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Healthcare · head to head

Epocrates vs Healthgrades

Epocrates logo

Epocrates

Healthcare

Mobile clinical reference and decision support app

From
Free
Rated
-
Healthgrades logo

Healthgrades

Healthcare

Provider search and ratings platform for patients

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Epocrates pricing page not publicly accessible; Healthgrades healthgrades is free for consumers and monetizes through a separate B2B arm (b2b.healthgrades.com) selling 'Claim your profile' provider listings, health-system quality solutions, and life-sciences advertiser placements, none of which publish public pricing, per the vendor's own site structure.
  • They diverge on capability: Epocrates covers Drug Reference, Healthgrades covers Provider Search.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Epocrates and Healthgrades actually diverge.

Attributes where Epocrates and Healthgrades differ
AttributeEpocratesHealthgrades
PlatformsMobileWeb, Mobile
Founded20001998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Healthcare).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Epocrates

  • Drug Reference
  • Interactions
  • Dosing Calculators
  • Disease Information
  • Medical Procedures
  • Patient Education
  • EHR Systems

Only in Healthgrades

  • Provider Search
  • Reviews and Ratings
  • Appointment Booking
  • Provider Profiles
  • Insurance Verification
  • Practice management systems
  • Web support

Both cover

  • HIPAA
  • Cloud deployment
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Epocrates

  • Patient Care
  • Medical Records
  • Practice Management
  • Telehealth

Healthgrades

  • Patient Care
  • Medical Records
  • Practice Management
  • Telehealth

Both are used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Epocrates

  • Pricing page not publicly accessible

Healthgrades

  • Healthgrades is free for consumers and monetizes through a separate B2B arm (b2b.healthgrades.com) selling 'Claim your profile' provider listings, health-system quality solutions, and life-sciences advertiser placements, none of which publish public pricing, per the vendor's own site structure.

Pricing, plan by plan

Epocrates

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Drug references
    • Calculators
    • Interactions
  • Premium$99/year
    • Enhanced content
    • Offline access

Healthgrades

Free
  • PatientFree
    • Find doctors
    • Read reviews
    • Book appointments

Which should you pick?

Choose Epocrates if

  • You need drug reference.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mobile.
  • You also want interactions.

Choose Healthgrades if

  • You need provider search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want reviews and ratings.

Questions people ask

Is Epocrates or Healthgrades better?
Neither clearly leads. Epocrates starts at Free and Healthgrades at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Epocrates or Healthgrades?
Epocrates starts at Free and Healthgrades at Free.
Does Epocrates or Healthgrades run on more platforms?
Epocrates runs on Mobile. Healthgrades runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Epocrates for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Epocrates best used for?
Epocrates is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth.
What can Epocrates do that Healthgrades cannot?
Epocrates covers Drug Reference, Interactions, Dosing Calculators, Disease Information. Healthgrades covers Provider Search, Reviews and Ratings, Appointment Booking, Provider Profiles. Both handle HIPAA, Cloud deployment, Mobile support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Epocrates: How much does Epocrates cost?

Epocrates pricing information is not available to public access. Users must authenticate or contact the vendor to view pricing details.

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