# athenaText vs UTSWRefer

The clearest difference is rating: UTSWRefer at 5.0 against athenaText's 3.9. athenaText's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (377 vs 18). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UTSWRefer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: athenaText has 377 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two.

athenaText ships an update every 4 weeks, UTSWRefer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | athenaText | UTSWRefer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (377 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/athenatext/id912505086/reviews) | **[5.0 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utswrefer/id6467048768/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **377** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | 75.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 28 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [athenahealth](https://appshunter.io/developer/535158438) | [UT Southwestern Medical Center](https://appshunter.io/developer/1456657592) |

## What reviewers say

### athenaText

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/athenatext/id912505086)

A secure, HIPAA-compliant text messaging service for healthcare providers to collaborate, consult, and share information instantly. Communicate clearly and confidently with colleagues and a network of HCPs nationwide.

**Highlights:** HIPAA-compliant messaging, Instant collaboration, Share texts and images, Consult with peers nationwide, Integrated drug information

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient communication
- 🔒 HIPAA compliant
- 👍 User-friendly
- 👍 Convenient for on-the-go use
- 👍 Streamlined with Athena EMR

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent notifications
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Login and sync issues
- 🐛 Delayed message loading
- 🐛 Limited functionality compared to web version

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on login or when switching between screens
- Notifications not working or delayed
- Sync issues causing loss of messages
- Inability to log in or access the app after updates
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Snooze or do-not-disturb functionality
- Ability to dictate notes and sign off on charts
- Mass delete/management of message threads
- Improved push notifications and alerts
- Android app support


### UTSWRefer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utswrefer/id6467048768)

This app provides healthcare professionals with streamlined access to UT Southwestern's network of specialists and services. It facilitates patient referrals, hospital transfers, and access to clinical trials and educational resources within a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform.

**Highlights:** Patient referral forms, Hospital transfer requests, Clinical trial search, CME search, Physician directory, Managed care contracts

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is athenaText free?

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

### Is UTSWRefer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, athenaText or UTSWRefer?

UTSWRefer is rated higher. athenaText averages 3.9 out of 5 from 377 ratings, while UTSWRefer averages 5.0 from 18 ratings.

### Do athenaText or UTSWRefer have ads?

Neither athenaText nor UTSWRefer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, athenaText or UTSWRefer?

athenaText ships an update every 4 weeks, and UTSWRefer every 3 months. Most recently, athenaText was updated on November 1, 2026 and UTSWRefer on November 3, 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.*