Comparison

Patient Access vs sum

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

Head to head
About

Patient Access

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
Read full description

Patient Access connects you to healthcare services when you need them most. Book GP appointments, order repeat prescriptions and explore your local pharmacy services. NEW: You can now create a Patient Access account without linking to your UK GP practice and enjoy the following features: • If you’re feeling under the weather, search for symptoms and find patient information articles • Self-refer to NHS services such as talking therapies, sexual health, antenatal care and drug and alcohol addiction services • Choose from over 30 services provided by your local community pharmacy and book in the app • Access and read medical advice and healthy living tips from the experts • Sign in quickly, easily and securely with Touch or Face ID • Swiftly check if you can link to your GP If you are able to link your Patient Access account to your GP practice, you can also get access to the following features where they are made available by your practice: • Book face-to-face or remote online appointments with your GP, nurse or clinician at a time that suits you • Request repeat prescriptions online, with convenient delivery to your preferred pharmacy • View your medical record, including test results, immunisations and allergies • Securely share your medical record with healthcare professionals of your choosing, without the need to contact your practice • Look after your loved ones and act on their behalf to book appointments and repeat prescriptions • Message your GP directly from within Patient Access at home or on the move • Where your practice has enabled it, book a remote video consultation with your GP, nurse or clinician You must be a registered patient at a participating practice to use the GP-linked features in Patient Access.

About

sum

Features
Read full description

sum – Your Pocket Companion for Calm and Growth Take a moment. Breathe. You’ve got this. sum is designed to help you navigate overwhelming thoughts, anxiety, and everyday stress through simple, effective tools you can use anytime, anywhere. Find Your Calm Access guided breathing exercises and grounding techniques that help you slow down, refocus, and feel more in control—whether you're at home, at work, or on the go. Build Healthy Habits Learn to manage your thoughts and emotions with practical techniques rooted in mindfulness and self-awareness. Grow With Your Pet You’re not alone on this journey. As you take care of your mental well-being, you’ll earn XP and help your virtual pet grow, evolve, and thrive alongside you. Stay Motivated Turn self-care into a rewarding experience. The more you show up for yourself, the more your progress comes to life. Simple. Supportive. Effective. No pressure. No judgment. Just tools that help you feel better, one step at a time. Start your journey today—because taking care of your mind matters.

Screenshots

Patient Access4 screens
sum3 screens

Verdict

The call

Patient Access and sum are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Patient Access ships an update every 2 months, sum every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Patient Access versus sum: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPatient Accesssum
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (982 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews22.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings982 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size78 MB185 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperPatient.co.ukharry harrison

In-app purchases

None

Patient Access

No in-app purchases

None

sum

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Patient Access free?
Patient Access is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is sum free?
sum is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Patient Access or sum have ads?
Neither Patient Access nor sum shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Patient Access or sum?
Patient Access ships an update every 2 months, and sum every 5 weeks. Most recently, Patient Access was updated on October 19, 2026 and sum on October 15, 2026.

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