# Patient Access vs NHS App

The clearest difference is rating: Patient Access at 4.8 against NHS App's 2.7. Patient Access also leads on ratings volume (983 vs 75). NHS App's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Patient Access holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Patient Access has 983 ratings behind it against 75, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of Patient Access's written reviews are positive against 21% of NHS App's.

Patient Access ships an update every 2 months, NHS App every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Patient Access | NHS App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (983 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patient-access/id612905214/reviews)** | [2.7 (75 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nhs-app/id1388411277/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **983** | 75 |
| Positive reviews | **22.3% of reviews** | 21.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 77 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Patient.co.uk](https://appshunter.io/developer/492677473) | [NHS Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/1046466218) |

## What reviewers say

### Patient Access

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patient-access/id612905214)

Access healthcare services, book appointments, and order repeat prescriptions. Explore local pharmacy services and find patient information. Manage your health and connect with your GP.

**Highlights:** Book GP appointments, Order repeat prescriptions, Explore local pharmacy services, Search symptoms and find information, Self-refer to NHS services, View medical record, Message your GP

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### NHS App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nhs-app/id1388411277)

Access a range of NHS services securely from your smartphone or tablet. Request repeat prescriptions, view test results, manage appointments, and receive messages from your GP surgery. You can also manage services for others if granted access.

**Highlights:** Request repeat prescriptions, View test results, Manage appointments, Access 111 online, Find nearby NHS services, Manage health for others, Receive messages from GP surgery

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Useful for repeat prescriptions
- 🚀 Helpful for accessing health records
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient way to manage appointments

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent login issues
- 🐛 Unreliable app functionality
- 🐛 Missing important medical data
- 🐛 Buggy after updates
- 👎 Difficult to change registered details

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to log in after recent update
- Blank screens and loading issues
- Incorrect or missing appointment details
- Syncing problems with GP records

**Requested features**

- Ability to book appointments directly
- Improved integration with other health apps
- Inclusion of full medical history
- Persistent login and biometric support
- Notification system for prescription status


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Patient Access free?

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

### Is NHS App free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Patient Access or NHS App?

Patient Access is rated higher. Patient Access averages 4.8 out of 5 from 983 ratings, while NHS App averages 2.7 from 75 ratings.

### Do Patient Access or NHS App have ads?

Neither Patient Access nor NHS App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Patient Access or NHS App?

Patient Access ships an update every 2 months, and NHS App every 3 weeks. Most recently, Patient Access was updated on September 23, 2026 and NHS App on September 22, 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.*