# MGH Access vs Patient Gateway

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Patient Gateway at 9.4K against MGH Access's 5. Patient Gateway also leads on chart position (#189 vs unranked) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 8 months). MGH Access's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.2). 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.

MGH Access holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Patient Gateway has 9.4K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

MGH Access ships an update every 8 months, Patient Gateway every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MGH Access | Patient Gateway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mgh-access/id940190328/reviews)** | [4.6 (9.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patient-gateway/id1175078347/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **9.4K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 63.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#189** |
| Size | 70 MB | 128 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 16.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Massachusetts General Hospital](https://appshunter.io/developer/376928206) | [Mass General Brigham, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1038517573) |

## What reviewers say

### MGH Access

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mgh-access/id940190328)

Connect with Massachusetts General Hospital services and clinicians on the go. Easily find, favorite, and contact specialty provider practices for referrals and transfers. Share contact information with colleagues or friends.

**Highlights:** Connect to MGH services and clinicians, Find and favorite specialty practices, Facilitate referrals and inpatient transfers, Share provider contacts, Provide feedback to the development team

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Patient Gateway

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patient-gateway/id1175078347)

**Currently charting:** #189 Top Free · Medical (US App Store)

Access your health records, manage appointments, and communicate directly with your healthcare providers. This app allows you to review test results, renew prescriptions, and pay bills securely.

**Highlights:** View test results, Manage appointments, Message your doctor, Renew prescriptions, Pay bills, Connect to Apple Health

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick access to test results
- 👍 Convenient way to communicate with doctors
- 🔒 Secure platform for medical information
- 💡 Ability to view appointment history and details
- 🚀 Timely response from care team

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent app performance and glitches
- 👎 Limited functionality compared to website
- 🔒 Difficulty resetting password
- 👎 Inability to edit personal information
- 🐛 Buggy login and authentication process

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes upon opening on certain iOS versions
- Unable to update insurance and doctor information
- Messaging feature not working as expected
- Inconsistent display of past visit information

**Requested features**

- Integrate Face ID/Touch ID for login
- Add push notifications for important updates
- Improve organization and navigation of app
- Allow patients to view and manage family members' records
- Provide more detailed explanations of test results


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MGH Access free?

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

### Is Patient Gateway free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MGH Access or Patient Gateway?

MGH Access is rated higher. MGH Access averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Patient Gateway averages 4.6 from 9.4K ratings.

### Do MGH Access or Patient Gateway have ads?

Neither MGH Access nor Patient Gateway shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MGH Access or Patient Gateway?

MGH Access ships an update every 8 months, and Patient Gateway every 4 months. Most recently, MGH Access was updated on November 1, 2026 and Patient Gateway on November 7, 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.*