Comparison

ICD 10 2026 vs ICD 10 Coding Guide

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ICD 10 2026

This medical coding tool provides fast, up-to-date ICD-10-CM code lookup and selection. It features instant search, clinical notes, and structured browsing to streamline workflows for healthcare professionals and students. Advanced features like iCloud sync and an ad-free experience are available with a subscription.

Highlights
  • Up-to-date ICD-10-CM database
  • Instant search with real-time highlighting
  • Includes official notes for accuracy
  • Structured browsing by chapters
  • Code sharing via email or AirPrint
  • iCloud sync for favorites
  • Ad-free experience with subscription
Features
Read full description

Streamline your medical coding workflow with the most intuitive, fast, and up-to-date ICD-10-CM reference on the App Store. Designed for clinicians, billers, coders, and students, this app simplifies diagnostic code lookup and selection. ALWAYS CURRENT, ALWAYS COMPLIANT Stay up to code with the complete 2026 ICD-10-CM database — every code valid for healthcare services from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. A SEARCH ENGINE BUILT FOR THE CLINIC ▸ Smart Query Expansion — Type "HTN" and find essential hypertension. Type "heart attack" and find myocardial infarction. The search engine recognizes over 140 clinical abbreviations and layman terms, then shows you transparently what it expanded so you never lose the thread. ▸ Semantic Suggestions — Related code groupings surface alongside your results to help you discover codes you might otherwise miss. ▸ Instant Search — Find codes as you type with real-time keyword highlighting. ▸ Clinical Precision — Includes all official Includes, Type 1 & 2 Excludes, and Applicable-to notes to support accurate documentation and reduce claim denials. ▸ Structured Browsing — Navigate by Chapters and Subgroups to explore the full code hierarchy. ▸ At-a-Glance Codability — Green dots mark specific, billable codes; red dots mark non-specific categories that need more detail. ORGANIZE YOUR DAY ▸ Favorites — Tag the codes you reach for most with a single tap. Up to 10 codes on the free plan; unlimited folders to organize them. ▸ Folders & Sub-folders — Group by specialty, clinic, visit type, or patient population. As deep as you need to go. ▸ Personal Notes (NEW) — Premium subscribers can add their own coding rationale to any favorite code. A small indicator in your Favorites list shows you which codes have a note. ▸ Easy Sharing — Send codes via email straight from the detail view. ▸ Clean Interface — A modern UI built for fast-paced medical environments. PRO FEATURES (Subscription) Unlock the full power of the app: ▸ Personal Notes — Add your own coding rationale, billing reminders, or anything you'd want to remember to any favorite code. ▸ iCloud Sync — Keep your favorites, folders, and personal notes in sync across all your iPhone and iPad devices automatically. ▸ Unlimited Favorites — No 10-code cap on the codes you save. ▸ Ad-Free Experience — Focus on coding without interruptions. FLEXIBLE SUBSCRIPTION PLANS ▸ Monthly: $4.99 ▸ Six Months: $9.99 (Save over 65%) ▸ Annually: $14.99 (Best Value — just $1.25/month) Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage subscriptions in your Account Settings. SUPPORT & LEGAL ▸ Contact us at support@vlrsoftware.com or directly through the app. ▸ ICD-10-CM codes are for reference and study purposes. VLR Software is an independent entity not affiliated with medical centers or government agencies. ▸ Terms of Service: https://www.vlrsoftware.com/app/icd10-2026/terms ▸ Privacy Policy: https://www.vlrsoftware.com/app/icd10-2026/privacy

About

ICD 10 Coding Guide

Quickly find the latest ICD-10 medical codes with this offline mobile app. Search by code, disease, injury, drug, or keyword. Features include color-coded trees, notes, highlights, and favorites for efficient code assignment.

Highlights
  • Offline ICD-10-CM code access
  • Rapid search by code, disease, or keyword
  • Color-keyed Code Trees
  • Notes and highlights
  • Favorites for quick access
  • Companion website
Features
Read full description

** Fast & accurate lookup of the latest ICD-10 Codes ** ICD-10 CODING GUIDE is a powerful mobile app developed by Unbound Medicine, an award-winning health care information provider with more than 5 million users worldwide. Featuring the latest ICD-10-CM data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), this premium app helps you quickly identify the most appropriate code on your smartphone or tablet — with rapid search by code, disease, injury, drug, or keyword. No internet access is required after initial content download. FEATURES • Access to all ICD-10-CM codes • Code and keyword search for fast discovery • Color-keyed Code Trees for accurate code assignment • Make notes and highlights within any entry • 'Favorites' for bookmarking commonly used codes • Companion website for desktop convenience FREE TRIAL: What To Expect • First-time users are offered a Free Trial of Unbound's complete ICD-10 Coding Guide • After the Free Trial period ends, your iTunes account will be charged $9.99 for a one-year subscription unless you have turned off auto-renew at least 24 hours before the free trial ends. • To manage your subscriptions, open Apple's "Settings" app, tap your Apple ID at the top of the screen, tap Subscriptions, then tap the subscription you wish to manage. • NOTE: if you choose not to purchase a subscription, content will no longer be viewable after the free-trial period ends. Subscription Renewals • Your subscription will automatically renew annually and your iTunes account will be charged $9.99 unless auto-renew is turned off 24 hours prior to the end of the one-year period. • If you choose not to renew, you can continue to use the product but will not receive content updates. • To manage your subscriptions, open Apple's "Settings" app, tap your Apple ID at the top of the screen, tap Subscriptions, then tap the subscription you wish to manage. Unbound Privacy Policy: https://www.unboundmedicine.com/privacy Unbound Medicine Terms of Use: https://www.unboundmedicine.com/end_user_license_agreement

Screenshots

ICD 10 20264 screens
ICD 10 Coding Guide4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ICD 10 2026 at 94% against ICD 10 Coding Guide's 17%. ICD 10 2026 also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 12 months). ICD 10 Coding Guide's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and device support (4 vs 2). On price 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ICD 10 2026 sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and ICD 10 Coding Guide sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ICD 10 2026 ships an update every 4 weeks, ICD 10 Coding Guide every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
ICD 10 2026 versus ICD 10 Coding Guide: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterICD 10 2026ICD 10 Coding Guide
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (167 ratings) — better
Positive reviews94.4% of reviews — better16.7% of reviews
Number of ratings167 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks — betterEvery 12 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size134 MB12 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperVLR SoftwareUnbound Medicine, Inc.

Customer experience

ICD 10 2026

Written reviews18 reviews
Positive94.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.6%

ICD 10 Coding Guide

All ratings167 ratings
Positive87.4%
Neutral1.8%
Negative10.8%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive16.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative83.3%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

ICD 10 2026

Subscriptions3
  • 1 Month$4.991 Month
  • 6 Months$9.996 Months
  • 12 Months$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • ICD 10 Premium$6.99
1 purchases

ICD 10 Coding Guide

Subscriptions1
  • ICD-10-CM Coding Guide14 Days trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is ICD 10 2026 free?
ICD 10 2026 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ICD 10 Coding Guide free?
ICD 10 Coding Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ICD 10 2026 or ICD 10 Coding Guide have ads?
ICD 10 2026 shows ads; ICD 10 Coding Guide does not.
Which is updated more often, ICD 10 2026 or ICD 10 Coding Guide?
ICD 10 2026 ships an update every 4 weeks, and ICD 10 Coding Guide every 12 months. Most recently, ICD 10 2026 was updated on September 16, 2026 and ICD 10 Coding Guide on September 18, 2026.

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