Comparison

Bates' Pocket Guide vs boostEM

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

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.

Highlights
  • 60+ clinical decision rule calculators
  • Rapid medication doses
  • Pupillometer
  • Estimated gestational age calculator
  • Visual acuity chart
  • Offline functionality
Read full description

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

Bates' Pocket Guide4 screens
boostEM4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Bates' Pocket Guide versus boostEM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBates' Pocket GuideboostEM
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (300 ratings) — better4.6 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews40.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings300 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#198 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.07.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB20 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperUnbound Medicine, Inc.Dirkes Medical, PLLC

Customer experience

Bates' Pocket Guide

All ratings300 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive40.9%
Neutral13.6%
Negative45.5%

boostEM

All ratings9 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Bates' Pocket Guide

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

boostEM

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bates' Pocket Guide free?
Bates' Pocket Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is boostEM free?
boostEM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bates' Pocket Guide or boostEM?
Bates' Pocket Guide is rated higher. Bates' Pocket Guide averages 4.8 out of 5 from 300 ratings, while boostEM averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.
Do Bates' Pocket Guide or boostEM have ads?
Neither Bates' Pocket Guide nor boostEM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bates' Pocket Guide or boostEM?
Bates' Pocket Guide ships an update every 14 months, and boostEM every 3 weeks. Most recently, Bates' Pocket Guide was updated on September 23, 2026 and boostEM on June 6, 2026.

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