Comparison

Bedside EM vs CorePendium

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

Head to head
About

Bedside EM

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
Read full description

START YOUR 30 DAY FREE TRIAL TODAY! Bedside EM (formerly ERres) is the ORIGINAL emergency medicine app designed for where you need it the most.. at the bedside! First released in 2011, Bedside EM has been consistently ranked as one of the best medical apps worldwide! Continuously updated, evidence-based and peer reviewed!! The entire app is searchable and available offline!! And although Bedside EM was created with emergency medicine providers in mind, it has proven to be a great resource for ANYONE who takes care of acutely ill patients including other doctors, PAs/NPs, nurses, paramedics, EMTs, and students!! Starting in 2024 I have decided to go ALL IN to ensure Bedside EM continues to be the best emergency medicine app out there. This began with a complete overhaul of the app from the ground up to improve user experience. Some things were added, some things were removed. Many more additions will be coming later in the year. I hope you like it! I am now in the process of updating the styling for EVERY section within Bedside EM to align with the new layout and support dynamic text and dark mode. This is a very time-consuming process. Thus far I have updated the “pediatric tape” and all of the clinical decision rules, as these tend to be quite popular. The other sections will all be updated over the next few months. Once that is completed, the plan is to go back and UPDATE EVERY SECTION with the latest evidence-based medicine recommendations before then adding some brand new stuff. Exciting times!!! FREE 30 DAY TRIAL! To make the above possible/sustainable, a paid subscription is required to use this app starting 2024. All prior users will be granted lifetime access for free. App Subscription Options: ∙ Yearly (annual auto-renewable subscription) The subscription period will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. To turn this function off, simply go to your iTunes account and turn off auto-renew. Renewal payments will differ depending on subscription and pricing at the time of renewal. Your iTunes account will be charged when the purchase is confirmed. Terms and Conditions: https://www.darkmedicalapps.com/terms-and-conditions Privacy Policy: https://www.darkmedicalapps.com/privacy-policy

About

CorePendium

This app provides a comprehensive, continuously updated, and peer-reviewed clinical reference for Emergency and Urgent Care Medicine. It features integrated multimedia, offline access, intuitive navigation, and medical calculators, making it an essential tool for medical professionals on the go.

Highlights
  • Expert-backed, continuously revised content
  • Integrated media library (ECGs, X-rays, videos, audio)
  • Offline access to all content
  • Intuitive navigation with Rapid Access and Deep Dive sections
  • Integrated medical calculators
  • Links to EM:RAP knowledge base content
Features
Read full description

The textbook is dead. Long live CorePendium! CorePendium is the first truly comprehensive, continuously updated, peer-reviewed, multimedia clinical reference for Emergency and Urgent Care Medicine. Download the CorePendium App and bring the best clinical reference text with you anywhere in the world, regardless of connectivity. With your EM:RAP account, the CorePendium App allows you to join over 65,000 members of the CorePendium community. The CorePendium App gives you… • EXPERT-BACKED CONTENT — Written, edited, and peer-reviewed by a team of over 800 leading academics and practitioners, every CorePendium chapter is continuously revised by leading experts in emergency medicine and beyond. • INTEGRATED MEDIA — Comprehensive learning requires more than just words. Dive into our constantly growing media library of ECG’s and X-rays, as well as expertly-produced videos and audio segments. Look, listen, and learn, all without leaving the CorePendium App. • OFFLINE MODE — With new chapters being added and updated frequently to reflect the latest literature and practice guidelines, the CorePendium App makes sure you always have the newest information at your fingertips, 24 hours a day. The app looks for updates to its offline database every time you’re active online, so that you have the answers you need, no matter what. Do you want access to our skillfully-shot procedure videos and expert commentary away from a wireless connection? You can choose to download our audio and video content to ensure access when you need it most. • INTUITIVE NAVIGATION — Designed to prioritize all of the crucial information and media needed for the critical patient, CorePendium’s ‹Rapid Access› section gives you the quick insights you’ll need at the bedside. If you are looking for more background, the ‹Deep Dive› section provides all the information you’ll need to know about a topic. Sleek chapter sidebars, internal searches, search filters, and curated tabs ensure you can find what you need when you need it. • MEDICAL CALCULATORS — Get all of the commonly used clinical scoring and decision tools you need, with important interpretation data compiled by some of medicine’s foremost experts just a thumb slide away. Our calculators are also integrated with the content that uses it most. • PART OF THE EM:RAP KNOWLEDGE BASE — CorePendium is just one piece of the EM:RAP universe. The CorePendium App takes full advantage of its special connection to the most listened to programs in Emergency and Urgent Care Medicine by integrating that content. With continuously updated links to video, conference content, and podcasts you’ll always get the most cutting-edge answers. • INTERNATIONAL — CorePendium is for the whole world. We have an international advisory board that aims to address emergency care for patients and practitioners in all of the various environments where it is practiced. • EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE — CorePendium is written by clinicians for clinicians, without the support of advertising or industry. With the CorePendium App you just get the best information, current and expertly reviewed. • THE REFERENCE OF RECORD — Accessed millions of times, CorePendium is already the reference textbook used by residency training programs and frontline clinicians the world over.

Screenshots

Bedside EM4 screens
CorePendium4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: CorePendium at 4.9 against Bedside EM's 4.2. CorePendium also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). Bedside EM's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 62%). On price, ads and device support 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. Bedside EM sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. CorePendium asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CorePendium holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CorePendium has 1.5K ratings behind it against 60, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 85% of Bedside EM's written reviews are positive against 62% of CorePendium's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bedside EM ships an update every 5 months, CorePendium monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Bedside EM versus CorePendium: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBedside EMCorePendium
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (60 ratings)4.9 (1.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews84.9% of reviews — better61.5% of reviews
Number of ratings601.5K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.415.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB49 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperDark Medical Apps LLCEM:RAP, Inc.

Customer experience

Bedside EM

All ratings60 ratings
Positive81.7%
Neutral3.3%
Negative15.0%
Written reviews86 reviews
Positive84.9%
Neutral2.3%
Negative12.8%

CorePendium

All ratings1,530 ratings
Positive98.1%
Neutral1.0%
Negative0.9%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive61.5%
Neutral7.7%
Negative30.8%

User reviews

Bedside EM

From 60 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

CorePendium

From 1.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great resource
  • 👍 Excellent and usable app
  • 👍 Terrific point of care resource
  • 👍 Invaluable for EM residents

Room to improve

  • 🔍 Lacking search functionality
  • 🐛 Crashes frequently
  • 🔍 Poor indexing and content organization

Bugs and requests

Bedside EM

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

10 requests
  • Update privacy label
  • Add settings button to enlarge print
  • Add an 'update' option for newest information
  • Support French language
  • Add more categories
Show 5 more
  • Add a notes section
  • Add more info to toxicology
  • Improve content depth
  • Fix orientation quirk
  • Remove ad banner

CorePendium

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Crashes on launch
  • Compatibility issues with older devices

Requested features

3 requests
  • iPad version
  • Ability to track progress and bookmark content
  • Video playback controls (speed, rewind)

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Bedside EM

Subscriptions1
  • Annual Subscription1 Month trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$199.99
None

CorePendium

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bedside EM free?
Bedside EM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CorePendium free?
CorePendium is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bedside EM or CorePendium?
CorePendium is rated higher. Bedside EM averages 4.2 out of 5 from 60 ratings, while CorePendium averages 4.9 from 1.5K ratings.
Do Bedside EM or CorePendium have ads?
Neither Bedside EM nor CorePendium shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bedside EM or CorePendium?
Bedside EM ships an update every 5 months, and CorePendium monthly. Most recently, Bedside EM was updated on October 10, 2026 and CorePendium on October 11, 2026.

Other comparisons