# Pocket ICU vs Micropedia

Pocket ICU and Micropedia both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Micropedia's written reviews are positive against 64% of Pocket ICU's. Micropedia also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). Pocket ICU's advantage is ratings volume (317 vs 8). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pocket ICU sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Micropedia asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Pocket ICU against 4.8 for Micropedia. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket ICU has 317 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 64% of Pocket ICU's written reviews are positive against 100% of Micropedia's.

Pocket ICU ships an update every 5 months, Micropedia every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket ICU | Micropedia |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (317 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-icu/id999527431/reviews) | **[4.8 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/micropedia/id1022647970/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **317** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 9 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) | [Scott Crabtree](https://appshunter.io/developer/890747915) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket ICU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-icu/id999527431)

This app offers concise critical care guidance written by attending physicians. It covers diagnosis, treatment, and management across various subspecialties, with detailed images and decision support algorithms. Advanced search and bookmarking features allow for quick information retrieval.

**Highlights:** Concise guidance from attending physicians, Diagnosis, treatment, and management details, Subspecialty coverage, Detailed images and algorithms, Pharmacological data and formulas, Advanced full-text search, Bookmarking and note-taking

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pocket ICU | $69.99 | one-time |
| Pocket ICU 2023 | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Quick reference material
- 👍 Well-laid out and written material
- 👍 Useful for reviewing previous cases
- 👍 Resourceful and to the point
- 👍 Good preview/summary

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 No access for duration paid
- 😞 Not user friendly/confusing
- 😞 Disappointed content (nursing school without experience)
- 😞 Bait and switch (expensive, not well thought out)
- 😞 Content is limited

**Reported bugs**

- No information loads after purchase
- Issues with download/access


### Micropedia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/micropedia/id1022647970)

A practical medical guide to clinical microbiology, offering concise reviews of over 150 pathogens. It details transmission, symptoms, diagnostics, treatment, and more, drawing from reputable sources.

**Highlights:** 150+ pathogen entries, Clinical presentation details, Diagnostic testing information, Treatment protocols, Search by common names and eponyms, Sourced from reputable medical texts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pocket ICU free?

Pocket ICU is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Micropedia free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pocket ICU or Micropedia?

Micropedia is rated higher. Pocket ICU averages 4.6 out of 5 from 317 ratings, while Micropedia averages 4.8 from 8 ratings.

### Do Pocket ICU or Micropedia have ads?

Neither Pocket ICU nor Micropedia shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pocket ICU or Micropedia?

Pocket ICU ships an update every 5 months, and Micropedia every 6 months. Most recently, Pocket ICU was updated on November 5, 2026 and Micropedia on November 1, 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.*