# PatientNow Essentials vs better connect

The clearest difference is update cadence: better connect at every 6 weeks against PatientNow Essentials's every 7 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

PatientNow Essentials ships an update every 7 months, better connect every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PatientNow Essentials | better connect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Size | 45 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Patient Now Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1469085301) | [Replika Software Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1269455608) |

## What reviewers say

### PatientNow Essentials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patientnow-essentials/id6475698078)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### better connect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/better-connect/id6654483467)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PatientNow Essentials free?

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

### Is better connect free?

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

### Do PatientNow Essentials or better connect have ads?

Neither PatientNow Essentials nor better connect shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PatientNow Essentials or better connect?

PatientNow Essentials ships an update every 7 months, and better connect every 6 weeks. Most recently, PatientNow Essentials was updated on October 8, 2026 and better connect on October 3, 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.*