Comparison

Bates' Pocket Guide vs PEPID®

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

*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

About

PEPID®

Provides healthcare professionals with essential tools for patient care, including a vast drug database, medical calculators, and visual aids. Content is regularly updated and clinically independent, offering reliable information for various medical roles.

Highlights
  • Largest drug database
  • Medical calculators
  • High-res pill photos
  • Clinical illustrations
  • Regularly updated information
  • Independent clinical content
Features
Read full description

PEPID gives healthcare professionals all the tools they need to treat patients at the scene, en route and/or by the bedside. With just a few taps, access the largest drug database on the market, medical calculators, high-res pill photos, illustrations, and much more! -- Updated regularly, so you can be sure you have the most current information available -- Independent clinical content from 12 leading healthcare associations, including the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians and the Family Physicians Inquiries Network -- Suites available for physicians, nurses, students, residents, pharmacists, EMTs and paramedics, and more Have questions, issues or feedback? Contact us at support@pepid.com.

Screenshots

Bates' Pocket Guide4 screens
PEPID®3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PEPID® at none against Bates' Pocket Guide's 1. PEPID® also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (2.9K vs 304). Bates' Pocket Guide's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Bates' Pocket Guide against 4.7 for PEPID®. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PEPID® has 2.9K ratings behind it against 304, 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 45% of PEPID®'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 11 months, PEPID® every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Bates' Pocket Guide versus PEPID®: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBates' Pocket GuidePEPID®
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (304 ratings) — better4.7 (2.9K ratings)
Positive reviews40.9% of reviews45.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3042.9K — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB39 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperUnbound Medicine, Inc.PEPID, LLC

Customer experience

Bates' Pocket Guide

All ratings304 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive40.9%
Neutral13.6%
Negative45.5%

PEPID®

All ratings2,900 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral1.8%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews71 reviews
Positive45.1%
Neutral2.8%
Negative52.1%

User reviews

Bates' Pocket Guide

From 304 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

PEPID®

From 2.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Quick information
  • 🔒 Trustworthy content
  • 👍 Useful for daily work
  • 👍 Comprehensive database
  • 👍 User-friendly

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes/won't open
  • 🐛 Outdated/missing content
  • 🐛 Poor optimization for newer devices
  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 👎 Difficult to navigate

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
Show 4 more
  • 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

PEPID®

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes on login or launch
  • Content fails to download
  • Incompatible with newer iOS versions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved search functionality
  • More calculators and tools
  • Automatic content updates
  • Ability to use on multiple devices with single subscription

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Bates' Pocket Guide

One-time1
  • Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed.$69.99
None

PEPID®

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?
Bates' Pocket Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PEPID® free?
PEPID® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or PEPID®?
Bates' Pocket Guide is rated higher. Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 304 ratings, while PEPID® averages 4.7 from 2.9K ratings.
Do Bates' Pocket Guide or PEPID® have ads?
Neither Bates' Pocket Guide nor PEPID® shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or PEPID®?
Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 11 months, and PEPID® every 5 weeks. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on November 1, 2026 and PEPID® on November 1, 2026.

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