Comparison

Ref Guide for Essential Oils vs Modern Essentials Plus

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

Head to head
About

Ref Guide for Essential Oils

This app provides a comprehensive guide to essential oils and related products, offering quick information for supporting health and wellness. It includes detailed product information, everyday tips, recipes, and application instructions for hundreds of health conditions.

Highlights
  • Quick on-the-go information
  • Detailed product information
  • Everyday tips and recipes
  • Essential oil application instructions
  • Search and note-taking
  • Information on single oils and blends
Features
Read full description

The Reference Guide app is the portable, user-friendly guide to Young Living®* essential oils and products. You’ll get quick information on-the-go to support better health and an essential oil lifestyle. Now updated with all products available as of June 2026! With a subscription, you’ll receive more detailed information on Young Living® supplements and personal care products. Plus, with “Everyday Essentials” tips and recipes, you can confidently incorporate essential oils into all aspects of daily living.

This app combines information from the authoritative Reference Guide for Essential Oils (by Connie and Alan Higley) with convenient search, easy navigation, and personal note-taking features. Use the app anytime, anywhere to quickly find and confidently use recommended single oils and blends for hundreds of health conditions and wellness solutions.

The Reference Guide app will become your go-to source for personal essential oil use and for sharing your love of essential oils. The app features a personal guide section that details hundreds of health topics for which essential oils can be used to help support the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Additionally, key information on over 100 single oils and over 100 proprietary oil blends will help you better understand and use essential oils.

The app also provides essential oil application instructions—including detailed information about auricular internal body points, the digestive tract, the autonomic nervous system, and the olfactory system. For over 30 years, our team has: Reviewed thousands of research articles; Scoured hundreds of books and lectures by essential oil experts, scientists, medical professionals, historians, and other authorities; Gained practical experience using essential oils for ourselves and our families; Prepared to distill all of the essential information for you in one amazing app! (This convenient app runs on the Apple family of iPhones and iPads.) *Abundant Health™ is a true third-party company that does not profit from the sales of essential oils and is not sponsored by, affiliated with, or endorsed by any essential oil company. We offer this material as a third-party, unbiased presentation about oils and products sold by one of the leading essential oil suppliers and producers in the world. Product names throughout this app are trademarks or registered trademarks of Young Living® Essential Oils. Abundant Health™ is not sponsored by, affiliated with, or endorsed by Young Living® Essential Oils. DISCLAIMER The information contained in this app is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, prevent, or otherwise reduce the effects of any disease or ailment. Consult a licensed, qualified health care provider for diagnosis, medical care, and treatment. Price are in U.S. Dollars (USD). Pricing in other currencies and countries may vary and actual charges may be converted to your local currency depending on the country of residence. Subscription payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period.
Your subscription will automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can cancel at any time within your iTunes account settings. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription to the app. You can manage or turn off the auto-renew option in your Apple ID account settings at any time after purchase. For additional information please see: https://www.abundanthealth4u.com/privacy-policy https://www.abundanthealth4u.com/terms

About

Modern Essentials Plus

This app provides comprehensive information on essential oils, including uses, blends, and application methods. It offers solutions for various health conditions, personal care, and home needs, with features to organize and personalize your oil usage.

Highlights
  • Essential oil uses and blends
  • Condition and symptom search
  • Simple Solutions protocols
  • Personal care recipes
  • Oil inventory tracking
  • Favorite product marking
Features
Read full description

Get your dōTERRA® oils game on—anytime, anywhere—with the #1 app for Wellness Advocates! Modern Essentials® Plus delivers all you need to know for using, sharing, and succeeding with essential oils. It is the most comprehensive app for all dōTERRA® oils, blends, and products! Two ways to get going: • “Basic” app—thousands of uses for dōTERRA® oils and blends for a low, one-time fee. • “Full Access” monthly or yearly subscription—features noted below with an asterisk (*). Here’s the in-depth information included for each dōTERRA® oil and blend: • Primary uses • Secondary and tertiary uses (single oils)* • "Simple Solutions" protocols* • Application methods • Body systems* • Safety data • Detailed usage and application charts* • Chemical constituents* • Extraction methods • Aromatic influences • Blend classifications • Blending compatibilities • Historical uses • Scientific and medical research references (coming soon)* Here’s what’s in "My Usage Guide"—the working core of the app: • Instantly search through hundreds of conditions and symptoms to find primary recommended oils, blends, supplements*, and personal care products*. • Find secondary and tertiary recommendations of oils and blends.* • Get "Simple Solutions" protocols.* • Access recipes for personal care, health, cooking, cleaning, and home care.* Here’s how to organize and personalize your app:* • Mark your favorite products. • Bookmark conditions for quick-and-easy reference. • Track your current essential oil inventory to see which recommended oils you already have for any condition. • Make a wish list for easy ordering. • Write personal notes for any product or condition. Here’s a list of current app languages:+ • Chinese (simplified) • Dutch • English • French • German • Italian • Japanese • Portuguese • Spanish • Russian • More on the way! +Each language version is based on the most recent edition of the Modern Essentials® Handbook in that language. Both “Basic” and “Full Access” apps will be updated free of charge as new editions are written and translated. DISCLAIMER The information contained in this app is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, prevent or otherwise reduce the effects of any disease or ailment. Consult a licensed, qualified health care provider for diagnosis, medical care, and treatment. AromaTools®, is a true third-party company that does not profit from the sales of essential oils. It is not sponsored by, affiliated with, or endorsed by any essential oil company. 

 Subscription payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. 
 
Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period at the purchase price.

 Your subscription will automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can cancel anytime with your iTunes account settings. 

 Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication. 
 
You can manage or turn off auto-renew in your Apple ID Account Setting any time after purchase. For additional information please see: https://www.aromatools.com/privacy-policy https://www.aromatools.com/terms

Screenshots

Ref Guide for Essential Oils4 screens
Modern Essentials Plus4 screens

Verdict

The call

Ref Guide for Essential Oils and Modern Essentials Plus both sit at 4.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 59% of Ref Guide for Essential Oils's written reviews are positive against 17% of Modern Essentials Plus's. Ref Guide for Essential Oils also leads on ratings volume (47 vs 13). Modern Essentials Plus's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months) and price ($3.99 vs $4.99). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Ref Guide for Essential Oils costs $4.99 and Modern Essentials Plus $3.99 up front. Ref Guide for Essential Oils sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Modern Essentials Plus sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for Ref Guide for Essential Oils against 3.9 for Modern Essentials Plus. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 47 and 13 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 59% of Ref Guide for Essential Oils's written reviews are positive against 17% of Modern Essentials Plus's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ref Guide for Essential Oils ships an update every 3 months, Modern Essentials Plus every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Ref Guide for Essential Oils versus Modern Essentials Plus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRef Guide for Essential OilsModern Essentials Plus
Price$4.99$3.99 — better
Rating4.0 (47 ratings) — better3.9 (13 ratings)
Positive reviews58.5% of reviews — better16.9% of reviews
Number of ratings47 — better13
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#61 — better#119
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.616.6
Further details — not scored
Size47 MB27 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperAbundant HealthAromaTools

Customer experience

Ref Guide for Essential Oils

All ratings47 ratings
Positive70.2%
Neutral12.8%
Negative17.0%
Written reviews135 reviews
Positive58.5%
Neutral14.8%
Negative26.7%

Modern Essentials Plus

All ratings13 ratings
Positive76.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative23.1%
Written reviews160 reviews
Positive16.9%
Neutral7.5%
Negative75.6%

User reviews

Ref Guide for Essential Oils

From 47 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 📚 Comprehensive essential oil information and reference
  • 🔍 Easy search functionality by oil or ailment
  • 📱 Convenient portable access without carrying physical books
  • ✅ Well-organized and user-friendly interface
  • 💡 Detailed information on oil properties and applications

Room to improve

  • 💰 Unfair pricing model with upfront cost plus subscription fees
  • 🔄 Lack of regular updates for new oils and products
  • ❌ Outdated product information and discontinued items still listed
  • 🐛 Notes section frequently buggy and unreliable
  • 🔧 App crashes and black screen issues

Modern Essentials Plus

From 13 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Helpful resource for essential oils
  • 👍 Practical and complete information
  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 👍 Good for quick reference
  • 👍 Worth the small investment (for some)

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes frequently
  • 🐛 App won't open
  • 🐛 Frequent bugs and glitches
  • 🐛 Outdated content, not updated
  • 🐛 Subscription model is disliked

Bugs and requests

Ref Guide for Essential Oils

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • Black screen when opening app or selecting options
  • App crashes and stops working after updates
  • Notes disappear or move to wrong oil categories
  • Notes section doesn't allow text entry
  • Contact and bug report links are broken/non-functional
Show 8 more
  • Selection menus block search bar on iPhone
  • App not working properly after reinstall
  • Forced re-purchase after update despite previous purchase
  • Subscription paywall appears after initial purchase
  • Recipe section inaccessible despite paid subscription
  • Search functionality missing or not working
  • App incompatible with newer iOS versions
  • Notes don't sync between devices

Requested features

16 requests
  • Regular updates for new oils and reformulated blends
  • Personal inventory tracking system
  • Shopping list for oils running low or needed
  • Ability to mark favorite oils or oils you own
  • Click-through navigation from ailments to specific oils
Show 11 more
  • Recipe section with detailed mixing instructions and drop amounts
  • Supplement and personal care product information
  • Chemical constituent percentages for each oil
  • Vita flex point diagrams for hands and feet
  • Copy and paste functionality for notes and recipes
  • Share button for individual oils via text/email
  • Multi-language support (Spanish mentioned)
  • Notes syncing across devices
  • Landscape mode for iPad
  • Dilution charts and safety information
  • Auricular Emotional Therapy Chart restoration

Modern Essentials Plus

Reported bugs

15 issues
  • App crashes immediately upon opening
  • App stops functioning entirely
  • Search functionality not working
  • App closes automatically when opening
  • App freezes on loading screen
Show 10 more
  • Login screen freezes
  • Update causes app to not open
  • Subscription not recognized after payment
  • Cannot access certain sections (e.g., Supplements)
  • Drop down menu and search functionality broken
  • Oil information pages are mixed up
  • Clicking on one oil brings up another
  • Cannot delete items from wish list within inventory
  • App closes when accessing search
  • App support link leads to 404 error

Requested features

8 requests
  • Update app with new oils
  • Add original blend names in English
  • Allow entering special oils into inventory
  • Improve inventory section (quantity, size, location)
  • Add dark mode
Show 3 more
  • Translate app to Russian
  • Allow sharing app with iPad
  • Make app free or pay once with full access

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Ref Guide for Essential Oils

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$0.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription$9.991 Year
11 purchases

Modern Essentials Plus

Subscriptions2
  • Full Access (Monthly)1 Month trial$1.991 Month
  • Full Access (Yearly)1 Month trial$19.991 Year
One-time9
  • English language$3.99
  • Idioma português$3.99
  • Lengua española$3.99
Show 6 more
  • Italian Language$3.99
  • Russian Language$3.99
  • Japanese Language$3.99
  • Simplified Chinese$3.99
  • Korean Language$3.99
  • German Language$3.99

Questions

Is Ref Guide for Essential Oils free?
Ref Guide for Essential Oils costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Modern Essentials Plus free?
Modern Essentials Plus costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ref Guide for Essential Oils or Modern Essentials Plus?
Ref Guide for Essential Oils is rated higher. Ref Guide for Essential Oils averages 4.0 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while Modern Essentials Plus averages 3.9 from 13 ratings.
Do Ref Guide for Essential Oils or Modern Essentials Plus have ads?
Neither Ref Guide for Essential Oils nor Modern Essentials Plus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ref Guide for Essential Oils or Modern Essentials Plus?
Ref Guide for Essential Oils ships an update every 3 months, and Modern Essentials Plus every 5 weeks. Most recently, Ref Guide for Essential Oils was updated on October 13, 2026 and Modern Essentials Plus on October 12, 2026.
Which is more popular, Ref Guide for Essential Oils or Modern Essentials Plus?
Ref Guide for Essential Oils currently peaks at #61 in the App Store charts, and Modern Essentials Plus at #119. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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