# Bates' Pocket Guide vs QuickEM

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bates' Pocket Guide | QuickEM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (301 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bates-pocket-guide/id650795652/reviews)** | [4.6 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quickem/id930734530/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **301** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | **90.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #195 | **#68** |
| Size | 10 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) | [Dirkes Medical, PLLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1668683062) |

## What reviewers say

### Bates' Pocket Guide

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

**Currently charting:** #195 Top Grossing · Medical (US App Store)

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


### QuickEM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quickem/id930734530)

**Currently charting:** #68 Top Paid · Medical (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 80+ chief complaint topics, 90+ medical calculators, Offline access, No login or ads, Adult and pediatric coverage, Evidence-based content, Customizable favorites

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Features | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?

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

### Is QuickEM free?

QuickEM costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

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

Bates' Pocket Guide is rated higher. Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 301 ratings, while QuickEM averages 4.6 from 10 ratings.

### Do Bates' Pocket Guide or QuickEM have ads?

Neither Bates' Pocket Guide nor QuickEM shows ads.

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

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, and QuickEM every 2 months. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on October 13, 2026 and QuickEM on October 8, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Bates' Pocket Guide or QuickEM?

Bates' Pocket Guide currently peaks at #195 in the App Store charts, and QuickEM at #68. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*