Bates' Pocket Guide vs boostEM
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
boostEM
A medical calculator for emergency physicians, offering over 60 clinical decision rules and rapid medication doses. Includes tools like a pupillometer and visual acuity chart, functioning offline without ads.
- 60+ clinical decision rule calculators
- Rapid medication doses
- Pupillometer
- Estimated gestational age calculator
- Visual acuity chart
- Offline functionality
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boostEM is a medical calculator designed from the ground-up for emergency physicians. The app is designed to be the fastest tool in your pocket for clinical decision rules in the emergency room. • Score calculators for over 60 clinical decision rules • Rapid medication doses • Tools including pupillometer, estimated gestational age, visual acuity (Snellen chart), and optokinetic drum • No internet connection required • No ads Examples of clinical decision rules included: • Critical Care: CURB-65, PESI, PORT, Ranson's, Well's, ABG calculator • Cardiology: HEART, CHADS2Vasc, Brugada, Sgarbossa, TIMI • Trauma: Canadian rules, NEXUS, PECARN, Parkland, GCS • Pediatrics: bilirubin tool for neonatal jaundice, Centor, respiratory score • Neurology: NIH stroke scale, ABCD2, MMSE • Toxicology: osmolal gap, modified Rumack-Matthews If you like this app, please give it a good review and spread the word! Please email us with suggestions. Note: This application is designed for medical professionals only. It is not for use by the lay public or non-specialists. In addition, dosing of medications is designed as a guide and should be verified prior to administration. This medication guide is not designed for patients with organ failure, immunocompromised states, other significant comorbidities, or extremes of age. Information provided in this app does not supercede appropriate clinical judgement.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: boostEM at 100% against Bates' Pocket Guide's 41%. boostEM also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 14 months). Bates' Pocket Guide's advantage is ratings volume (300 vs 9) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. Bates' Pocket Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. boostEM asks for nothing beyond the download.
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 300 ratings behind it against 9, 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 100% of boostEM'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, boostEM every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and June 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bates' Pocket Guide | boostEM |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (300 ratings) — better | 4.6 (9 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 300 — better | 9 |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #198 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 7.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 20 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Unbound Medicine, Inc. | Dirkes Medical, PLLC |
Customer experience
Bates' Pocket Guide
boostEM
In-app purchases
Bates' Pocket Guide
- Bates' Pocket Guide 9th ed.$69.99
boostEM
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?
Is boostEM free?
Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or boostEM?
Do Bates' Pocket Guide or boostEM have ads?
Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or boostEM?
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