AMBOSS vs Osmosis
Osmosis's MD plan page describes 1,700+ videos and 2,700+ Step 1-style questions, while AMBOSS offers a Qbank across Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 3 and shelf exams. Per that plan page, Osmosis charges $149 every 3 months or $249 for 12 months, auto-renewing, with a 24-month plan at about $17 per month. AMBOSS charges $19.99 per month, $12.50 per month billed yearly, or $1,199 once for Student Life through PGY-1.
An MS1 whose lectures move too fast, and who wants a short illustrated video before each exam block, is Osmosis's buyer. Elsevier, which announced its acquisition of Osmosis in November 2021, also sells plans for PA, NP and RN programs. An M2 who wants one subscription through Step 2 CK, Step 3 and residency is better served by AMBOSS, whose Student Life tier runs through PGY-1 at $1,199 once.
Medical education · Reviewed November 1, 2026
When to pick each one
AMBOSS
- Qbank across Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 3, shelf
- Student Life $1,199 one-time, through PGY-1
- Library and Anki add-on included
Osmosis
- 1,700+ short illustrated videos on the MD plan
- $249 for 12 months, auto-renews
- Plans also for PA, NP and RN programs
Score
Each row shows points earned of points available under the published rubric.
AMBOSS
61of 100
Osmosis
42of 100
| Dimension | AMBOSS | Osmosis | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peer-reviewed papers | 2.8 / 7 | 0 / 7 | +2.8 |
| RCT / meta-analysis / systematic review | 0 / 1.8 | 0 / 1.8 | 0 |
| Funding & adoption signal | 12 / 12 | 8.4 / 12 | +3.6 |
| Pricing transparency | 6.5 / 6.5 | 6.5 / 6.5 | 0 |
| Years in market | 0 / 7.8 | 0 / 7.8 | 0 |
Scroll horizontally to see every column.
Pricing
AMBOSS
| Tier | Billing period | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student / resident, monthly | per month, auto-renews monthly | $19.99 | Library plus 50 Qbank questions per month |
Show all 9 price pointsHide extra price points
| Student / resident, yearly | per year, auto-renews yearly | $149 | shown as $12.50 per month billed yearly. The page advertises SAVE $89.88, and against twelve monthly payments of $19.99 ($239.88) the gap is $90.88 |
| Yearly plus Qbank bundle | per year. Membership then renews at $149 | $448 | marked Most Popular |
| 6-month Qbank bundle, US page | 6 months, one-time | $378 | price shown on the US USMLE page. The international page shows $358. The $358 to $378 range is also in the SERP supplement of October 14, 2026 |
| 6-month Qbank bundle, international page | 6 months, one-time | $358 | price shown on the international USMLE page. The US page shows $378. The $358 to $378 range is also in the SERP supplement of October 14, 2026 |
| Student Life | one-time | $1,199 | through end of PGY-1. Includes Qbank, Library, self-assessments, Score Predictor |
| Self-assessment | per assessment, one-time | $49.99 | free with Student Life |
| Clinician, monthly | per month | $29.99 | practitioner plan |
| Clinician, yearly | per year | $259 | practitioner plan. The pricing page shows $21.58 per month billed yearly |
Verified October 14, 2026 from amboss.com (opens in new tab).
Osmosis
| Tier | Monthly | Annual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MD plan, 3 months | n/a | n/a | Billed every 3 months, about $50 per month. From a search summary of the official plan page, not verified live. Auto-renews unless canceled. |
| MD plan, 12 months | n/a | $249 | About $21 per month. From a search summary of the official plan page, not verified live. A 24-month plan is listed at about $17 per month with no total shown. |
Evidence
AMBOSS
Peer-reviewed
1 PubMed record names AMBOSS.
Osmosis
No FDA decision, peer-reviewed study or community post in our record.
Compliance and integrations
Documented from each vendor’s own pages.
| Spec | AMBOSS | Osmosis |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | ||
| HIPAA | ||
| SOC 2 Type II | ||
| EHR integrations | Not specified | Not specified |
| Founded | n/a | n/a |
| HQ | DE | n/a |
Scroll horizontally to see both columns.
Common questions
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USMLE prep (UWorld, AMBOSS, Anki), specialty learning (SketchyMedical, Pathoma, Boards & Beyond), CME (Healio AI, AMA Ed Hub). The most affiliate-rich category in healthcare AI.