# Mosby's Drug Reference vs Docformative

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Docformative at 100% against Mosby's Drug Reference's 32%. Docformative also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Mosby's Drug Reference's advantage is ratings volume (235 vs 18) and device support (4 vs 2). On price and ads 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. Docformative asks for nothing beyond the download.

Docformative holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mosby's Drug Reference has 235 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 32% of Mosby's Drug Reference's written reviews are positive against 100% of Docformative's.

Mosby's Drug Reference ships an update every 9 months, Docformative every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mosby's Drug Reference | Docformative |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (235 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mosbys-drug-reference/id959042883/reviews) | **[5.0 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/docformative/id1472933856/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **235** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | 31.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 10 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) | [Docformative, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1472933855) |

## 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


### Docformative

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/docformative/id1472933856)

This platform connects healthcare providers with pharmaceutical companies, offering drug information, medical news, and FDA drug labeling. Receive instant alerts on drug updates and access educational materials to enhance patient care.

**Highlights:** Drug and medical information, FDA drug labeling lookup, Medical news updates, Instant drug alerts and notifications, Educational material access, Drug sample ordering, Chat with pharma experts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mosby's Drug Reference free?

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

### Is Docformative free?

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

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

Docformative is rated higher. Mosby's Drug Reference averages 4.6 out of 5 from 235 ratings, while Docformative averages 5.0 from 18 ratings.

### Do Mosby's Drug Reference or Docformative have ads?

Neither Mosby's Drug Reference nor Docformative shows ads.

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

Mosby's Drug Reference ships an update every 9 months, and Docformative every 2 months. Most recently, Mosby's Drug Reference was updated on October 29, 2026 and Docformative on October 12, 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.*