# Bates' Pocket Guide vs Eko Academy

Bates' Pocket Guide and Eko Academy both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 88% of Eko Academy's written reviews are positive against 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's. Eko Academy also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (weekly vs every 14 months). Bates' Pocket Guide's advantage is chart position (#198 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bates' Pocket Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Eko Academy 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 Eko Academy. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 300 and 940 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's written reviews are positive against 88% of Eko Academy's.

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, Eko Academy weekly. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bates' Pocket Guide | Eko Academy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (300 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bates-pocket-guide/id650795652/reviews) | **[4.9 (940 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eko-academy/id1545983337/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 300 | **940** |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | **87.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#198** | — |
| Size | 10 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) | [Eko Health, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/505874291) |

## 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 |


### Eko Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eko-academy/id1545983337)

Enhance your stethoscope skills with this comprehensive learning app. Access detailed information on cardiac anatomy, auscultation, ECGs, and various heart and lung sounds. Study offline and improve your diagnostic confidence.

**Highlights:** Stethoscope skills training, Cardiac anatomy and auscultation, ECG and phonocardiogram learning, Heart and lung sound analysis, Offline study mode, High-fidelity audio recordings

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🙏🏻 Excellent for identification and education
- 👍 Great layout and design
- 👍 Sleek interface and good information
- 👍 Clear and easy to understand
- 👍 Helpful reference for learning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't provide CME points as advertised
- 🐛 Lacks instructions on how to use a stethoscope

**Reported bugs**

- Service assistant doesn't know about CME points

**Requested features**

- Add more heart sounds
- Offer paid modules or features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?

Bates' Pocket Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Eko Academy free?

Eko Academy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or Eko Academy?

Eko Academy is rated higher. Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 300 ratings, while Eko Academy averages 4.9 from 940 ratings.

### Do Bates' Pocket Guide or Eko Academy have ads?

Neither Bates' Pocket Guide nor Eko Academy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or Eko Academy?

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, and Eko Academy weekly. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on September 23, 2026 and Eko Academy 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.*