Comparison

Bates' Pocket Guide vs Pass My Physical

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

Pass My Physical

This app helps manage your DOT physical exams, eliminating delays and preparing you for your next appointment. It provides important alerts for regulation changes and keeps your medical information secure and accessible.

Highlights
  • Eliminate exam delays
  • Prepare for medical exams
  • Receive regulation change alerts
  • Secure medical data access
  • Manage medical information
Features
Read full description

Pass My Physical Helps you: ELIMINATE MOST DELAYS Pass My Physical’s medical exam management mobile and web applications enable you to effectively eliminate most delays related to your DOT physical exam. PREPARE FOR YOUR EXAM The PMP mobile application will provide you with everything you need to prepare for your next exam. REGULAR MAINTENANCE Important alerts for proposed medical regulation changes and the need for updates to your medical information to make your next exam as easy as possible. SECURE ACCESS TO MEDICAL INFORMATION PMP’s secure data center keeps your data secure and conveniently at your finger tips when you need it.

Screenshots

Bates' Pocket Guide4 screens
Pass My Physical4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bates' Pocket Guide at 4.8 against Pass My Physical's 4.1. Bates' Pocket Guide also leads on ratings volume (304 vs 9) and device support (4 vs 2). Pass My Physical's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 and Pass My Physical sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bates' Pocket Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bates' Pocket Guide has 304 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 11 months, Pass My Physical every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Bates' Pocket Guide versus Pass My Physical: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBates' Pocket GuidePass My Physical
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (304 ratings) — better4.1 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews40.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings304 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 6 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB26 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperUnbound Medicine, Inc.Pass My Physical

Customer experience

Bates' Pocket Guide

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

Pass My Physical

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

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

Pass My Physical

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
10 purchases

Pass My Physical

One-time10
  • Anxiety Clearance Letter$0.99
  • Diabetes Clearance Letter$0.99
  • Generic Clearance Letter$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Hypertension Clearance Letter$0.99
  • Medication & Condition$0.99
  • Sleep Apnea Letter$0.99
  • Traumatic Brain Injury$0.99
  • Vision Needs Exam Letter$0.99
  • Stroke (Intracerebral)$0.99
  • Brain Bleed Clearance Letter$0.99

Questions

Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?
Bates' Pocket Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pass My Physical free?
Pass My Physical is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or Pass My Physical?
Bates' Pocket Guide is rated higher. Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 304 ratings, while Pass My Physical averages 4.1 from 9 ratings.
Do Bates' Pocket Guide or Pass My Physical have ads?
Neither Bates' Pocket Guide nor Pass My Physical shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or Pass My Physical?
Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 11 months, and Pass My Physical every 6 months. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on October 30, 2026 and Pass My Physical on October 29, 2026.

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