# Read by QxMD vs MedSynapse

The clearest difference is ads: MedSynapse at none against Read by QxMD's shown. MedSynapse also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Read by QxMD's advantage is ratings volume (6K vs 76) and review sentiment (89% vs 67%). On price, rating, 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Read by QxMD against 4.7 for MedSynapse. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Read by QxMD has 6K ratings behind it against 76, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 89% of Read by QxMD's written reviews are positive against 67% of MedSynapse's.

Read by QxMD ships an update monthly, MedSynapse every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Read by QxMD | MedSynapse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-by-qxmd/id574041839/reviews)** | [4.7 (76 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medsynapse/id1554232596/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6K** | 76 |
| Positive reviews | **89.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 205 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [WebMD](https://appshunter.io/developer/295076332) | [MedSynapse](https://appshunter.io/developer/1554232598) |

## What reviewers say

### Read by QxMD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-by-qxmd/id574041839)

Access and organize the latest medical research and topic reviews in a personalized digital journal. Stay updated with new scientific findings and easily retrieve full-text PDFs from PubMed and other sources.

**Highlights:** Personalized digital medical journal, Access latest medical research, Read topic reviews, Search PubMed, Full-text PDF access, Organize article collection

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient access to latest research
- 👍 Customizable journal and keyword tracking
- 🔒 Institutional access integration
- 💡 Convenient PDF downloads
- 👍 Helpful for staying up-to-date

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Institutional access issues
- 💻 Lack of desktop/web version
- 🔍 Limited search and filtering options
- 📤 Difficulty sharing articles

**Reported bugs**

- Login and authentication problems
- Inconsistent app performance after updates
- Inability to access full-text articles
- Syncing issues between devices
- Unreliable article refresh functionality

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to annotate and highlight PDFs
- Improved article organization and collections
- Integration with reference managers (e.g. Zotero, Mendeley)
- Enhanced search and filtering capabilities


### MedSynapse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medsynapse/id1554232596)

Access the latest medical updates and engage in clinical discussions relevant to your specialty. This app offers online webinars and CME/CEU courses for convenient professional development. Connect, collaborate, and communicate with peers through a single mobile platform.

**Highlights:** Latest medical updates, Clinical discussions, Online webinars, CME/CEU courses, Connect with peers, Collaborate and communicate

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Read by QxMD free?

Read by QxMD is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is MedSynapse free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Read by QxMD or MedSynapse?

Read by QxMD is rated higher. Read by QxMD averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6K ratings, while MedSynapse averages 4.7 from 76 ratings.

### Do Read by QxMD or MedSynapse have ads?

Read by QxMD shows ads; MedSynapse does not.

### Which is updated more often, Read by QxMD or MedSynapse?

Read by QxMD ships an update monthly, and MedSynapse every 2 months. Most recently, Read by QxMD was updated on October 23, 2026 and MedSynapse on October 12, 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.*