# Bates' Pocket Guide vs ViewMedica

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ViewMedica at none against Bates' Pocket Guide's 1. ViewMedica also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and update cadence (every 7 months vs every 14 months). Bates' Pocket Guide's advantage is ratings volume (302 vs 2). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bates' Pocket Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ViewMedica asks for nothing beyond the download.

ViewMedica holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bates' Pocket Guide has 302 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, ViewMedica every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bates' Pocket Guide | ViewMedica |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (302 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bates-pocket-guide/id650795652/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viewmedica/id1120300417/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **302** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 7 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 10 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) | [Swarm Interactive, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/515376079) |

## What reviewers say

### Bates' Pocket Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bates-pocket-guide/id650795652)

This app provides essential information for obtaining health histories and conducting physical exams. It features step-by-step techniques, updated images, and differential diagnoses for quick and accurate interpretation of findings. Ideal for students and professionals needing a fast reference.

**Highlights:** Over 130 detailed topics, Step-by-step instructions, Updated photographs and illustrations, Two-column layout, New Algorithms for symptom approaches, Differential diagnoses, Highlighting and note-taking, Advanced search

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed. | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Reliable reference
- 🖼️ Helpful pictures for diagnosis
- 📚 Good for quick reference
- 💡 Easy to understand and logical format
- 🎯 Useful for clinicals and easy to maneuver

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Overpriced app
- 🔄 Outdated software
- 🖱️ Not user-friendly navigation
- 💸 Repeated payments required
- ❌ Incorrect information/algorithms

**Reported bugs**

- Sectional information is wrong
- Topics do not correlate to information
- Asterisk information is incorrect
- App information needs updating and reviewing
- Software is glitchy

**Requested features**

- Update and review app information for accuracy
- Improve content layout and navigation
- Offer better preview options before purchase
- Provide discounts for existing textbook/resource owners
- Clarify product offerings to avoid buyer confusion


### ViewMedica

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viewmedica/id1120300417)

Access a library of award-winning patient education videos to explain complex medical information. Healthcare professionals can use these visual aids to enhance patient understanding of conditions and procedures. The app allows for annotation and saving of video frames.

**Highlights:** Access patient education videos, Print related brochures, Draw on video frames, Save annotated images, Favorite frequently used videos

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?

Bates' Pocket Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ViewMedica free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or ViewMedica?

ViewMedica is rated higher. Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 302 ratings, while ViewMedica averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Bates' Pocket Guide or ViewMedica have ads?

Neither Bates' Pocket Guide nor ViewMedica shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or ViewMedica?

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, and ViewMedica every 7 months. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on October 21, 2026 and ViewMedica on September 24, 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.*