Bates' Pocket Guide vs MSD Manual Consumer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Bates' Pocket Guide
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.
- 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
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*Featuring the latest content from the latest edition* ABOUT THE BATES' GUIDE: The Bates’ Pocket Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking contains the critical information needed to obtain a meaningful health history, conduct a thorough physical exam, and interpret the findings quickly and accurately. Locate answers fast and review step-by-step techniques and possible findings using the distinctive two-column format with updated images. Bates’ Pocket Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking is the ideal quick-reference resource for today’s medical, PA, pharmacy, and nursing students. FEATURES: • Over 130 detailed topics with step-by-step instructions • Updated photographs, illustrations, and references reinforce key content based on the latest evidence-based information • Two-column layout optimized for smartphones and tablets • New Algorithms provide helpful starting approaches for patients with common presenting symptoms. • Differential diagnoses for common, normal, and abnormal findings • Highlight and take notes within any entry • Advanced Search helps find topics quickly • “Favorites” for bookmarking important entries Authors: Lynn S. Bickley MD, FACP, Peter G. Szilagyi MD, MPH, Richard M. Hoffman MD, MPH, FACP, Rainier P. Soriano MD Publisher: Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Powered by: Unbound Medicine Unbound Privacy Policy: www.unboundmedicine.com/privacy Unbound Terms of Use: https://www.unboundmedicine.com/end_user_license_agreement
MSD Manual Consumer
Access clear, practical explanations for thousands of medical disorders, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments in everyday language. This app provides expert-written health information, including photos, illustrations, and animations, for on-the-go reference.
- Medical information in everyday language
- Explanations of disorders, symptoms, diagnoses, treatments
- Photos and illustrations
- Animations of diseases and treatments
- Interactive quizzes
- Medical news and commentary
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SPECIAL NOTES ABOUT DOWNLOAD *** Downloading this app is a 2-step process: the first step is a download of the app template, and the second step is a full download of app content. This can take up to 5 to 10 minutes. Please do not navigate away from the app until both steps have been completed. *** App Permissions Install Settings Note: • We do not collect or use any personal information. There are, however, some permissions necessary for the app to function properly. 1. Photos/Media/Files – This allows the app to store the medical content and multimedia for offline use without requiring the user to reload all the large content when the app updates. 2. Device and App History – This is used only to keep the app and content up to date. Developed especially for patients, caregivers, and families, this version of the MSD Manual medical information app is created just for you. Now with many new features and enhancements, the MSD Manual Consumer app is written in everyday language. This Consumer Version provides clear, practical explanations for thousands of medical disorders, including symptoms and what doctors do to diagnose and treat medical conditions. The trusted MSD Manual Consumer medical information app for on-the-go reference offers: • Health and medical information written and updated regularly by more than 350 medical experts • Topics searchable by symptom, diagnosis or treatment, all written in easy-to-understand language • Photos and Illustrations on thousands of disorders and diseases • Animations that visually demonstrate diseases and treatments • Interactive Quizzes* to test knowledge on health topics • Medical News and Commentary* covering the most current and important health topics • Editorials* written by top medical experts • Self-assessments* to check your health and fitness levels *Internet access needed. About MSD Manuals Our mission is simple: We believe that health information is a universal right and that every person is entitled to accurate, accessible and usable medical information. We have a responsibility to protect, preserve and share the best current medical information to enable more informed decisions, enhance relationships between patients and professionals, and improve health care outcomes around the world. That’s why we are making the MSD Manuals available for free in digital form to professionals and patients around the world. No registration or subscription required, and no ads. NOND-1179303-0001 04/16 This mobile application is intended for use outside the United States, its territories, Puerto Rico, and Canada only. For more information please read the End User License Agreement at https://www.msd.com/policy/terms-of-use/home.html For more information about our privacy practices, please see our privacy commitment at https://www.msdprivacy.com Adverse Event Reporting: In a country outside the United States, there may be specific procedures in place to address reports of adverse events. Please contact your local MSD office or local health authority for more information. For questions or help with the app, please contact msdmanualsinfo@msd.com
Screenshots
Verdict
Bates' Pocket Guide and MSD Manual Consumer both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of MSD Manual Consumer's written reviews are positive against 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's. MSD Manual Consumer also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 14 months). Bates' Pocket Guide's advantage is chart position (#181 vs unranked) and ratings volume (301 vs 42). On price, rating, 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
Both are free to download. Bates' Pocket Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MSD Manual Consumer asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Bates' Pocket Guide against 4.9 for MSD Manual Consumer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bates' Pocket Guide has 301 ratings behind it against 42, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's written reviews are positive against 100% of MSD Manual Consumer's.
Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, MSD Manual Consumer every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bates' Pocket Guide | MSD Manual Consumer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (301 ratings) | 4.9 (42 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 301 — better | 42 |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #181 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 205 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Unbound Medicine, Inc. | Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC |
Customer experience
Bates' Pocket Guide
MSD Manual Consumer
Bugs and requests
Bates' Pocket Guide
Reported bugs
9 issues- Sectional information is wrong
- Topics do not correlate to information
- Asterisk information is incorrect
- App information needs updating and reviewing
- Software is glitchy
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- Hard to navigate between topics
- Algorithm images are mismatched with titles
- Doesn't take Bates account
- Didn't work (iOS 7)
Requested features
5 requests- 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
MSD Manual Consumer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Bates' Pocket Guide
- Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed.$69.99
MSD Manual Consumer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?
Is MSD Manual Consumer free?
Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or MSD Manual Consumer?
Do Bates' Pocket Guide or MSD Manual Consumer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or MSD Manual Consumer?
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