Comparison

RNotes® vs MedSurg Notes

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

Head to head
About

RNotes®

This clinical reference app provides nurses and students with quick access to essential medical information, including guidelines, procedures, and exam preparation tools. It features full-color images, charts, and customizable notes to enhance patient care and learning.

Highlights
  • Quick-reference clinical nursing information
  • Updated AHA guidelines
  • Full-color images and charts
  • NCLEX exam topic indicators
  • Step-by-step procedures and assessment guidance
  • Customizable notes and highlights
  • Nursing alerts for critical safety information
Features
Read full description

** The essential clinical companion for nurses and students ** ABOUT RNOTES® RNotes is a quick-reference application that puts the latest clinically-focused nursing information at your fingertips, helping you improve patient care. Find answers fast by browsing or searching, then review clinical findings, collaborative management, and quick-read information along with full-color images and charts. The latest edition also helps students prepare for the NCLEX examinations by noting topics that are covered on the exam. FEATURES • Answers to the questions faced in clinical rotations • Updated AHA guidelines • Full-color images and figures • NCLEX icons indicating topics found on licensure exam • Step-by-step procedures and enhanced physical assessment guidance • Details for interpreting ECG, lab values, priority interventions, and more • Convenient tables and charts for finding information quickly • Ability to make custom notes and highlights within entries • Nursing alerts highlighting critical safety information • “Favorites” for bookmarking important topics Author: Ehren Myers Publisher: F.A. Davis Powered by: Unbound Medicine Unbound Privacy Policy: www.unboundmedicine.com/privacy Unbound Terms of Use: https://www.unboundmedicine.com/end_user_license_agreement

About

MedSurg Notes

This app provides on-the-spot guidance for identifying and treating urgent medical-surgical conditions. It covers advanced nursing procedures, organized by symptom and diagnosis, with detailed interventions and assessments. An A&P snapshot and focused assessment tools are included for each condition.

Highlights
  • Covers over 65 medical-surgical conditions
  • Systems approach organized by symptom/diagnosis
  • Detailed interventions and follow-up care
  • Anatomy & Physiology snapshots
  • Focused assessment tools
  • IV therapy review
  • Offline access
Features
Read full description

"Try before you buy" - Download the FREE App, which includes sample content. In-App purchase required to unlock all content. MedSurg Notes: Nurse's Clinical Pocket Guide app provides on-the-spot guidance that helps you identify and treat patients with urgent and common medical-surgical conditions. Each condition is in outline format and delivers all the current information you need to deliver the very best patient care. KEY FEATURES * Covers advanced nursing procedures and concepts associated with over 65 urgent and common medical-surgical conditions. * Uses a systems approach, organized by symptom and medical diagnosis. * Addresses the clinical picture, immediate interventions, focused assessment, stabilizing and monitoring, and follow-up assessment and interventions. * Includes an A&P snapshot of the associated system in each section—7 in all. * Provides a focused assessment tool for each body system and each clinical problem. * Reviews IV therapy, including indications for crystalloids, colloids, or blood products administration. * No internet connection is required to access the content after the initial download. Find information quickly using powerful SmartSearch technology. Search part of term for those hard to spell medical terms. NEW TO THIS EDITION * Updated and revised throughout to reflect the art and science of nursing today * New content that addresses the opioid crisis and the role of the Med-Surg nurse, from safely and effectively managing patients’ pain, and educating patients to assess for abuse potential and making appropriate referrals * New content on caring for LGBTQ persons * New section in each chapter, “You’ll Want to Know,” that spotlights helpful background or supplemental information for each disorder ISBN 10: 0803694512 ISBN 13: 9780803694514 SUBSCRIPTION : Please purchase a yearly auto-renewing subscription to receive content access and available updates. Yearly auto-renewing payments- $32.99 Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Subscription may be managed by the user and auto-renewal can be disabled at any time by going to your device “Settings” and tapping “iTunes & App Store”. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription, where applicable. If you have any questions or comments, email us any time: customersupport@skyscape.com or call 508-299-3000 Privacy Policy - https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/privacypolicy.aspx Terms and Conditions - https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/licenseagreement.aspx Author(s): Ehren Myers RN, BSN Publisher: F. A. Davis Company

Screenshots

RNotes®4 screens
MedSurg Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: RNotes® at 4.5 against MedSurg Notes's 3.9. RNotes® also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (41 vs 11). MedSurg Notes's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, 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

Both are free to download. RNotes® sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and MedSurg Notes sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $32.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RNotes® holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 41 and 11 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RNotes® ships an update every 7 months, MedSurg Notes every 6 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
RNotes® versus MedSurg Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRNotes®MedSurg Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (41 ratings) — better3.9 (11 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings41 — better11
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 6 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB45 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperUnbound Medicine, Inc.Skyscape Medpresso Inc

Customer experience

RNotes®

All ratings41 ratings
Positive85.4%
Neutral4.9%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

MedSurg Notes

All ratings11 ratings
Positive72.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative27.3%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

RNotes®

One-time3
  • RNotes® 4th Edition$29.99
  • RNotes® 5th Edition$29.99
  • RNotes$29.99
1 purchases

MedSurg Notes

Subscriptions1
  • Med Surg Notes 1/Y sub$32.991 Year

Questions

Is RNotes® free?
RNotes® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MedSurg Notes free?
MedSurg Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, RNotes® or MedSurg Notes?
RNotes® is rated higher. RNotes® averages 4.5 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while MedSurg Notes averages 3.9 from 11 ratings.
Do RNotes® or MedSurg Notes have ads?
MedSurg Notes shows ads; RNotes® does not.
Which is updated more often, RNotes® or MedSurg Notes?
RNotes® ships an update every 7 months, and MedSurg Notes every 6 months. Most recently, RNotes® was updated on October 24, 2026 and MedSurg Notes on October 24, 2026.

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