Comparison

STAT!Ref vs Bates' Pocket Guide

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Cross-searchable medical resources
  • Bookmark specific paragraphs
  • Instant medical term definitions
  • Text-to-Speech functionality
  • Evidence Alerts and news feeds
  • Customizable content access
Features
Read full description

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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

*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

STAT!Ref4 screens
Bates' Pocket Guide4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Bates' Pocket Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. STAT!Ref asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
STAT!Ref versus Bates' Pocket Guide: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSTAT!RefBates' Pocket Guide
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.8 (5 ratings)4.8 (301 ratings) — better
Positive reviews36.4% of reviews40.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings5301 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 14 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#195 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.515.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB10 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperTeton Data SystemsUnbound Medicine, Inc.

Customer experience

STAT!Ref

All ratings5 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive36.4%
Neutral18.2%
Negative45.5%

Bates' Pocket Guide

All ratings301 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive40.9%
Neutral13.6%
Negative45.5%

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
Show 4 more
  • 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

None

STAT!Ref

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Bates' Pocket Guide

One-time1
  • Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed.$69.99

Questions

Is STAT!Ref free?
STAT!Ref is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?
Bates' Pocket Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, STAT!Ref or Bates' Pocket Guide?
Bates' Pocket Guide is rated higher. STAT!Ref averages 2.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 from 301 ratings.
Do STAT!Ref or Bates' Pocket Guide have ads?
Neither STAT!Ref nor Bates' Pocket Guide shows ads.
Which is updated more often, STAT!Ref or Bates' Pocket Guide?
STAT!Ref ships an update every 3 months, and Bates' Pocket Guide every 14 months. Most recently, STAT!Ref was updated on October 1, 2026 and Bates' Pocket Guide on October 13, 2026.

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