# eMPendium vs MedCalX

The clearest difference is review sentiment: eMPendium at 82% against MedCalX's 46%. eMPendium also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (13 vs 17.0). MedCalX's advantage is rating (3.8 vs 3.4) and ratings volume (31 vs 5). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MedCalX sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. eMPendium asks for nothing beyond the download.

MedCalX holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MedCalX has 31 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 82% of eMPendium's written reviews are positive against 46% of MedCalX's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

eMPendium ships an update every 3 months, MedCalX every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | eMPendium | MedCalX |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empendium/id440460559/reviews) | **[3.8 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medcalx/id1041464932/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **31** |
| Positive reviews | **82.4% of reviews** | 45.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 17 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [MEDYCYNA PRAKTYCZNA SP Z O O](https://appshunter.io/developer/1797658051) | [Ossus GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/286022405) |

## What reviewers say

### eMPendium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/empendium/id440460559)

This modular medical application provides access to a comprehensive Polish drug reference, a digital handbook of internal diseases, and classifications for medical procedures and diseases. It also includes expert commentary, medical calculators, news, and clinical guidelines for healthcare professionals.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive Polish Drug Reference, Digital Handbook of Internal Diseases, ICD-10 and ICD-9 Classifications, Expert Medical Commentary, Medical Calculators, Medical News and Guidelines

**In-app purchases:** none


### MedCalX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medcalx/id1041464932)

This medical calculator app provides healthcare professionals with a comprehensive tool for complex medical formulas, scores, and classifications. It offers an extensive library of over 300 medical calculations, patient management features, and sharing capabilities.

**Highlights:** Extensive medical formula library (300+), Patient management and data saving, Customizable workflows, Multiple result sharing options, Detailed information and references, US and SI unit support, iCloud synchronization for favorites

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MedCalc 3 Upgrade | Free | one-time |
| Doximity Registration | Free | one-time |
| MedCalX Unlock | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 📱 Comprehensive collection of medical formulas and scores
- 🚀 Fast calculations and quick access
- 📚 Includes PubMed links and background information
- 🌍 Multi-language support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paywalls for previously free calculators
- 🔄 Forced paid upgrades for existing users
- ❌ Missing many important medical scores
- ⏱️ Infrequent updates and maintenance
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- App crashes when taking patient photos
- App fails to open or becomes unresponsive
- Unable to restore previous purchases
- Doximity unlock feature not working

**Requested features**

- SCORE2 and other modern cardiovascular risk scores
- TRiP(cast) score
- Valve disease calculations
- Pediatric medication dosing calculators
- Electrolyte and fluid replacement calculations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is eMPendium free?

eMPendium is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is MedCalX free?

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

### Which has better reviews, eMPendium or MedCalX?

MedCalX is rated higher. eMPendium averages 3.4 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while MedCalX averages 3.8 from 31 ratings.

### Do eMPendium or MedCalX have ads?

Neither eMPendium nor MedCalX shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, eMPendium or MedCalX?

eMPendium ships an update every 3 months, and MedCalX every 5 months. Most recently, eMPendium was updated on October 24, 2026 and MedCalX on October 24, 2026.

---

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