Comparison

Bates' Pocket Guide vs ECG FlashCards

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
Currently charting
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

ECG FlashCards

This app provides quick reference ECGs of cardiac arrhythmias for medical professionals. It's designed for emergency situations or exam preparation, focusing on rhythm strips to avoid confusion. Users should have basic ECG knowledge.

Highlights
  • ECG reference for cardiac arrhythmias
  • Focus on rhythm strips (lead II)
  • Covers conduction abnormalities
  • Ideal for emergencies
  • Useful for exam revision
Features
Read full description

Ever got confused with atrial flutter and fibrillation? What is the difference between Mobitz type I and II? The ECGs of cardiac arrhythmias are very confusing. Particularly so in Emergencies. This app contains ECGs of all types of cardiac arrhythmias for immediate reference. To avoid confusion all the ECGs are taken from rhythm strip (lead II), as we look for rhythm only in these ECGs. If you have any issues, please notify me to the mail id provided. This app is intended for medics who already have some basic knowledge about ECG and its terminology. Its main purpose is to provide reference ECGs of arrhythmias in emergency situation or rapid revision of the topic for those preparing for exams. Do not expect detailed explanation for the ECGs. There are totally 46 ECGs related to conduction abnormalities. Hope this app will be helpful to you. And please do leave a rating in the store! For beta testing or receiving promotional codes for paid apps, please visit our website https://goo.gl/qFwhna Note: The app looks better in landscape. Keep your mobile in autorotation mode.

Screenshots

Bates' Pocket Guide4 screens
ECG FlashCards2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bates' Pocket Guide at 4.8 against ECG FlashCards's 3.5. Bates' Pocket Guide also leads on review sentiment (41% vs 0%) and ratings volume (300 vs 4). ECG FlashCards's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bates' Pocket Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bates' Pocket Guide has 300 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's written reviews are positive against 0% of ECG FlashCards's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, ECG FlashCards every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Bates' Pocket Guide versus ECG FlashCards: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBates' Pocket GuideECG FlashCards
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (300 ratings) — better3.5 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews40.9% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings300 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 13 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#198 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB13 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperUnbound Medicine, Inc.Sree Hari Reddy Gadekallu

Customer experience

Bates' Pocket Guide

All ratings300 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive40.9%
Neutral13.6%
Negative45.5%

ECG FlashCards

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral33.3%
Negative66.7%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Bates' Pocket Guide

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

ECG FlashCards

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?
Bates' Pocket Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ECG FlashCards free?
ECG FlashCards is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or ECG FlashCards?
Bates' Pocket Guide is rated higher. Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 300 ratings, while ECG FlashCards averages 3.5 from 4 ratings.
Do Bates' Pocket Guide or ECG FlashCards have ads?
Neither Bates' Pocket Guide nor ECG FlashCards shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or ECG FlashCards?
Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, and ECG FlashCards every 13 months. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on September 23, 2026 and ECG FlashCards on June 4, 2026.

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