# The Chief Complaint vs KNOW Medicine

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Chief Complaint at none against KNOW Medicine's 1. The Chief Complaint also leads on ratings volume (649 vs 2) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). KNOW Medicine's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 9 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. KNOW Medicine sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $17.99 per year. The Chief Complaint asks for nothing beyond the download.

KNOW Medicine holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Chief Complaint has 649 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

The Chief Complaint ships an update every 9 months, KNOW Medicine every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on July 17, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Chief Complaint | KNOW Medicine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (649 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-chief-complaint/id969426649/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/know-medicine/id1663803825/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **649** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 88.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 157 MB | 93 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Escavo, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/466952342) | [KNOW Medicine](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663805417) |

## What reviewers say

### The Chief Complaint

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-chief-complaint/id969426649)

This emergency medicine guide offers an algorithmic approach to over 50 common complaints. It provides decision support, links to medical resources, and includes a drug guide and calculators. A clinical community forum is also available for collaboration.

**Highlights:** Algorithmic approach to common ER complaints, Clinical decision support algorithms, Links to medical resources (PubMed, EM:RAP, etc.), Emergency medicine drug guide, Medical calculators and scores, ESCAVO Clinical Community forum

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use interface
- 🧠 Comprehensive differential diagnosis algorithms
- 📚 Excellent educational resource for medical students and residents
- 🎯 Clear, concise, and thorough clinical guidance
- 🔗 Evidence-based recommendations with step-by-step approach

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📱 No iPad landscape mode support
- ⚠️ Potentially outdated information (per one user)
- 📖 Sparse coverage in some specialty areas (OB/GYN, toxicology)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when deleting bookmarks

**Requested features**

- iPad landscape orientation support
- Additional drug information in complaint categories
- Expanded content for OB/GYN and toxicology sections


### KNOW Medicine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/know-medicine/id1663803825)

This app provides a concise, expanded outline format for internal medicine practitioners on the wards. It focuses on essential high-yield knowledge, pathophysiology, treatment, and pharmacology for deeper understanding and retention. Subscription offers access to the entire collection with yearly updates.

**Highlights:** Expanded outline format, Organ system pathophysiology, Detailed treatment sections, Pharmacology focus, High-yield knowledge, Yearly updates, Website access

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Membership | $17.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Chief Complaint free?

The Chief Complaint is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is KNOW Medicine free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Chief Complaint or KNOW Medicine?

KNOW Medicine is rated higher. The Chief Complaint averages 4.8 out of 5 from 649 ratings, while KNOW Medicine averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do The Chief Complaint or KNOW Medicine have ads?

Neither The Chief Complaint nor KNOW Medicine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Chief Complaint or KNOW Medicine?

The Chief Complaint ships an update every 9 months, and KNOW Medicine every 2 months. Most recently, The Chief Complaint was updated on July 17, 2026 and KNOW Medicine on September 17, 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.*