# USMLE Ed vs Board Buddy USMLE

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | USMLE Ed | Board Buddy USMLE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usmle-ed/id6746203709/reviews)** | [4.8 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/board-buddy-usmle/id6756011006/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **23** |
| Positive reviews | — | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 41 MB | 143 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [NEXTSTEPS CAREERS CORPORATION](https://appshunter.io/developer/1742770142) | [Blake Young](https://appshunter.io/developer/1857948179) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Board Buddy USMLE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/board-buddy-usmle/id6756011006)

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.

**Highlights:** Active recall learning, AI-powered tutoring, Spaced repetition, Board-style questions, Interactive medical games, Anatomy, ECGs, pathology images

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $29.99 | per month |
| Monthly Plan (Promo) | $29.99 | per month |
| 6-Month | $149.99 | per 6 months |
| Yearly | $199.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is USMLE Ed free?

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

### Is Board Buddy USMLE free?

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

### Which has better reviews, USMLE Ed or Board Buddy USMLE?

USMLE Ed is rated higher. USMLE Ed averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Board Buddy USMLE averages 4.8 from 23 ratings.

### Do USMLE Ed or Board Buddy USMLE have ads?

Neither USMLE Ed nor Board Buddy USMLE shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, USMLE Ed or Board Buddy USMLE?

USMLE Ed ships an update every 2 weeks, and Board Buddy USMLE every 10 days. Most recently, USMLE Ed was updated on November 5, 2026 and Board Buddy USMLE on November 10, 2026.

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