# Board Buddy USMLE vs Step2Drill

The clearest difference is rating: Board Buddy USMLE at 4.8 against Step2Drill's 3.9. Step2Drill's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Board Buddy USMLE sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month and Step2Drill sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Board Buddy USMLE holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 13 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of Board Buddy USMLE's written reviews are positive against 86% of Step2Drill's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Board Buddy USMLE ships an update every 3 weeks, Step2Drill every 6 days. Both last shipped on October 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Board Buddy USMLE | Step2Drill |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/board-buddy-usmle/id6756011006/reviews)** | [3.9 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/step2drill/id6760366797/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 123 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blake Young](https://appshunter.io/developer/1857948179) | [Nabeel Shukri](https://appshunter.io/developer/1871855122) |

## What reviewers say

### Board Buddy USMLE

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

This app transforms studying for the USMLE Step 1 into an engaging experience with interactive games. It offers free games for high-yield topics and a premium subscription for over 20 medical games, practice questions, and 3D anatomy.

**Highlights:** Interactive study games, Active recall learning, High-yield topic focus, 3,000+ practice questions, 3D anatomy modules, AI-powered explanations

**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 |


### Step2Drill

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/step2drill/id6760366797)

This app helps medical students prepare for the USMLE Step 2 CK exam with structured clinical cases and AI-driven differential diagnosis breakdowns. It focuses on common exam traps to enhance diagnostic reasoning skills. A premium subscription offers unlimited cases, AI breakdowns, and spaced repetition.

**Highlights:** Structured clinical cases, AI-assisted differential diagnosis, NBME exam trap explanations, Spaced repetition training, Unlimited case access (premium), No login required for initial content

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Step2Drill Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Step2Drill Premium | $39.99 | per 6 months |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Board Buddy USMLE free?

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

### Is Step2Drill free?

Step2Drill is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Board Buddy USMLE or Step2Drill?

Board Buddy USMLE is rated higher. Board Buddy USMLE averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Step2Drill averages 3.9 from 13 ratings.

### Do Board Buddy USMLE or Step2Drill have ads?

Neither Board Buddy USMLE nor Step2Drill shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Board Buddy USMLE or Step2Drill?

Board Buddy USMLE ships an update every 3 weeks, and Step2Drill every 6 days. Most recently, Board Buddy USMLE was updated on October 6, 2026 and Step2Drill on October 6, 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.*