# USMLE Step 1 Mastery vs Plumb's | Standards

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Plumb's | Standards at none against USMLE Step 1 Mastery's 3. Plumb's | Standards also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and ratings volume (3.4K vs 216). USMLE Step 1 Mastery's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 56%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. USMLE Step 1 Mastery sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Plumb's | Standards asks for nothing beyond the download.

Plumb's | Standards holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plumb's | Standards has 3.4K ratings behind it against 216, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of USMLE Step 1 Mastery's written reviews are positive against 56% of Plumb's | Standards's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

USMLE Step 1 Mastery ships an update every 2 weeks, Plumb's | Standards every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | USMLE Step 1 Mastery | Plumb's | Standards |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (216 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usmle-step-1-mastery/id964613157/reviews) | **[4.9 (3.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plumbs-standards/id1556729700/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 216 | **3.4K** |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 55.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Size | 166 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Higher Learning Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/571804544) | [Brief Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/1018418856) |

## What reviewers say

### USMLE Step 1 Mastery

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usmle-step-1-mastery/id964613157)

Prepare for the USMLE Step 1 exam with over 1,800 practice questions, including vignette-style and basic science items. Access extensive audio/video content, mnemonics, definitions, and drug flashcards. Track your performance with in-depth statistics to ensure you achieve your desired results.

**Highlights:** 1,800+ practice questions, Vignette-style questions, Basic science questions, Audio/video content, Mnemonics and definitions, Drug flashcards, Performance statistics

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| USMLE Step 1 - 1 Month | $11.99 | per month |
| USMLE Step 1 - 3 Months | $24.99 | per 3 months |
| USMLE Step 1 - 12 Months | $35.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great explanations for answers
- 👍 Convenient for on-the-go studying
- 👍 Good breadth of material covered
- 👍 Detailed feedback on questions
- 👍 Useful mnemonics provided

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Charged for unwanted renewals
- 👎 Unable to unlock purchased app
- 👎 App crashes and freezes
- 👎 Questions can be too easy/basic
- 👎 False sense of mastery from questions

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and crashes during account creation
- App crashes while trying to create an account

**Requested features**

- Add more Q-bank questions
- Include a way to make notes
- Corrections on writing and punctuation
- Updates available?


### Plumb's | Standards

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plumbs-standards/id1556729700)

This app provides trusted veterinary clinical decision support, integrating comprehensive drug information and treatment guidance. It offers tools for diagnosis, treatment, and client education, designed for veterinary professionals.

**Highlights:** Veterinary drug and dosing information, Drug interaction checker, Conversion calculator, Diagnosis and treatment monographs, Management algorithms, Differential diagnosis lists, Client education handouts

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Super helpful
- 👍 Excellent resource
- 👍 Very helpful and easy to use
- 👍 Worth the price
- 👍 Amazing app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Signing in issues
- 🐛 Impossible to get an answer from Support
- 💰 Disappointed - Careful before purchasing!
- 🐛 No calculator
- 🐛 Imposible to renew

**Reported bugs**

- Signing in issues
- Crashing
- Login/password reset problems
- Compatibility issues on iPad

**Requested features**

- Add calculator function
- Improve renewal/subscription management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is USMLE Step 1 Mastery free?

USMLE Step 1 Mastery is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Plumb's | Standards free?

Plumb's | Standards is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, USMLE Step 1 Mastery or Plumb's | Standards?

Plumb's | Standards is rated higher. USMLE Step 1 Mastery averages 4.6 out of 5 from 216 ratings, while Plumb's | Standards averages 4.9 from 3.4K ratings.

### Do USMLE Step 1 Mastery or Plumb's | Standards have ads?

Neither USMLE Step 1 Mastery nor Plumb's | Standards shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, USMLE Step 1 Mastery or Plumb's | Standards?

USMLE Step 1 Mastery ships an update every 2 weeks, and Plumb's | Standards every 3 weeks. Most recently, USMLE Step 1 Mastery was updated on October 29, 2026 and Plumb's | Standards on October 29, 2026.

---

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