# Read by QxMD vs Elna

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Read by QxMD at 89% against Elna's 0%. Read by QxMD also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.0) and update cadence (monthly vs every 10 months). Elna's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). 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.

Read by QxMD holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Read by QxMD has 6K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of Read by QxMD's written reviews are positive against 0% of Elna's.

Read by QxMD ships an update monthly, Elna every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Read by QxMD | Elna |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-by-qxmd/id574041839/reviews)** | [3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elna/id6756270180/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **89.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 205 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [WebMD](https://appshunter.io/developer/295076332) | [Elna](https://appshunter.io/developer/1859674925) |

## 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


### Elna

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elna/id6756270180)

This clinical intelligence app provides doctors and nurses with quick, concise answers based on trusted medical sources and guidelines. It's designed for fast decision-making at the point of care, offering glanceable insights to support clinical judgment during busy shifts.

**Highlights:** Instant, glanceable answers, Evidence-grounded insights, Trusted medical sources, Mobile-first design, Fast decision-making support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**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 Elna free?

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

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

Read by QxMD is rated higher. Read by QxMD averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6K ratings, while Elna averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.

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

Read by QxMD shows ads; Elna does not.

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

Read by QxMD ships an update monthly, and Elna every 10 months. Most recently, Read by QxMD was updated on October 30, 2026 and Elna on October 24, 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.*