Bates' Pocket Guide vs FP Notebook
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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*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
FP Notebook
A comprehensive medical reference for primary care and emergency clinicians, offering rapid access to over 6100 interlinked topic pages. Content is updated monthly through literature reviews and conferences, providing up-to-date information for medical professionals.
- Rapid access medical reference
- Over 6100 interlinked topic pages
- Content updated monthly
- 31 specialty books
- 700+ chapters
- Point-of-care tool
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Family Practice Notebook is a rapid access, point-of-care medical reference for primary care and emergency clinicians. Started in 1995, this collection now contains over 6100 interlinked topic pages divided into a tree of 31 specialty books and over 700 chapters. FP Notebook’s content is updated monthly with systematic literature reviews and conferences. Please purchase an auto-renewing subscription to receive the latest content. The text content for this mobile application is identical to its online counterparts: fpnotebook.com and fpnotebook.com/mobile. Although access to this application is not restricted, the information found here is intended for use by medical providers. Non-clinical users may find the material challenging to understand, and should address specific medical concerns with their medical providers. Try before you buy with a 14-day FREE trial. After that it's only $24.99/year for access, including continuous content updates. Privacy Policy/Terms & Conditions - http://www.fpnotebook.com/disclaimer.htm
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Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Bates' Pocket Guide at free with in-app purchases against FP Notebook's subscription. FP Notebook's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 14 months) and review sentiment (58% vs 41%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Bates' Pocket Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and FP Notebook sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Bates' Pocket Guide against 4.8 for FP Notebook. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FP Notebook has 3.3K ratings behind it against 300, 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 58% of FP Notebook's.
Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, FP Notebook every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.
| Parameter | Bates' Pocket Guide | FP Notebook |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (300 ratings) | 4.8 (3.3K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | 58.2% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 300 | 3.3K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | #198 | #65 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 14.3 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 134 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Unbound Medicine, Inc. | Atmosphere Apps, Inc. |
Customer experience
Bates' Pocket Guide
FP Notebook
Bugs and requests
Bates' Pocket Guide
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
FP Notebook
Reported bugs
2 issues- App freezing or crashing on certain devices
- Subscription issues or unexpected charges
Requested features
2 requests- Ability to earn continuing education credits through the app
- Improved search functionality
In-app purchases
Bates' Pocket Guide
- Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed.$69.99
FP Notebook
- Monthly Subscription$1.991 Month
- Annual Subscription$19.991 Year
- Annual Sub14 Days trial$24.991 Year
Questions
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Is FP Notebook free?
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Other comparisons
