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
Currently charting
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 14 months) and ratings volume (2.9K vs 301). Bates' Pocket Guide's advantage is chart position (#191 vs unranked) and 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 301, 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 14 months, PEPID® every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Bates' Pocket Guide versus PEPID®: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBates' Pocket GuidePEPID®
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (301 ratings) — better4.7 (2.9K ratings)
Positive reviews40.9% of reviews45.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3012.9K — better
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#191 — 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 ratings301 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 301 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 301 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 14 months, and PEPID® every 5 weeks. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on October 11, 2026 and PEPID® on October 10, 2026.

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