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

Pill Reminder vs Max

Pill Reminder 4.7★ · Free + IAP 65
Winner Max
Max 4.8★ · Free + IAP 70

Max has a slight edge due to its unique and effective reminder system, despite some recent update issues, while Pill Reminder struggles with persistent data management problems and a restrictive free tier.

Full reviews: Pill Reminder · Max

Max offers a highly effective and unique reminder system, including call reminders with animal noises, making it great for consistent medication adherence. Pill Reminder is praised for its customizability and tracking features, but is plagued by issues with history deletion, recent buggy updates, and a very limited free version.

Head to head

Features & Customization tieR9R12R18R22
Pill Reminder Pill Reminder is noted for being very customizable and intuitive, allowing for multiple users and tracking not just meds but also supplements and water R12. However, users report issues with tracking continuous glucose monitors R18 and a lack of options for specific medication reasons . Recent updates have hidden useful features like the 'as-needed' button R9R22.
Max Max is praised for its simple, straightforward approach to reminders and its unique call reminder feature with animal noises R62R65R89. It allows for detailed medication frequency and times . However, some users find it lacks functionality for shared lists and has issues with setting overnight times .
Ease of Use edge: MaxR5R9R11R22
Pill Reminder Pill Reminder is generally considered simple and effective by many users R5R11. However, recent updates have made navigation more complicated R9R22. Users also find making changes to medication schedules overly complicated, often requiring details to be entered in multiple sections .
Max Max is described as very easy to use and straightforward . Its interface is intuitive, and rescheduling doses is simple . However, some users report that recent updates have made the app confusing .
Reliability & Performance edge: MaxR1R3R6R7
Pill Reminder Pill Reminder has significant reliability issues, including the deletion of history when adjusting times or stopping reminders R3R11R12R27. Some users report the app stopping working entirely R1, notifications failing , or the app locking up their phone R7. There are also reports of language changing unexpectedly R6 and issues with time zone changes .
Max Max also faces reliability concerns, with reports of glitches, freezing, and lost progress . A major issue is that notifications often require the app to be left open or running in the background . Some users experience syncing problems across devices and calendar inaccuracies . However, the call reminder feature is generally praised for its effectiveness R62R65R68.
Price & Value (Free vs. Paid) tieR4R10R20R21
Pill Reminder Pill Reminder's free version is severely limited, allowing only 2-3 medication reminders, which many users find useless and a 'trap' to force payment R4R10R21. The paid version is considered inexpensive by some R20 and offers unlimited reminders.
Max Max is also a free app with in-app purchases. While some users appreciate it being free and effective , the free version is heavily criticized for intrusive and frequent ads that can freeze the app . There are mentions of a paid version, but less detail on its specific benefits or cost .
Support & Updates edge: MaxR6R9R22R31
Pill Reminder Pill Reminder users report difficulty reaching the developer, with a non-working contact website and no apparent support R31. Recent updates have been poorly received, introducing bugs, changing the app's language, and removing or hiding key features R6R9R22.
Max Max has also received negative feedback for recent updates that made the app confusing or less user-friendly . However, at least one user mentioned that the call feature was fixed after they emailed support , suggesting some level of responsiveness.
Pick Pill Reminder if

Pick Pill Reminder if you need a highly customizable app for multiple users and are willing to pay for the full version, provided you don't frequently change medication schedules or rely on historical data R12R20.

Pick Max if

Pick Max if you prioritize unique and persistent reminders, especially the call feature with animal noises, and can tolerate occasional glitches or are willing to pay to remove ads R62R65R89.

Evidence note: Both apps have a significant number of recent negative reviews related to updates and core functionality issues, which contrasts with their high lifetime ratings. The free-vs-paid asymmetry is notable for Pill Reminder, where many negative reviews stem directly from the limitations of the free tier.

Frequently asked

Is Pill Reminder truly free?
No, Pill Reminder's 'free' version is extremely limited, only allowing you to set 2-3 medication reminders, which many users find useless for managing multiple medications and consider a paywall trap R4R10R21R40.
Does Max offer unique reminder types?
Yes, Max is highly praised for its unique 'call reminder' feature, where the app will call your phone with animal noises to remind you to take your medication, which users find very effective and distinct from standard alarms R62R65R68R89.
Do these apps reliably track medication history?
Pill Reminder has a significant flaw where changing medication times or stopping reminders often deletes all previous history for that medication, rendering the history useless R3R11R12R27. Max also has reports of data being suddenly erased or not syncing across devices .

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. [R9] Pill Reminder 3/5 · US It was great before this terrible update: Why do I make the mistake of updating apps??? Now I have to click through to “more” and scroll a menu every time I take an “as-needed” medication? What an irritating extra step! If you are going to hide half the capabilities, why don’t you at least allow a setting so that people can choose what they want to see when they open the app? I have zero need for
  2. [R12] Pill Reminder 3/5 · US Very customizable and intuitive: I like iOS Health but just wanted a better way without iOS intrusion. This works nicely for multiple users. I learned this immediately. Just a good 5 star experience app. I don’t get many. One flaw based on using it for us is to have the history deleted when changing the reminder. Why would you even want to do that ?? It ruins the history and renders it useless.
  3. [R18] Pill Reminder 3/5 · US Not very good at keeping track of continuous glucose monitors and all the stuff that goes with them.: I have a continuous glucose monitors and I had trouble setting that up. First of all, there’s no “medicine” in it, so when the app asks me for a dosage, what should I say? Second of all, I order it on the first of the month, which gives me some time to find a ride to the drugstore before I put i
  4. [R22] Pill Reminder 2/5 · US Was a 6 star app: I paid for this after having it just a couple days, it was that good. The last update is almost a deal breaker. This is a functional app, does not need to be pretty, just easy and familiar. The most used button for me (and I imagine most others) is the “as needed”. Well, it’s gone from the main screen, sad. Replace one of the lesser used buttons with “as needed “ and it would onc
  5. [R5] Pill Reminder 5/5 · US Simple and effective: Still works. I never forget to take my meds.
  6. [R11] Pill Reminder 5/5 · US Life Saver: I’m at a stage in life where I don’t remember whether or when I took my medication last and what time I should be taking the next dose. This app solves the guesswork and the app keeps track and reminds me when the next dose is due. The only thing I would change is when I need to change the scheduled time of a medication, all previous information of taking the medication is deleted
  7. [R1] Pill Reminder 1/5 · US What Happened?: My app stopped working and I am at a loss without it. Please help me.
  8. [R3] Pill Reminder 3/5 · US Helpful: I use the app as a reminder and tracker. However if I try and adjust the time (as when I travel) it erases the history.
  9. [R6] Pill Reminder 3/5 · US WHAT HAPPENED???: I have used this app for meds for more than TEN years, without any issues, until today… Everything in the App except for my name, in is now ALL in SPANISH! I took Spanish in Junior High in 1964, and now 62 years later, I don’t recall SQUAT in Spanish. And I can NOT find any place, anywhere, in the App, where I can change it back to English! I thrilled that Apps like t
  10. [R7] Pill Reminder 1/5 · US Locked Up My Phone: I downloaded this app and when I opened it, there was a pop up that asked me to allow urgent notifications or something like that and no matter what I pressed nothing would happen. I lock my phone screen and open it and the pop up is still there. I had to force shut down my brand new phone to get it working again.
  11. [R4] Pill Reminder 1/5 · US “Free” version is 100% useless: You can only add 2 reminders for medication in “free” at which you are notified you have to pay 1.99 to add more/unlimited. This was a waste of time - 9/10 if you only have 2 meds to take you likely done need a reminder. I have 10 pills , an ointment & an injection to take - what use it 2 reminders for only- none. I like that they had the names and dosage in the app
  12. [R10] Pill Reminder 1/5 · US Booo😡: I hate this app literally the reminders are getting on my nerves he won’t even let me put in my other pills Like what is that
  13. [R20] Pill Reminder 5/5 · US That senior moment: As I age I find it harder to remember my medications, especially as I get more and more added. Have not missed a medication since I started using this app. I appreciate the fact that the full version is not expensive. Thank you developers.
  14. [R21] Pill Reminder 3/5 · US Free Version limited: Free version only lets you log 3 medicines. It’s seemed good, but way too limited.
  15. [R31] Pill Reminder 2/5 · US I want to like the app even more if I could reach the developer: I tried to reach out to the developer but their contact website is not working. I need help, but there is no support to reach either. I’ll change my review once I’m in touch.
  16. [R40] Pill Reminder 1/5 · US WASTES YOUR TIME: I downloaded the app to log in my long list of meds I will need to take daily in the future for after my surgery… it let me log every med until I started to set reminders and then.. it said finally “you can not set anymore medication reminders” because the max is 2. It’s just a trap to get u to pay. Don’t download this app thinking it’s free.
  17. [R62] Max 5/5 · US Adorable program: The phone call reminder is ingenious.
  18. [R65] Max 5/5 · US The best: I’ve always struggled with taking my meds. This app just makes it so much easier, there is something about the animal noises that make it different than an alarm, and the calling reminder is great.
  19. [R68] Max 5/5 · US Wonderful!!: I don't usually write reviews but I wanted to give this app its kudos. I love it!! I struggle with memory issues, and this app has made meditation management so much easier! I personally love the call reminder, I've never seen it in any other app before and it's helped me so much. Thank you max!!!
  20. [R89] Max 5/5 · US Very Cute and Straightforward: This app has one goal and one goal only: to remind you to take your meds with cute animal noises. And it succeeds beautifully. Has helped me actually stay on track and consistent with taking my meds and vitamins than any other reminder I’ve had before. I also love the little reminder calls that are just the animals making various noises to encourage you to take your
  21. [R27] Pill Reminder 3/5 · US Works great, but one issue.: Works great for reminders. Only issue I have is that if my medication changes I can’t stop that reminder unless I want to delete it and if I do that it gets rid of all my history. Very frustrating!! Should be able to take off reminder but still keep history of medication amount, etc. changes.

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