Comparison

Osmosis vs ClinicalKey

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

Head to head
About

Osmosis

This app helps medical students learn complex concepts faster and retain more information. It offers animated videos, flashcards, notes, and board-style questions to prepare for exams and build clinical skills.

Highlights
  • Animated medical videos
  • Spaced repetition flashcards
  • Board-style practice questions
  • Downloadable notes and videos
  • Clinical decision-making trees
  • Cross-platform syncing
Currently charting
Read full description

Struggling to understand medical concepts or prepare for the USMLE? Osmosis is the medical exam study app designed to help med students learn medicine faster, improve information retention and pass medical board exams with flying colours. Trusted by 8,000,000+ medical, nursing, PA, pharmacy and dental students, this medical learning app turns downtime into productive study time with an expansive library of medical videos, flashcards, quizzes, exam-style questions and more. Instead of memorizing isolated facts, Osmosis helps you learn how medical concepts connect - so that you can retain more information, study smarter and apply what you learn to exams and in clinical practice. And now, you can ask Osmosis AI for instant, evidence-based answers grounded in Elsevier medical textbooks and linked to Osmosis videos. Generate flashcards, quizzes, summaries and mnemonics on demand with AI so you never have to second-guess your source. EXAM PREP FOR EVERY US MEDICAL LICENSING EXAM • USMLE Step 1 & Step 2 • COMLEX-USA Level 1 & Level 2 • NCLEX-RN & NCLEX-PN • PANCE • ABFM / ABIM • UKMLA (UK) With Osmosis, everything in your medical studies connects so nothing gets lost. Flashcards, videos and notes work together to make every study session stress free and every exam prep hour more productive. Ready to learn smarter? DOWNLOAD today to start your FREE 7-DAY TRIAL. STUDY ANYWHERE, ANYTIME Download medical videos and exam questions for offline study on the commute, before rounds or between clinics. Sync across iPhone, iPad and web so you can learn wherever you are. WHY CHOOSE OSMOSIS? • 1000s of concise medical videos that simplify complex medical concepts and support visual learning • Medical flashcards that help you learn and retain key concepts, with concise explanations reviewed by medical experts • A custom quiz builder that transforms your study time so you can master medical material and ace your exams • Board-style practice exam questions with detailed explanations • 450+ high-yield summary notes with key points and diagrams from videos • Printable clinical decision-making trees to learn on the go • Spaced repetition guides what medical concepts to study next, focusing you on the areas where you need it the most YOUR ALL-IN-ONE MEDICAL LEARNING TOOLKIT From concept mastery to clinical reasoning, Osmosis turns complex medical material into clear, digestible learning experiences so that you can study with confidence and pass exams first time, every time. LEARN SMARTER Our videos and High-Yield medical study notes condense everything you need to learn and nothing you don't. Study efficiently and retain the medical knowledge that matters most for board exams and clinical practice. GET A PERSONALIZED, FLEXIBLE STUDY PLAN IN MINUTES Choose your learning goals and set your study hours, Osmosis handles the rest. Your daily study checklist shows which videos, exam questions and topics to learn each day. Add custom tasks like homework, practice exams and reminders to keep your medical studies on track. FOLLOW OSMOSIS ON SOCIAL: YouTube: youtube.com/osmosis TikTok: @learnbyosmosis Instagram: @osmosismed Facebook: @OsmoseIt X: twitter.com/OsmosisMed Bluesky: @osmosismed.bsky.social DOWNLOAD and start your FREE 7-DAY TRIAL today! Subscriptions are charged annually & automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before end of the current period. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Your iTunes Account will be charged the current annual subscription cost each year for renewal within 24-hours prior to end of current period. You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your iTunes Account Settings any time after purchase. Any free trial will be interrupted when a paid subscription is purchased. Terms: www.osmosis.org/terms Privacy policy: www.osmosis.org/privacy Contact support@osmosis.org with any account/purchase queries.

About

ClinicalKey

This app provides medical professionals with instant access to a vast library of clinical knowledge, including synoptic content and in-depth reference materials. It helps users stay updated on medical advancements, confirm diagnoses, and advance their research skills, all while offering CME/MOC/CE credits.

Highlights
  • Access to 30+ medical specialties
  • Synoptic content for quick answers
  • Full-text reference books and journals
  • Mobile-optimized medical calculators
  • Earn CME/MOC/CE credits
  • Intuitive search functionality
Read full description

INSTITUTIONAL SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED. Access the latest advances in clinical knowledge anytime, anywhere with ClinicalKey®- the essential resource for medical professionals. ClinicalKey combines the speed of synoptic content with the depth of a comprehensive clinical reference tool in one intuitive solution to provide clinicians trusted information in the moments that matter most. With ClinicalKey, you can: • Stay abreast of rapidly expanding clinical knowledge • Quickly confirm diagnosis and treatment information • Advance critical thinking skills and research Please note: To access our extensive content library, ensure you have a subscription to ClinicalKey from your organization. To get started: 1. Download the free ClinicalKey app for iOS on your iPad® or iPhone®. 2. Follow the prompts to connect to your organization’s account.The app will ask questions to get you to the right content. 3. Choose the method of access that is right for you: 4. Select Access via Network if you need a quick answer and your device is connected to your organization's network. 5. Select Access via Institution for other ways to connect. 6. Once you have gained access, create or sign- in to your Elsevier ClinicalKey user account to save favorites and earn CME/MOC/CE/MOC/CE. ClinicalKey® Because you want to find a better way to help your patients ClinicalKey combines the speed of synoptic content with the depth of a comprehensive clinical reference tool in one intuitive solution to give clinicians trusted information in the moments that matter. With the ClinicalKey, clinicians will be able to: • Enhance patient care with trusted resources and deep insights across 30+ specialties • Combine efficiency and confidence in your practice with access to quick answers and information that is continuously updated • Excel in your field by building foundational knowledge and keeping up with the latest trends through full-text reference books and journals, while earning free CME/MOC/CE credit • Stay abreast of rapidly expanding clinical knowledge • Quickly confirm diagnosis and treatment information • Advance critical thinking skills and research ClinicalKey App for iOS Features: • Trusted Comprehensive content covering more than 30 medical and surgical specialties • Easy-to-scan, clinically focused medical topic synopses • Intuitive search with auto-suggest/ • Easy search with auto-completion • Direct navigation to your favorite books and journals • Mobile-optimized medical calculators • Access to full-text books, full-text journals, guidelines, multimedia and more • Access via Institutional IP; individuals will not be able to earn CME/MOC/CE, save, or share content when using IP authentication. Please register for remote access via your institutional web version of ClinicalKey. ClinicalKey Registrants (non-IP) customers will enjoy: • Opportunity to earn CME and fulfill MOC requirements with the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) • Ability to favorite and save content • Option to print and email topics, videos or graphics • Earn and track free CME/MOC/CE credit Ability to favorite and save content Print and email topics, videos or graphics to patients and colleagues iPad and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the US and other countries.

Screenshots

Osmosis4 screens
ClinicalKey4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Osmosis at 47% against ClinicalKey's 9%. Osmosis also leads on chart position (#42 vs unranked). ClinicalKey's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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. Osmosis sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $16.99 per month. ClinicalKey asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Osmosis ships an update monthly, ClinicalKey every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Osmosis versus ClinicalKey: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOsmosisClinicalKey
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (3.9K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews47.4% of reviews — better8.8% of reviews
Number of ratings3.9K — better—
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#42 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.615.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size70 MB68 MB
Age rating17++12
DeveloperKnowledge DiffusionElsevier Inc.

Customer experience

Osmosis

All ratings3,884 ratings
Positive95.6%
Neutral1.7%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews234 reviews
Positive47.4%
Neutral15.8%
Negative36.8%

ClinicalKey

Written reviews102 reviews
Positive8.8%
Neutral4.9%
Negative86.3%

User reviews

Osmosis

From 3.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great study tool
  • 💡 Helpful videos and flashcards
  • 👍 Engaging and easy to understand content
  • 🚀 Efficient for on-the-go learning
  • 👍 Customizable study experience

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app with crashes and glitches
  • 🔋 Offline functionality issues
  • 👎 Limited features compared to website
  • 👎 Subscription confusion and billing issues
  • 👎 Slow and unresponsive app performance

ClinicalKey

From App Store reviews

What we love

  • 📚 High-quality, evidence-based clinical content
  • 🎯 Intuitive interface and quick reference format
  • 🔍 Similar functionality to website version
  • 👍 Browse feature restoration appreciated by users

Room to improve

  • 🔓 Constant forced logout issues
  • 🔐 Institutional login authentication failures
  • ⏳ App freezes and perpetual loading screens
  • 🚫 Missing textbook access in app vs website
  • 📵 Frequent crashes and force closures

Bugs and requests

Osmosis

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Verification email never sent
  • Videos won't play or keep restarting
  • Inability to access high-yield notes on app
  • Flashcards and quizzes not working properly
  • App getting stuck on loading/login screens

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add speech pathology to the platform
  • Provide Arabic subtitles for videos
  • Implement split-screen functionality
  • Allow editing of flashcards on mobile
  • Improve search and playlist features

ClinicalKey

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • App stuck on loading screen after initial login
  • Forced logout when closing or minimizing app
  • Institutional login not working despite web access
  • App crashes during search queries
  • OpenAthens authentication failures
Show 9 more
  • Network change warnings appearing incorrectly
  • Search results returning unrelated content
  • Textbook search not finding available books
  • App won't load after recent updates
  • Blank search results for valid queries
  • Scrolling in table of contents sidebar not functioning
  • Landscape orientation not supported
  • App doesn't remember page position when reopened
  • Restricted access to books after updates

Requested features

10 requests
  • PDF download capability within the app
  • Favorite/bookmark textbooks and articles
  • Landscape mode support for iPad
  • Find-on-page text search function
  • Automatic session persistence and page memory
Show 5 more
  • Text size and screen color customization
  • Fingerprint/passcode login option
  • Browse feature with category filtering
  • Offline access to downloaded materials
  • Feature parity with website version

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Osmosis

Subscriptions10
  • Osmosis Full Access Monthly$16.991 Month
  • Osmosis Suite Access Monthly$49.001 Month
  • Clinical Science 6 Month$129.006 Months
Show 7 more
  • Osmosis Suite Access 3 Month$149.003 Months
  • Basic Sciences Access 6 Month$179.006 Months
  • Osmosis Full Access 6 Month$179.996 Months
  • Osmosis Full Access Yearly$199.991 Year
  • Basic Sciences Access Yearly$199.991 Year
  • Osmosis Suite Access 6 Month$229.006 Months
  • Osmosis Suite Access Yearly$249.001 Year
None

ClinicalKey

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Osmosis free?
Osmosis is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ClinicalKey free?
ClinicalKey is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Osmosis or ClinicalKey have ads?
Neither Osmosis nor ClinicalKey shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Osmosis or ClinicalKey?
Osmosis ships an update monthly, and ClinicalKey every 5 weeks. Most recently, Osmosis was updated on November 10, 2026 and ClinicalKey on November 4, 2026.

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