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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Davis Drug Guide For Nurses vs Nursing Central

Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 4.8★ · Free + IAP 70
Winner Nursing Central
Nursing Central 4.9★ · Free + IAP 75

Nursing Central offers a broader range of resources beyond just drug information, making it a more comprehensive tool for nursing students and professionals, despite both apps facing similar issues with subscription models and technical glitches.

Full reviews: Davis Drug Guide For Nurses · Nursing Central

Both Davis Drug Guide For Nurses and Nursing Central are highly-rated drug reference apps for nurses, but Nursing Central provides a wider array of educational content and tools. While both are praised for their utility, they share common user frustrations regarding subscription models, technical issues, and customer support.

Head to head

Features and Content Depth edge: Nursing CentralR2R7R8R11
Davis Drug Guide For Nurses Davis Drug Guide is highly valued for its accurate, thorough, and easy-to-use drug information, including IV incompatibilities R2R8R11. Users appreciate it as a quick reference for medication details, especially for nursing students creating drug cards . However, some users report missing drug classifications R15R36 or specific drugs , and a few mention outdated or incorrect information for certain medications . The lack of a Y-site compatibility chart is also noted R7.
Nursing Central Nursing Central is praised for its comprehensive content, offering not just drug information but also scholarly articles, notecards, a work cited generator, and videos of procedures . It's seen as a valuable resource for both academics and clinical practice, helping with care plans and patient teaching . However, some users find certain subjects lacking in depth and note that many journal articles or extra manuals require additional purchases beyond the main subscription . A few users also report issues with the quality of NCLEX prep quizzes .
Ease of Use and Performance tieR2R3R6R8
Davis Drug Guide For Nurses Many users find Davis Drug Guide easy to use, with a simple layout and quick access to information R2R8R11. However, a significant number of recent reviews highlight performance issues, including slow loading times R3, the app shutting down or crashing R16, and problems with logging in or restoring purchases R9R18. Some also mention difficulty finding what they need R6 or issues with the index . The interface is described as outdated by some , and the lack of iOS split-view integration is a drawback for students .
Nursing Central Nursing Central is generally considered easy to navigate and use for reference . However, it also faces performance complaints, with users reporting slow speeds , constant syncing issues , and the app flashing or crashing after updates . A notable frustration is the lack of autocorrect in search, making it difficult to find information if spelling is unknown . Some users also struggle with account creation, login, or password recovery .
Price and Value tieR4R8R9R10
Davis Drug Guide For Nurses Davis Drug Guide is a paid app with an annual subscription, which many users find expensive R4R39R52. There are complaints about the lack of a clear free trial R10 and issues with subscriptions not transferring to new devices R9 or being difficult to cancel R13R53R56R58. Some users feel exploited by the annual fee for what they perceive as a single book R4. However, many long-term users and students consider it worth the price for its utility and accuracy R8. There's confusion about whether it's a lifetime or annual subscription R36.
Nursing Central Nursing Central is also a paid app, with an annual subscription that many users find very expensive, ranging from $99 to $180 or even $300 R79. A significant number of users express frustration over being told in nursing school that their purchase was a 'lifetime' subscription, only to find it expires or requires renewal R76R79. Users also dislike that additional content often requires further payment . Despite the cost, many students and professionals consider it a valuable investment for its comprehensive resources .
Reliability and Support tieR9R13R16R18
Davis Drug Guide For Nurses Davis Drug Guide users frequently report issues with app reliability, including crashing R16, inability to open the app , and problems with account access or restoring purchases R9R18. Several users mention contacting support without receiving helpful resolutions . There are also reports of difficulty canceling subscriptions R13R53R56R58.
Nursing Central Nursing Central also faces significant reliability complaints, such as app crashing , syncing issues , and content being deleted or not updating properly . Users frequently report being unable to log in, create accounts, or reset passwords, sometimes rendering the app unusable . Customer support is criticized for offering limited help or being unreachable . A major point of contention is the app expiring or not transferring to new devices despite initial promises of lifetime access R76.
Pick Davis Drug Guide For Nurses if

Pick Davis Drug Guide For Nurses if you primarily need a reliable, focused drug reference with detailed information and IV incompatibilities, and you are comfortable with an annual subscription model R2R8. It's particularly useful for quick lookups in clinical settings and for nursing students creating drug cards R11.

Pick Nursing Central if

Pick Nursing Central if you are looking for a more comprehensive nursing resource that includes not only drug information but also scholarly articles, care plan tools, and educational videos, and you are prepared for a higher annual subscription fee and potential additional costs for some content . It's well-suited for both nursing students and seasoned professionals who want a broad range of information in one app .

Evidence note: Both apps have a high lifetime rating, but a significant portion of recent reviews for both are negative, often citing issues with subscriptions, technical glitches, and customer support. The free-vs-paid asymmetry is evident as both apps offer a free download but require a subscription for full access, leading to frustration among users who feel misled about pricing or access terms.

Frequently asked

What are the subscription costs for these apps?
Davis Drug Guide For Nurses typically costs around $39 per year for a subscription, though some users reported confusion about whether it was a lifetime or annual purchase R36R39R52. Nursing Central's annual subscription is significantly higher, with users reporting costs ranging from $99 to $180, and even up to $300, with additional content often requiring further payment R79.
Can I use these apps on multiple devices or offline?
Users of both apps report issues with transferring subscriptions or accessing content on new devices, often being prompted to pay again R9R24R76. Davis Drug Guide users specifically mention it can only be used on their Apple account and not on a laptop or through a web portal R15R24. Nursing Central users also express a desire for offline data storage due to poor internet access in some clinical settings .
Are there issues with canceling subscriptions for these apps?
Yes, many users of Davis Drug Guide For Nurses report significant difficulty canceling their subscriptions, with some stating they were unable to turn off renewals or find the option to cancel R13R53R56R58. For Nursing Central, while not as frequently mentioned, the frustration often stems from subscriptions expiring unexpectedly after users believed they had purchased lifetime access .

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 5/5 · US My go too: I’ve been using Davis Drug Guide for nurses since I was in nursing school in 2016. It’s carried me through all my years as a nurse and now going into my years as a nurse practitioner. It’s very helpful easy to use. I recommend it to anybody wherever they are in their career.
  2. [R7] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 1/5 · US Y site comparability: Where is the y site comparability chart?
  3. [R8] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 5/5 · US The Guide You Need: Almost every medication you might run into is right here at your fingertips. When you don’t have time to rummage through the book or a newer medication isn’t in there, it’s here! The app is simple to use and you can save the medications you run into the most. I use this app every day and I love it! It’s worth the price, I promise!
  4. [R11] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 5/5 · US New nurse: Quick , easy, accurate !!! All the things a new nurse needs. I can access information very quickly , it’s easy to use the app and it’s very accurate .
  5. [R3] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 3/5 · US Helpful if you have time: This app is incredibly helpful for its accuracy, layout and and information however can be difficult to use in a clinical setting because of how long it takes to load each page
  6. [R6] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 3/5 · US Comment: Difficult to find what I needed
  7. [R4] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 1/5 · US Nobody should have to pay an annual subscription to retain access one book: It’s an example of how we exploit each other even as we lament being exploited by larger corporate interests.
  8. [R9] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 3/5 · US Can add to new phone: Love the app itself, do not like the fact that when you add the app to new phone you can not restore. They want you to pay for another subscription. Maybe it’s me but this has happened on two different phones.
  9. [R10] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 1/5 · US Free trail?: Where is this free trail? I downloaded the app and any I click on ask me to pay for a subscription. Haven’t been able to preview anything.
  10. [R13] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 1/5 · US Can’t cancel subscription: I used this app for several years while in nursing school and it was great. I no longer need it with a new job, but am unable to cancel the renewal.
  11. [R16] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 1/5 · US Keeps shutting down: Everytime I try to open it the thing won’t open and shuts down. It’s quite annoying!!
  12. [R18] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 3/5 · US Can’t access account: I have been charged for this app for a couple years now without even knowing it. So I tried to download and install it - but there is no option to log in or access my account.
  13. [R36] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 3/5 · US Confused.: In the app when I downloaded it, it said lifetime access for $38.99. But the app listing says annually. If I knew it was annually I would have reconsidered the app. Also, I would like the drug classes to be included. That’s very important.
  14. [R39] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 3/5 · US Amazing but costly: This is the perfect pocket guide to drugs BUT it's $39 a year and I have yet to find a way to use the access code I got with my textbook to get the subscription.
  15. [R52] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 1/5 · US The past is better than the future.: This app used to be better a few years ago, but now they want $50 subscription?! I think not.
  16. [R79] Nursing Central 1/5 · US Yearly subscription - Would not Recommend: When I originally downloaded the app I was charged $180 and I though it was all inclusive and not based on yearly subscription. It never mentioned a yearly subscription it appeared to be a onetime charge. But it came back to using it after a while. And now only some disease process and medications show up. With a OUTDATED highlighted in red. It’s a scam t
  17. [R15] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 3/5 · US Short comings are becoming evident: 1. The product can only be used on my apple account; therefore, I am unable to access the product on my laptop through an internet portal. Such as that offered at Davis’s drugguide.com - Note, subscription to this app, does not provide membership to other Davis’s drug guide resources. 2. Product is missing drug classifications. Ex. Antacids
  18. [R24] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 3/5 · US Not available for MacBook: Tried pulling it up on my MacBook so I can transfer content from app to a word doc that I need to print to have in class and was unable to do so. When I typed “davis drug book” in on google it took me to the davis drug book unbound website. That’s when I realized this app isn’t the official davis drug book app, with the official one you can log in on google and also down
  19. [R76] Nursing Central 1/5 · US Need to Use My Old Device: I installed this on an older Apple Device, but I got a new one and the app tells me that it is now expired and I have to use it on my old device. I thought that when you bought an app in the App Store, it was yours? This one wasn’t cheap!
  20. [R53] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 4/5 · US Subscription renewal.: Great app, however I turned off the subscription when I was done with Nursing School. I recently updated my payment information on my phone, and yet I was still charged. Now it's not giving me an option to turn off the subscription.
  21. [R56] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 2/5 · US CANCEL FREE TRIAL: No where does it say how to cancel the free trial. I do not want to purchase. I want to cancel before I get charged.
  22. [R58] Davis Drug Guide For Nurses 1/5 · US Unsubscribe???: HOW DO I UNSUBSCRIBE?

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store