# ECHO Application vs USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ECHO Application at none against USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026's 9. USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026's advantage is update cadence (every 5 months vs every 12 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026 sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per 7 days. ECHO Application asks for nothing beyond the download.

ECHO Application ships an update every 12 months, USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026 every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ECHO Application | USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Size | 43 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ajay Vaidya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1514064236) | [Exam Prep OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1689642184) |

## What reviewers say

### ECHO Application

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/echo-application/id6471488790)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usmle-step-1-exam-prep-2026/id6744525668)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| USMLE Weekly Full Access | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| USMLE Monthly Full Access | $24.99 | per month |
| USMLE Monthly Full Access | $24.99 | per month |
| USMLE Quarterly Full Access | $55.99 | per 3 months |
| USMLE Quarterly Full Access | $55.99 | per 3 months |
| USMLE Semiannual Full Access | $75.99 | per 6 months |
| USMLE Semiannual Full Access | $75.99 | per 6 months |
| USMLE Annual Full Access | $109.99 | per year |
| USMLE Annual Full Access | $109.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ECHO Application free?

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

### Is USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026 free?

USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do ECHO Application or USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026 have ads?

Neither ECHO Application nor USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ECHO Application or USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026?

ECHO Application ships an update every 12 months, and USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026 every 5 months. Most recently, ECHO Application was updated on October 5, 2026 and USMLE Step 1 Exam Prep 2026 on September 26, 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.*