# NIH BMI Calculator vs CDC

The clearest difference is update cadence: CDC at monthly against NIH BMI Calculator's every 30 months. CDC also leads on ratings volume (413 vs 51). NIH BMI Calculator's advantage is review sentiment (31% vs 22%) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 15.6). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 2.9 for NIH BMI Calculator against 2.9 for CDC. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CDC has 413 ratings behind it against 51, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 31% of NIH BMI Calculator's written reviews are positive against 22% of CDC's.

NIH BMI Calculator ships an update every 30 months, CDC monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NIH BMI Calculator | CDC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.9 (51 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nih-bmi-calculator/id446441346/reviews) | [2.9 (413 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cdc/id487847188/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 51 | **413** |
| Positive reviews | **30.7% of reviews** | 22.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 30 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 16 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute](https://appshunter.io/developer/446441350) | [Centers For Disease Control and Prevention](https://appshunter.io/developer/439259253) |

## What reviewers say

### NIH BMI Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nih-bmi-calculator/id446441346)

This tool helps screen for weight categories that may indicate potential health problems. It provides a fully functioning Body Mass Index calculator directly on your phone, along with access to valuable health resources.

**Highlights:** Body Mass Index calculation, Weight category screening, Access to NHLBI health resources, Downloadable phone application

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and straightforward
- ✅ Calculates BMI correctly
- 🔗 Links to helpful information
- 🚫 No ads
- 💯 Works as intended (when functional)

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Cannot key decimal points
- ❌ Unusable in metric mode
- ❌ App crashes/won't open
- ❌ Outdated and not maintained
- ❌ Ignores physical fitness/gender

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes immediately on launch
- App does not open
- Input fields non-responsive on active call
- App closes before loading
- App no longer works with latest iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Add decimal point input for weight
- Allow recording of daily weight and view as a graph
- Include gender input for BMI calculation
- Add option for recording daily exercise
- Add option for tallying fruit/vegetable intake


### CDC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cdc/id487847188)

Access the latest health information and news directly from the official source. Organize your home screen to prioritize what matters most and receive real-time updates. Explore a variety of content including disease data, videos, podcasts, and journal articles.

**Highlights:** Up-to-date health information, Customizable home screen, Disease case counts, Videos and podcasts, Journal articles, Searchable web content

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Informative and reliable health information
- 🚀 Easy to navigate and access data
- 👍 Useful for public health professionals and students

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- ⚠️ Outdated or inaccurate information, especially regarding COVID-19
- 🔒 Privacy and security concerns
- 👎 Lack of trust in the CDC due to political influence

**Reported bugs**

- Links within articles not working
- App freezing or not loading past the splash screen
- Symptom checker and other features not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Improved contact tracing tools
- More up-to-date and comprehensive disease data
- Better integration with other health apps and platforms
- Landscape mode support for tablets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NIH BMI Calculator free?

NIH BMI Calculator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CDC free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NIH BMI Calculator or CDC?

NIH BMI Calculator and CDC are both rated 2.9 out of 5 on the App Store, from 51 and 413 ratings respectively.

### Do NIH BMI Calculator or CDC have ads?

Neither NIH BMI Calculator nor CDC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NIH BMI Calculator or CDC?

NIH BMI Calculator ships an update every 30 months, and CDC monthly. Most recently, NIH BMI Calculator was updated on October 8, 2026 and CDC on October 13, 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.*