# CDC vs NIH

The clearest difference is ads: CDC at none against NIH's shown. CDC also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). NIH's advantage is iOS requirement (13.1 vs 15.6). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CDC ships an update monthly, NIH every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CDC | NIH |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.9 (413 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cdc/id487847188/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **413** | — |
| Positive reviews | 22.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 38 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Centers For Disease Control and Prevention](https://appshunter.io/developer/439259253) | [Incelligence, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1272267051) |

## What reviewers say

### 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- ⚠️ Outdated or inaccurate information, especially regarding COVID-19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


### NIH

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nih-diabetes-glossary/id1525266144)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CDC free?

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

### Is NIH free?

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

### Do CDC or NIH have ads?

NIH shows ads; CDC does not.

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

CDC ships an update monthly, and NIH every 3 months. Most recently, CDC was updated on October 22, 2026 and NIH on October 5, 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.*