Bedside EM vs palmEM AI
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Offline access
- Searchable database
- Evidence-based content
- Peer-reviewed updates
- Pediatric tape
- Clinical decision rules
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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
palmEM AI
This AI-powered emergency medicine guide provides rapid, evidence-based clinical decision support for medical professionals. It offers tailored guidance for specific patient scenarios and a comprehensive knowledge base, accessible offline.
- AI clinical decision support
- Plain language medical queries
- Evidence-based workups and management
- Offline core content access
- Medication quick reference
- Procedure step-by-step guidance
- Clinical decision rules
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palmEM: Emergency Medicine Quick Reference, Offline Guide, Point-of-Care Reference and AI Clinical Decision Support The most comprehensive EM quick reference ever created, powered by advanced AI. The #1 medical app in 80+ countries. Apple's "What's Hot" and "New and Noteworthy." WHY palmEM? AI that actually understands medicine • Your specific patient scenario. Your exact question. Ask anything in plain language, just like you would ask a colleague, and get tailored clinical guidance in seconds. Not generic overviews or academic deep dives. Real answers for real bedside medicine. The answers you need when seconds count • From routine to rare, common to zebras - get evidence-based clinical decision support in seconds. Skip the scrolling. Skip the page flipping. Get straight to the answer you need. Built by emergency medicine physicians • Clinician-made, clinician-used, continuously updated and refined for real practice. Zero industry influence. And we never sell your data. Works the way you work • Intuitive interface. Dark mode. Minimal taps to answers. Fast, focused, and built for the ED. Offline when you need it • Core reference content is accessible offline, so you are covered even without signal. YOUR COMPLETE EM KNOWLEDGE BASE • Evidence-based workups and management • Differentials, red flags, and next steps • Medication quick reference • Procedures and step-by-step guidance • Pediatric emergencies • Clinical decision rules (HEART, PERC, Wells, Canadian C-Spine, and more) • High-yield content without the fluff TRUSTED BY CLINICIANS WORLDWIDE "I've dumped my $300/year app for palmEM. Cheaper, prettier, faster." —EMtutorials.com "There is so much in here I don't know where to begin. Could I enthuse about this any more?" —Life in the Fast Lane "An excellent, rapid point-of-care reference perfectly designed for the time crunch of the emergency department." —iMedicalApps "The relentless search for an EM app that does it all inevitably leads to palmEM." —Emergency Medicine News PERFECT FOR Emergency Medicine • Urgent Care • Critical Care • Internal Medicine • Family Medicine • Primary Care • EMS • Nursing • Paramedics • NPs • PAs • Medical Students • Residents • Fellows • Attendings TRY RISK-FREE FOR 7 DAYS Start your no-obligation trial. Experience AI-powered clinical support that helps you move faster and think sharper. Download now. Your next shift will thank you. --- DISCLAIMER: This app is intended for medical professionals. It is strictly for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with a recognized medical professional before making decisions based on information included in this application. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.palm-er.com/site/privacy-policy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: palmEM AI at free with in-app purchases against Bedside EM's subscription. palmEM AI also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and chart position (#123 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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
Both are free to download. Bedside EM sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year and palmEM AI sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Bedside EM against 4.2 for palmEM AI. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 60 and 72 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Bedside EM's written reviews are positive against 82% of palmEM AI's.
Bedside EM ships an update every 5 months, palmEM AI every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bedside EM | palmEM AI |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (60 ratings) | 4.2 (72 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 84.9% of reviews — better | 82.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 60 | 72 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #123 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | 14.0.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 39 MB | 139 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Dark Medical Apps LLC | palmER Worldwide LLC |
Customer experience
Bedside EM
palmEM AI
User reviews
Bedside EM
From 60 App Store ratingsWhat 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
palmEM AI
From 72 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Quick and efficient reference tool for ED scenarios
- 👍 Easy-to-navigate interface with logical organization
- 📚 Comprehensive content covering emergency medicine topics
- 🎯 Concise, clinically-relevant information without unnecessary fluff
- 💊 Useful features like Broselow tape and drug dosages
Room to improve
- ⚠️ Outdated protocols (ACLS, PALS)
- 🐛 Subscription model confusion and access issues
- 📱 Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
- 🔄 Lack of regular updates over extended periods
- ❌ Note-taking feature removed or non-functional
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 moreShow fewer
- Add a notes section
- Add more info to toxicology
- Improve content depth
- Fix orientation quirk
- Remove ad banner
palmEM AI
Reported bugs
8 issues- App crashes on latest iOS updates
- Subscription verification fails for previous owners
- Access denied despite full subscription status
- App does not load on iPad
- Note section disappeared after update
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Pages unable to open
- Blank content display
- Restore purchases feature not working properly
Requested features
8 requests- Add toxidromes section
- Photo support in note-taking function
- Swipe-back gesture for faster navigation
- Procedure images or video links
- Dark mode option
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Restore and improve note-taking functionality
- More detailed procedure guides
- Enhanced search capabilities
In-app purchases
Bedside EM
- Annual Subscription1 Month trial$9.991 Year
- Lifetime Access$199.99
palmEM AI
- Monthly Subscription$9.991 Month
- Monthly Subscription | Unlimited AI$9.991 Month
- Monthly Subscription$19.991 Month
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Monthly Subscription$29.991 Month
- Annual Subscription | Unlimited AI7 Days trial2 variants$99.991 Year









