# Bates' Pocket Guide vs PulseForm Legacy

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PulseForm Legacy at 100% against Bates' Pocket Guide's 41%. PulseForm Legacy also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 11 months). Bates' Pocket Guide's advantage is ratings volume (304 vs 6) and device support (4 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

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

PulseForm Legacy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bates' Pocket Guide has 304 ratings behind it against 6, 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 100% of PulseForm Legacy's.

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 11 months, PulseForm Legacy every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bates' Pocket Guide | PulseForm Legacy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (304 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bates-pocket-guide/id650795652/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulseform-legacy/id6758588094/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **304** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 10 MB | 160 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) | [RICKY EUGENE STEELE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1873815139) |

## 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


### PulseForm Legacy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulseform-legacy/id6758588094)

This professional-grade platform offers realistic medical training and vital sign simulation for high-stress clinical practice. It features instructor-controlled scenarios, integrated medical calculators, and a clean interface optimized for rapid interpretation under pressure.

**Highlights:** Realistic vitals simulation, Instructor-controlled scenarios, Integrated medical calculators, Shared training boards, Offline-capable access, Clean UI for pressure situations

**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 PulseForm Legacy free?

PulseForm Legacy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or PulseForm Legacy?

PulseForm Legacy is rated higher. Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 304 ratings, while PulseForm Legacy averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Bates' Pocket Guide or PulseForm Legacy have ads?

Neither Bates' Pocket Guide nor PulseForm Legacy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or PulseForm Legacy?

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 11 months, and PulseForm Legacy every 6 days. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on October 30, 2026 and PulseForm Legacy on October 10, 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.*