Comparison

Bates' Pocket Guide vs CURRENT Practice Guidelines

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

CURRENT Practice Guidelines

Access up-to-date medical guidelines for common outpatient conditions. This app distills complex information into a practical, easy-to-navigate format for busy clinicians. It offers evidence-based recommendations from trusted authorities, updated annually.

Highlights
  • Evidence-based guidelines
  • Concise and clinically relevant
  • Outline and tabular format
  • Updated annually
  • Guideline Discordance tables
  • Content from trusted authorities
Currently charting
Read full description

"Try before you buy" - Download the FREE App, which includes sample content. In-App purchase required to unlock all content. A Doody's Core Title. Guidelines and recommendations for the most common outpatient conditions from sources you can trust! Clear, concise and clinically relevant. The authoritative guidelines primary care clinicians need to diagnose and treat the most common outpatient conditions—compiled, distilled, and updated for easy referencing Striking the perfect balance between brevity and clinical necessity, this acclaimed annual resource presents all the latest evidence-based guidelines clinicians need to treat the most common outpatient conditions. The most thorough print compendium of guidelines for primary care practice, the book features content drawn from government agencies, expert panels, medical specialty organizations, and other professional and scientific authorities. CURRENT Practice Guidelines in Primary Care 2024 converts lengthy and cumbersome text into a practical, relevant collection of available options for busy clinicians. This go-to guide converts the tremendous amount of information on the web into a practical, relevant collection of usable data for busy clinicians. Each topic is carefully selected for relevance to the office practice of ambulatory medicine and the text is presented in a convenient, easy-to-navigate outline and tabular format. • Content is drawn from a wide array of recommendations from government agencies, expert panels, medical specialty organizations, and other professional and scientific authorities • NEW: Updates reflecting the review of more than 150 guidelines • NEW: Updates to guidelines for screening/prevention of ASCVD; anxiety disorders in children, pediatric obesity, chronic pain, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia; and osteoarthritis • NEW: Numerous topics have been added, including screening and prevention of eating disorders, COVID vaccination in pregnancy, prevention of pelvic floor dysfunction, management of chest pain, left ventricular thrombus, delirium • Guideline Discordance tables highlight when major guidelines do not mirror each other • Topics are carefully selected for relevance to the office practice of ambulatory medicine, and the text is enhanced by a convenient outline and tabular format • Screening and prevention of conditions have been combined to enhance clinician use Content licensed from printed edition ISBN 10: 1265690162 Content licensed from printed edition ISBN 13: 9781265690168 SUBSCRIPTION : Please purchase a yearly auto-renewing subscription to receive content access and available updates. Yearly auto-renewing payments- $39.99 Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Subscription may be managed by the user and auto-renewal can be disabled at any time by going to your device “Settings” and tapping “iTunes & App Store”. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription, where applicable." If you have any questions or comments, email us any time: customersupport@skyscape.com or call 508-299-3000 Privacy Policy - https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/privacypolicy.aspx Terms and Conditions - https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/licenseagreement.aspx Author: Jacob A. David Publisher: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Screenshots

Bates' Pocket Guide4 screens
CURRENT Practice Guidelines4 screens

Verdict

The call

Bates' Pocket Guide and CURRENT Practice Guidelines both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's written reviews are positive against 0% of CURRENT Practice Guidelines's. Bates' Pocket Guide also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (301 vs 21). CURRENT Practice Guidelines's advantage is update cadence (every 6 months vs every 14 months) and chart position (#192 vs unranked). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 CURRENT Practice Guidelines sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Bates' Pocket Guide against 4.8 for CURRENT Practice Guidelines. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bates' Pocket Guide has 301 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's written reviews are positive against 0% of CURRENT Practice Guidelines's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, CURRENT Practice Guidelines every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and July 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Bates' Pocket Guide versus CURRENT Practice Guidelines: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBates' Pocket GuideCURRENT Practice Guidelines
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (301 ratings)4.8 (21 ratings)
Positive reviews40.9% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings301 — better21
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 6 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#192 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB147 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperUnbound Medicine, Inc.Skyscape Medpresso Inc

Customer experience

Bates' Pocket Guide

All ratings301 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive40.9%
Neutral13.6%
Negative45.5%

CURRENT Practice Guidelines

All ratings21 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Bates' Pocket Guide

One-time1
  • Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed.$69.99
6 purchases

CURRENT Practice Guidelines

Subscriptions5
  • 25% Off - Limited Period Offer$29.991 Year
  • Curr Practice Guid 1Y Suboffer$31.991 Year
  • 20% Off - Limited Period Offer$31.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • 15% Off - Limited Period Offer$33.991 Year
  • Curr Practice Guideline 1Y Sub7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • CURR Prac Guide Primary Care20$39.99

Questions

Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?
Bates' Pocket Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CURRENT Practice Guidelines free?
CURRENT Practice Guidelines is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or CURRENT Practice Guidelines?
Bates' Pocket Guide and CURRENT Practice Guidelines are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 301 and 21 ratings respectively.
Do Bates' Pocket Guide or CURRENT Practice Guidelines have ads?
CURRENT Practice Guidelines shows ads; Bates' Pocket Guide does not.
Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or CURRENT Practice Guidelines?
Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, and CURRENT Practice Guidelines every 6 months. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on September 28, 2026 and CURRENT Practice Guidelines on July 7, 2026.

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