# Bates' Pocket Guide vs Explain Medicine

The clearest difference is rating: Bates' Pocket Guide at 4.8 against Explain Medicine's 4.2. Bates' Pocket Guide also leads on ratings volume (300 vs 13) and chart position (#198 vs unranked). Explain Medicine's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 14 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Bates' Pocket Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bates' Pocket Guide has 300 ratings behind it against 13, 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 33% of Explain Medicine's.

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, Explain Medicine every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bates' Pocket Guide | Explain Medicine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (300 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bates-pocket-guide/id650795652/reviews)** | [4.2 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explain-medicine/id1356577412/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **300** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | **40.9% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#198** | — |
| Size | 10 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) | [Medical Joyworks LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/803816939) |

## What reviewers say

### Bates' Pocket Guide

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

**Currently charting:** #198 Top Grossing · Medical (US App Store)

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 |


### Explain Medicine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/explain-medicine/id1356577412)

A quick medical reference for professionals and students, offering evidence-based explanations for over 700 diseases. Ideal for rapid information retrieval during rounds or exam preparation.

**Highlights:** Medical reference for professionals, Explanations for over 700 diseases, Evidence-based information, Fast and easy to use, Designed for students, Quick answers for rounds

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**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 Explain Medicine free?

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

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

Bates' Pocket Guide is rated higher. Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 300 ratings, while Explain Medicine averages 4.2 from 13 ratings.

### Do Bates' Pocket Guide or Explain Medicine have ads?

Neither Bates' Pocket Guide nor Explain Medicine shows ads.

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

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, and Explain Medicine every 3 months. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on September 23, 2026 and Explain Medicine on September 23, 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.*