# Mosby's Drug Reference vs Medicine Dictionary

Mosby's Drug Reference and Medicine Dictionary both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 84% of Medicine Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 32% of Mosby's Drug Reference's. Medicine Dictionary also leads on ratings volume (988 vs 235). Mosby's Drug Reference's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mosby's Drug Reference sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $45.99 per year and Medicine Dictionary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Mosby's Drug Reference against 4.7 for Medicine Dictionary. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 235 and 988 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 32% of Mosby's Drug Reference's written reviews are positive against 84% of Medicine Dictionary's.

Mosby's Drug Reference ships an update every 9 months, Medicine Dictionary every 15 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mosby's Drug Reference | Medicine Dictionary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (235 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mosbys-drug-reference/id959042883/reviews) | **[4.7 (988 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medicine-dictionary/id1021593933/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 235 | **988** |
| Positive reviews | 31.8% of reviews | **84.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 months** | Every 15 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) | [Farlex, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/379450386) |

## What reviewers say

### Mosby's Drug Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mosbys-drug-reference/id959042883)

This app provides healthcare professionals with comprehensive drug information, including actions, usage, dosage, interactions, and side effects. It emphasizes patient safety with Black Box Warnings, Safety Alerts, and information on life-threatening side effects. Features include custom notes, highlights, and quick search functionality.

**Highlights:** Over 5,000 drug listings, Black Box Warnings and Safety Alerts, Drug action, usage, dosage, interactions, side effects, Custom notes and highlights, Full text search, Appendix of recent FDA-approvals

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mosby's Drug Reference | $45.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great reference for nursing students
- 👍 Reliable resource for medication information
- 👍 Invaluable for looking up drugs quickly
- 👍 Helpful for answering patient questions
- 👍 Easy and best to use mobile drug reference

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Routinely does not have drugs
- 😞 Not for Canadian market
- 😞 Not categorized and searchable
- 😞 Cannot customize info display
- 😞 Most patients' meds weren't there

**Reported bugs**

- Every time I search norco or hydrocodone hydrochlorothiazide comes up

**Requested features**

- Version for people in the dental field
- Create an app version for dental drug reference
- Separate favorites list for users and spouses


### Medicine Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medicine-dictionary/id1021593933)

Access comprehensive information on over 4,000 prescription and over-the-counter medications. This drug dictionary provides details on generic and brand names, side effects, interactions, and more, trusted by healthcare professionals.

**Highlights:** 4,000+ prescription and OTC medications, Detailed drug entries, Unlimited bookmarks, Voice search, Advanced search options, Share definitions

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad-free upgrade | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to navigate and use
- 📚 Comprehensive drug information
- 🔍 Detailed definitions and dosages
- 🧠 Helpful for students and professionals
- 🤖 Accurate and reliable data

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Missing information for some medications
- 🤔 Terminology may be too technical for some users
- 🔍 Limited coverage of certain drug categories

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect drug categorization for some medications
- Outdated information for certain drugs

**Requested features**

- Add images of pill capsules and tablets
- Improve search functionality to find more medications
- Expand coverage to include more niche or lesser-known drugs


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mosby's Drug Reference free?

Mosby's Drug Reference is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Medicine Dictionary free?

Medicine Dictionary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mosby's Drug Reference or Medicine Dictionary?

Medicine Dictionary is rated higher. Mosby's Drug Reference averages 4.6 out of 5 from 235 ratings, while Medicine Dictionary averages 4.7 from 988 ratings.

### Do Mosby's Drug Reference or Medicine Dictionary have ads?

Medicine Dictionary shows ads; Mosby's Drug Reference does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mosby's Drug Reference or Medicine Dictionary?

Mosby's Drug Reference ships an update every 9 months, and Medicine Dictionary every 15 months. Most recently, Mosby's Drug Reference was updated on October 24, 2026 and Medicine Dictionary on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*