Bates' Pocket Guide vs QuickEM
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
QuickEM
This emergency medicine reference app provides clinicians with instant access to critical information, including differentials, treatments, and validated medical calculators. It's designed for rapid lookup of ED-specific care, organized by chief complaints and clinical categories, and works completely offline.
- 80+ chief complaint topics
- 90+ medical calculators
- Offline access
- No login or ads
- Adult and pediatric coverage
- Evidence-based content
- Customizable favorites
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The Essential Emergency Medicine Reference Trusted by Clinicians QuickEM is the comprehensive bedside companion designed by emergency physicians for emergency physicians. Whether you're a medical student on your first ED rotation or an attending managing a busy department, QuickEM delivers the critical information you need—instantly. Built for Real Emergency Medicine • Over 80 chief complaint topics with differentials, history, tests, and treatments focused on ED-specific care • Over 90 validated medical calculators / tools • No login required • Zero fluff—only ED-relevant information Organized by How You Think • Chief complaints structured by presentation • Calculators grouped by clinical category • Smart search finds tools • Customizable favorites list for your go-to references Trusted by Every Level • Medical Students: Essential differentials and workup basics • Residents: Quick access to decision rules and scoring systems • Attendings: Rapid reference for less common presentations and 2nd brain refreshers Key Features: • Complete offline access—works without internet • No ads, no subscriptions, no account required • Covers adult and pediatric emergency medicine • Includes trauma protocols and resuscitation guides • Evidence-based content with source citations • Professional medical illustrations and ECG examples Content Highlights: • Cardiovascular: HEART Score, CHADS2-VASc, Wells Criteria • Neurological: NIHSS, Canadian Head CT Rules, HINTS Exam • Trauma: NEXUS, Canadian C-Spine, PECARN • Pediatrics: PEDS Vitals, Croup Score, Bronchiolitis • Toxicology: Rumack-Matthew, CIWA-Ar, Anion Gap • And more! Developed by practicing emergency physicians who understand what you need at 3 AM with multiple critical patients. QuickEM is designed to be the fastest way to look up the info you need. This app is designed exclusively for medical professionals and students. Not intended for patient or public use.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: QuickEM at 91% against Bates' Pocket Guide's 41%. QuickEM also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 14 months). Bates' Pocket Guide's advantage is price (Free vs $9.99) and ratings volume (301 vs 10). On ads, in-app purchases, chart position and device support 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
Bates' Pocket Guide is free to download; QuickEM costs $9.99 up front. Bates' Pocket Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and QuickEM sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Bates' Pocket Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bates' Pocket Guide has 301 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 41% of Bates' Pocket Guide's written reviews are positive against 91% of QuickEM's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, QuickEM every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bates' Pocket Guide | QuickEM |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $9.99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (301 ratings) — better | 4.6 (10 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | 90.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 301 — better | 10 |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #195 | #66 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 78 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Unbound Medicine, Inc. | Dirkes Medical, PLLC |
Customer experience
Bates' Pocket Guide
QuickEM
Bugs and requests
Bates' Pocket Guide
Reported bugs
9 issues- Sectional information is wrong
- Topics do not correlate to information
- Asterisk information is incorrect
- App information needs updating and reviewing
- Software is glitchy
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- Hard to navigate between topics
- Algorithm images are mismatched with titles
- Doesn't take Bates account
- Didn't work (iOS 7)
Requested features
5 requests- 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
QuickEM
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Bates' Pocket Guide
- Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed.$69.99
QuickEM
- Premium Features$2.99








