# SMARTMD vs Backline+

The clearest difference is rating: SMARTMD at 4.7 against Backline+'s 2.4. SMARTMD also leads on review sentiment (54% vs 25%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

SMARTMD holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SMARTMD has 265 ratings behind it against 33, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of SMARTMD's written reviews are positive against 25% of Backline+'s.

SMARTMD ships an update every 2 weeks, Backline+ monthly. Both last shipped on October 4, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMARTMD | Backline+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (265 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartmd/id578624369/reviews)** | [2.4 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backline-plus/id827626241/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **265** | 33 |
| Positive reviews | **53.8% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 74 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [SMARTMD Corp](https://appshunter.io/developer/578624372) | [Diagnotes Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/827626244) |

## What reviewers say

### SMARTMD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartmd/id578624369)

This app provides HIPAA-compliant tools for medical professionals to document patient visits, dictate reports, and manage referrals. It integrates with existing EHR systems and offers offline functionality for documenting encounters, capturing charges, and recording quality measures while on the go.

**Highlights:** HIPAA-compliant documentation, EHR schedule integration, Medical transcription, EHR scribing, Cloud file sharing, Referral management, Offline functionality

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Backline+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backline-plus/id827626241)

This HIPAA-compliant platform offers real-time collaboration and workflow automation for healthcare professionals. It centralizes communications and provides virtual patient rooms to enhance care team coordination and improve efficiency.

**Highlights:** Real-time collaboration, Workflow automation, Secure messaging, HIPAA-compliant, Virtual patient rooms, Centralized communications

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SMARTMD free?

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

### Is Backline+ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SMARTMD or Backline+?

SMARTMD is rated higher. SMARTMD averages 4.7 out of 5 from 265 ratings, while Backline+ averages 2.4 from 33 ratings.

### Do SMARTMD or Backline+ have ads?

Neither SMARTMD nor Backline+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SMARTMD or Backline+?

SMARTMD ships an update every 2 weeks, and Backline+ monthly. Most recently, SMARTMD was updated on October 4, 2026 and Backline+ on October 4, 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.*