Comparison

TOXBASE vs COSA

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

Head to head
About

TOXBASE

This clinical toxicology database offers healthcare professionals comprehensive advice on poisoning features and management. It provides detailed information on various toxins and clear, evidence-based treatment guidance. The app is designed for quick reference and can be used offline.

Highlights
  • Detailed poisons information
  • Traffic light triaging system
  • Point-by-point treatment advice
  • Evidence-based and peer-reviewed
  • Offline database access
  • 24/7 updated information
Read full description

TOXBASE® is the clinical toxicology database of the UK National Poisons Information Service, providing advice on the features and management of poisoning. Monographs are designed to be used by healthcare professionals involved in the management of poisoned patients. TOXBASE is freely available for users who are able to register using an NHS, MOD, ac.uk or UKHSA domain email address. If your domain is not accepted contact mail@toxbase.org for assistance and information. Key application features * detailed poisons information on industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, household products, plants and animal toxins * easy to follow traffic light system for triaging poisoned patients * point by point treatment advice which is clear and concise, evidence-based, peer-reviewed and updated 24/7 * no internet connection is required to search the database (although internet connection may be required to access all information on some entries) How the app works After download, users complete a registration form and receive an email containing a verification link. Once verified users will be able to use their login for the TOXBASE app and also for TOXBASE online at www.toxbase.org Account renewal is required annually. Disclaimer The information on the TOXBASE App is designed for healthcare professionals and requires expert clinical interpretation. Users are strongly advised to always discuss cases with their local experts in poisons management and should not solely rely on the App to make medical decisions. Users are required to accept our End User License Agreement before using the app. All material on TOXBASE is subject to UK Crown copyright protection.

About

COSA

Access essential drug information and advanced patient resources. This app provides a portion of licensed drug data from a leading healthcare information provider, based on industry-standard databases.

Highlights
  • Essential drug information
  • Advanced patient resources
  • Licensed drug data
  • Industry-standard databases
  • Physician-focused resources
Features
Read full description

Find essential drug information & advanced patient resources. Physicians Office Resource licenses drug information data from First DataBank and provides a portion of it as a free service to its physician-users. First DataBank is the leading provider of electronic drug information to the healthcare industry. Based on the widely accepted industry standard — the National Drug Data File® — NDDF Plus databases are backed by the most clinically verifiable evidence gathered to date.

Screenshots

TOXBASE4 screens
COSA4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: COSA at 3.7 against TOXBASE's 1.0. COSA also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 6 months). TOXBASE's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price 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. TOXBASE sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. COSA asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

COSA holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TOXBASE ships an update every 6 months, COSA every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
TOXBASE versus COSA: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTOXBASECOSA
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings)3.7 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews20.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.511.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size413 MB28 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperNHS LothianMEDICAL EDUCATION RESOURCES, LLC

Customer experience

TOXBASE

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews39 reviews
Positive20.5%
Neutral2.6%
Negative76.9%

COSA

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TOXBASE

One-time1
  • 1 year subscription$6.99
None

COSA

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TOXBASE free?
TOXBASE is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is COSA free?
COSA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, TOXBASE or COSA?
COSA is rated higher. TOXBASE averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while COSA averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do TOXBASE or COSA have ads?
COSA shows ads; TOXBASE does not.
Which is updated more often, TOXBASE or COSA?
TOXBASE ships an update every 6 months, and COSA every 3 months. Most recently, TOXBASE was updated on September 21, 2026 and COSA on September 10, 2026.

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