's Drug Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mosbys-drug-reference/id959042883)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mosby's Drug Reference | $45.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*