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Healthcare · head to head

Epocrates vs UpToDate

Epocrates logo

Epocrates

Healthcare

Mobile clinical reference and decision support app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
UpToDate logo

UpToDate

Healthcare

Evidence-based clinical decision support for healthcare providers

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Epocrates has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Epocrates pricing page not publicly accessible; UpToDate upToDate does not publish subscription prices; the vendor (Wolters Kluwer) sorts buyers into separate individual, clinic-wide, and institutional subscription tracks and requires contacting the organization through its subscription-payment-options page rather than showing a rate for any of them.
  • They diverge on capability: Epocrates covers Drug Reference, UpToDate covers Clinical Evidence.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Epocrates and UpToDate actually diverge.

Attributes where Epocrates and UpToDate differ
AttributeEpocratesUpToDate
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMobileWeb, Mobile
Founded20001992

Identical on both: 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

Only in UpToDate

  • Clinical Evidence
  • Drug Information
  • Calculators
  • Medical Images
  • Videos
  • CME Credits
  • Mobile
  • Web support

Both cover

  • EHR Systems
  • 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

UpToDate

  • 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

UpToDate

  • UpToDate does not publish subscription prices; the vendor (Wolters Kluwer) sorts buyers into separate individual, clinic-wide, and institutional subscription tracks and requires contacting the organization through its subscription-payment-options page rather than showing a rate for any of them.

Pricing, plan by plan

Epocrates

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

UpToDate

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the UpToDate review.

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.
Epocrates review

Choose UpToDate if

  • You need clinical evidence.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want drug information.
UpToDate review

Questions people ask

Is Epocrates or UpToDate better?
Neither clearly leads. Epocrates starts at Free and UpToDate at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Epocrates or UpToDate?
Epocrates has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Epocrates and On request for UpToDate.
Does Epocrates or UpToDate run on more platforms?
Epocrates runs on Mobile. UpToDate runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Epocrates for free?
Yes. Epocrates has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. UpToDate starts at On request.
What is Epocrates best used for?
Epocrates is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth.
What can Epocrates do that UpToDate cannot?
Epocrates covers Drug Reference, Interactions, Dosing Calculators, Disease Information. UpToDate covers Clinical Evidence, Drug Information, Calculators, Medical Images. Both handle EHR Systems, 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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