# iCourse Academy vs USMLE Ed

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iCourse Academy at none against USMLE Ed's 10. iCourse Academy also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). USMLE Ed's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. USMLE Ed sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. iCourse Academy asks for nothing beyond the download.

iCourse Academy ships an update every 4 months, USMLE Ed every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iCourse Academy | USMLE Ed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usmle-ed/id6746203709/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 45 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [ghada mohamed](https://appshunter.io/developer/1537419485) | [NEXTSTEPS CAREERS CORPORATION](https://appshunter.io/developer/1742770142) |

## What reviewers say

### iCourse Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icourse-academy/id6738321407)

**In-app purchases:** none


### USMLE Ed

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usmle-ed/id6746203709)

This app offers a comprehensive study tool for USMLE Step 1 preparation. It features an extensive question bank, realistic exam simulations, and detailed performance analytics to help students track progress and identify areas for improvement.

**Highlights:** Extensive QBank with 4,000+ questions, Realistic exam simulations with timers, Self-test mode with simulated scores, Regularly updated exam forms, Smart notes system with highlighting, In-depth performance analytics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Form 4 | $40.00 | one-time |
| Form 2 | $60.00 | one-time |
| Form 3 | $60.00 | one-time |
| Form 1 | $60.00 | one-time |
| 1 Week | $150.00 | one-time |
| 1 Month | $300.00 | one-time |
| 3 Months | $400.00 | one-time |
| 6 Months | $450.00 | one-time |
| 12 Months | $500.00 | one-time |
| 18 Months | $549.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iCourse Academy free?

iCourse Academy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is USMLE Ed free?

USMLE Ed is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do iCourse Academy or USMLE Ed have ads?

Neither iCourse Academy nor USMLE Ed shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iCourse Academy or USMLE Ed?

iCourse Academy ships an update every 4 months, and USMLE Ed every 2 weeks. Most recently, iCourse Academy was updated on October 14, 2026 and USMLE Ed on October 18, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*