STAT!Ref vs Bates' Pocket Guide
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
STAT!Ref
Access a vast library of evidence-based medical resources on your mobile device. Search across hundreds of titles, bookmark key information, and define medical terms instantly. Features text-to-speech and news alerts for the latest healthcare updates.
- Cross-searchable medical resources
- Bookmark specific paragraphs
- Instant medical term definitions
- Text-to-Speech functionality
- Evidence Alerts and news feeds
- Customizable content access
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PLEASE NOTE: Access to an existing STAT!Ref Online subscription is required in order to use this app. STAT!Ref is a reputable healthcare e-resource enabling users to intuitively cross-search full-text, evidence-based and authoritative resources. With 300+ resources currently offered in over 50 healthcare disciplines, STAT!Ref provides the latest healthcare information in a customizable and convenient format. STAT!Ref is used by millions of professionals and over 90% of medical universities. This free app ensures that iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch users will get the most from STAT!Ref database content, provided courtesy of your library. STAT!Ref Mobile enables you to: • Access all of your core STAT!Ref content in a convenient format designed specifically for your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. • Search your library's entire database, or search only in a specific title. • Bookmark specific paragraphs so you can quickly find that exact spot again later. • Quickly define unknown medical terminology using your included medical dictionary simply by highlighting the word and tapping "Define". • Quickly jump around large documents using the local "Contents" panel. • Pick up right where you left off, even after the application is closed. • Listen while your device reads the text to you aloud using Text-to-Speech. • View the latest Evidence Alerts and Reuters® Medical News Feed articles, and optionally receive push notifications when new articles become available. Use Your Preferences Account as a Temporary STAT!Ref Login If you do not have a username and password for your STAT!Ref subscription, you can set up your Preferences Account as a temporary STAT!Ref login username and password in order to access STAT!Ref from mobile devices or from home. This may be useful if you normally log in to STAT!Ref using IP based authentication or a proxy server. Log in to STAT!Ref as you normally do, log in to your Preferences and activate the login as a temporary full login account under the "Temporary Login Account" tab.
Bates' Pocket Guide
This app provides essential information for obtaining health histories and conducting physical exams. It features step-by-step techniques, updated images, and differential diagnoses for quick and accurate interpretation of findings. Ideal for students and professionals needing a fast reference.
- Over 130 detailed topics
- Step-by-step instructions
- Updated photographs and illustrations
- Two-column layout
- New Algorithms for symptom approaches
- Differential diagnoses
- Highlighting and note-taking
- Advanced search
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*Featuring the latest content from the latest edition* ABOUT THE BATES' GUIDE: The Bates’ Pocket Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking contains the critical information needed to obtain a meaningful health history, conduct a thorough physical exam, and interpret the findings quickly and accurately. Locate answers fast and review step-by-step techniques and possible findings using the distinctive two-column format with updated images. Bates’ Pocket Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking is the ideal quick-reference resource for today’s medical, PA, pharmacy, and nursing students. FEATURES: • Over 130 detailed topics with step-by-step instructions • Updated photographs, illustrations, and references reinforce key content based on the latest evidence-based information • Two-column layout optimized for smartphones and tablets • New Algorithms provide helpful starting approaches for patients with common presenting symptoms. • Differential diagnoses for common, normal, and abnormal findings • Highlight and take notes within any entry • Advanced Search helps find topics quickly • “Favorites” for bookmarking important entries Authors: Lynn S. Bickley MD, FACP, Peter G. Szilagyi MD, MPH, Richard M. Hoffman MD, MPH, FACP, Rainier P. Soriano MD Publisher: Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Powered by: Unbound Medicine Unbound Privacy Policy: www.unboundmedicine.com/privacy Unbound Terms of Use: https://www.unboundmedicine.com/end_user_license_agreement
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Bates' Pocket Guide at 4.8 against STAT!Ref's 2.8. Bates' Pocket Guide also leads on ratings volume (301 vs 5) and chart position (#195 vs unranked). STAT!Ref's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 14 months). On price, review sentiment, 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
Both are free to download. Bates' Pocket Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. STAT!Ref asks for nothing beyond the download.
Bates' Pocket Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bates' Pocket Guide has 301 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of STAT!Ref's written reviews are positive against 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's.
STAT!Ref ships an update every 3 months, Bates' Pocket Guide every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | STAT!Ref | Bates' Pocket Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.8 (5 ratings) | 4.8 (301 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 36.4% of reviews | 40.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 301 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 14 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #195 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Teton Data Systems | Unbound Medicine, Inc. |
Customer experience
STAT!Ref
Bates' Pocket Guide
Bugs and requests
STAT!Ref
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Bates' Pocket Guide
Reported bugs
9 issues- Sectional information is wrong
- Topics do not correlate to information
- Asterisk information is incorrect
- App information needs updating and reviewing
- Software is glitchy
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- Hard to navigate between topics
- Algorithm images are mismatched with titles
- Doesn't take Bates account
- Didn't work (iOS 7)
Requested features
5 requests- Update and review app information for accuracy
- Improve content layout and navigation
- Offer better preview options before purchase
- Provide discounts for existing textbook/resource owners
- Clarify product offerings to avoid buyer confusion
In-app purchases
STAT!Ref
No in-app purchases
Bates' Pocket Guide
- Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed.$69.99
Questions
Is STAT!Ref free?
Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?
Which has better reviews, STAT!Ref or Bates' Pocket Guide?
Do STAT!Ref or Bates' Pocket Guide have ads?
Which is updated more often, STAT!Ref or Bates' Pocket Guide?
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