Bates' Pocket Guide vs PEPID®
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
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.
- Largest drug database
- Medical calculators
- High-res pill photos
- Clinical illustrations
- Regularly updated information
- Independent clinical content
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Bates' Pocket Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PEPID® asks for nothing beyond the download.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Bates' Pocket Guide | PEPID® |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (301 ratings) — better | 4.7 (2.9K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | 45.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 301 | 2.9K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #191 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 39 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Unbound Medicine, Inc. | PEPID, LLC |
Customer experience
Bates' Pocket Guide
PEPID®
User reviews
Bates' Pocket Guide
From 301 App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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 moreShow fewer
- 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
Bates' Pocket Guide
- Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed.$69.99
PEPID®
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?
Is PEPID® free?
Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or PEPID®?
Do Bates' Pocket Guide or PEPID® have ads?
Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or PEPID®?
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