USMLE Ed vs Board Buddy USMLE
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
USMLE Ed
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.
- 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
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Prepare Smarter for USMLE Step 1 with USMLEed Your all-in-one study companion built to simulate the real exam and boost your learning efficiency. Key Features: Extensive QBank Access over 4,000 USMLE-style questions covering all major systems and topics. Realistic Exam Simulations Take full-length practice exams with timers (up to 8 hours), closely mimicking the actual Step 1 testing experience. Self-Test Mode Customize practice exams based on your study progress and get a simulated 3-digit score, even before completing the full syllabus. USMLE Form Tests Practice with 7 regularly updated exam forms to evaluate your readiness during your revision phase. Smart Notes System Highlight important content and auto-generate organized notes, downloadable by topic or subject for easy offline review. In-Depth Performance Analytics Monitor your strengths and weaknesses with detailed analytics to improve your study strategy over time. Join 1,000+ students already using USMLEed to prepare confidently and effectively. Start your USMLE Step 1 journey with USMLEed today!
Board Buddy USMLE
Master medical licensing exams with active recall and AI tutoring. This app uses spaced repetition and interactive games with board-style questions, anatomy, ECGs, and pathology images to help you retain key concepts.
- Active recall learning
- AI-powered tutoring
- Spaced repetition
- Board-style questions
- Interactive medical games
- Anatomy, ECGs, pathology images
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Pass USMLE Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3 with active recall, AI tutoring, and interactive medical games. Stop passively reading explanations. Board Buddy helps you retain high-yield concepts through spaced repetition, board-style questions, anatomy, ECGs, pathology images, and AI-powered tutoring. Terms of Use (EULA): https://ivymed.net/terms Privacy Policy: https://ivymed.net/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: Board Buddy USMLE at 23 against USMLE Ed's 1. USMLE Ed's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. USMLE Ed sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Board Buddy USMLE sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
USMLE Ed holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Board Buddy USMLE has 23 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
USMLE Ed ships an update every 2 weeks, Board Buddy USMLE every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | USMLE Ed | Board Buddy USMLE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.8 (23 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 80.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 23 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 41 MB | 143 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | NEXTSTEPS CAREERS CORPORATION | Blake Young |
In-app purchases
USMLE Ed
- Form 4$40.00
- Form 2$60.00
- Form 3$60.00
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- Form 1$60.00
- 1 Week$150.00
- 1 Month$300.00
- 3 Months$400.00
- 6 Months$450.00
- 12 Months$500.00
- 18 Months$549.99
Board Buddy USMLE
- Monthly7 Days trial$29.991 Month
- Monthly Plan (Promo)$29.991 Month
- 6-Month7 Days trial$149.996 Months
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- Yearly7 Days trial$199.991 Year
Questions
Is USMLE Ed free?
Is Board Buddy USMLE free?
Which has better reviews, USMLE Ed or Board Buddy USMLE?
Do USMLE Ed or Board Buddy USMLE have ads?
Which is updated more often, USMLE Ed or Board Buddy USMLE?
Other comparisons
