# Bates' Pocket Guide vs Hippo Education

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hippo Education at none against Bates' Pocket Guide's 1. Hippo Education also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (1.3K vs 304). Bates' Pocket Guide's advantage is review sentiment (41% vs 22%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Bates' Pocket Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 304 and 1.3K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's written reviews are positive against 22% of Hippo Education's.

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 11 months, Hippo Education fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bates' Pocket Guide | Hippo Education |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (304 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bates-pocket-guide/id650795652/reviews)** | [4.6 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hippo-education/id1552750034/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 304 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **40.9% of reviews** | 21.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 10 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) | [Hippo Education, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/894652924) |

## What reviewers say

### Bates' Pocket Guide

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

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 |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Reliable reference
- 🖼️ Helpful pictures for diagnosis
- 📚 Good for quick reference
- 💡 Easy to understand and logical format
- 🎯 Useful for clinicals and easy to maneuver

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Overpriced app
- 🔄 Outdated software
- 🖱️ Not user-friendly navigation
- 💸 Repeated payments required
- ❌ Incorrect information/algorithms

**Reported bugs**

- Sectional information is wrong
- Topics do not correlate to information
- Asterisk information is incorrect
- App information needs updating and reviewing
- Software is glitchy

**Requested features**

- 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


### Hippo Education

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hippo-education/id1552750034)

Access high-yield medical content through a podcast player designed for efficient learning. Earn CME credits by listening to practice-changing information and the latest research, saving you time and keeping you updated.

**Highlights:** Monthly RAP episodes, Practice-changing information, Searchable content, Bookmark and download, Earn CME credits, Lifelong learning

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Frequent updates
- 👍 Great content and presentation
- 💡 Potential for CarPlay integration
- 👍 Helpful summaries
- 👍 Entertaining and informative

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes
- 🐛 Unreliable playback and progress tracking
- 🐛 Frequent log-outs and login issues
- 🐛 Inconsistent search and navigation
- 🐛 Difficulty accessing downloaded content offline

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Playback stops unexpectedly
- Inconsistent episode tracking
- Search results do not match content
- Difficulty accessing downloaded content

**Requested features**

- Allow streaming on other apps
- Improve search and sorting functionality
- Add ability to mark episodes as played
- Implement CarPlay support
- Streamline login and session management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?

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

### Is Hippo Education free?

Hippo Education is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or Hippo Education?

Bates' Pocket Guide is rated higher. Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 304 ratings, while Hippo Education averages 4.6 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do Bates' Pocket Guide or Hippo Education have ads?

Neither Bates' Pocket Guide nor Hippo Education shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or Hippo Education?

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 11 months, and Hippo Education fortnightly. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on October 29, 2026 and Hippo Education on October 29, 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.*