Comparison

Bates' Pocket Guide vs IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference

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

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

*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

About

IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference

A pocket reference for medical, nursing, and paramedic students to review history and physical exam points. Includes guidance on taking patient histories, performing physical exams, and interpreting common medical investigations like EKGs and X-rays.

Highlights
  • History taking guidance
  • Physical exam procedures
  • EKG interpretation
  • X-ray interpretation
  • Medical calculators
  • Admission and discharge orders
Features
Read full description

Have you ever wished you could carry your history and physical exam notes in your pocket? Now you can with Inspect, Palpate, Percuss, Auscultate (IPPA)! IPPA was designed by a senior medical student for beginner to intermediate medical students, nursing students, paramedic students, and other healthcare students as a reference for reviewing history and physical exam points prior to clinical encounters throughout their training. The app contains all you'll need in your early years of training in order to take a complete history and do a complete physical, plus bonus investigation interpretation including, but not limited to, EKGs, chest and hand X-Rays, admission orders, calculators, and more. 1) History Section - Contains tips on starting the interview, the chief complaint, identifying data, HPI, past medical and surgical history, medications and allergies, social history, family history, pediatric history, obstetric and gynecological history, and psychiatric history. 2) Physical Exam Section - The physical exam section contains tips on beginning the exam, making general observations, vitals and measurements, assessing the skin/hair/nails, head/ears/eyes/nose/throat, thyroid, pulmonary and thorax, neck and lymph nodes, cardiovascular, breasts, abdomen, male and female genitalia, musculoskeletal, nervous, and hematological systems, as well as pediatric, and newborn patients as well as the diabetic foot exam. 3) Tools & Labs Section - This section contains tips on admission and discharge orders, progress notes, discharge summaries, chest and hand x-ray interpretation, electrocardiogram interpretation, information on local anesthetics, and calculators. More will be added to this section periodically. Please send us feedback pertaining to things you think would be handy to have in your pocket and we'll add them to the application. Send suggestions to ippaapp@gmail.com. Please note the contents of this application are not medical advice and should not be treated as such. All information within this app, including medication dosages, should be confirmed by a licensed health care professional and should not be used for patient care. Please consult with a physician or other professional health provider prior to making any decision, or undertaking any actions related to any health problem that you or a patient may have.

Screenshots

Bates' Pocket Guide4 screens
IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bates' Pocket Guide at 4.8 against IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference's 3.0. Bates' Pocket Guide also leads on ratings volume (304 vs 1) and device support (4 vs 2). IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (75% vs 41%). On price and ads 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. Bates' Pocket Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bates' Pocket Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bates' Pocket Guide has 304 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's written reviews are positive against 75% of IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 11 months, IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Bates' Pocket Guide versus IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBates' Pocket GuideIPPA History and Physical Exam Reference
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (304 ratings) — better3.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews40.9% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings304 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.3 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB19 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperUnbound Medicine, Inc.Daniel Meyer

Customer experience

Bates' Pocket Guide

All ratings304 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive40.9%
Neutral13.6%
Negative45.5%

IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative0.0%

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
Show 4 more
  • 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

IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Bates' Pocket Guide

One-time1
  • Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed.$69.99
None

IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?
Bates' Pocket Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference free?
IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference?
Bates' Pocket Guide is rated higher. Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 304 ratings, while IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Bates' Pocket Guide or IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference have ads?
Neither Bates' Pocket Guide nor IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference?
Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 11 months, and IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference every 3 months. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on November 8, 2026 and IPPA History and Physical Exam Reference on November 2, 2026.

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