Epocrates vs Medscape Drug Interaction Checker
Medscape's checker takes several drugs at once and returns interactions in five tiers, from Contraindicated to Minor, with the mechanism such as CYP450 inhibition or induction. Third-party comparisons call it free, so a pharmacy student or researcher can start there. A night-float resident who also needs doses, calculators and disease guidance on a phone gets more from Epocrates, and Medscape is the one to drop for that job. GetApp and prescriber.io describe a free registered tier for Epocrates, with epocrates+ at $24.99 per month or $179.99 per year above it. On accuracy, a 2016 comparison counted 250 of 400 interactions for Epocrates and 202 for Medscape, on versions a decade old. A herb and oncology drug screening study did name Medscape the best free tool, behind Lexicomp.
Drug info · Reviewed November 1, 2026
Epocrates
by Epocrates (athenahealth) · founded 1998
Drug reference app with interaction checks, calculators, disease guidance and a beta AI Assist.
Drug interaction lookup for prescription drugs, OTC medications, herbal supplements and some foods, with severity categories.
When to pick each one
Epocrates
- Dosing, calculators and disease guidance in one app
- $24.99 per month or $179.99 per year
- Fits a resident needing doses between patients
Medscape Drug Interaction Checker
- Free to use per third-party comparisons
- Shows the mechanism, such as CYP450 inhibition
- Covers common foods alongside drugs and supplements
Score
Each row shows points earned of points available under the published rubric.
Epocrates
74of 100
Medscape Drug Interaction Checker
18of 100
| Dimension | Epocrates | Medscape Drug Interaction Checker | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| EHR integrations (count) | 0 / 4.2 | 0 / 4.2 | 0 |
| Top-3 EHR coverage (Epic / Oracle / Athena) | 0 / 2.4 | 0 / 2.4 | 0 |
| Peer-reviewed papers | 14.7 / 21 | 0 / 21 | +14.7 |
| RCT / meta-analysis / systematic review | 3 / 6 | 0 / 6 | +3 |
| Funding & adoption signal | 15.6 / 15.6 | 10.9 / 15.6 | +4.7 |
| Pricing transparency | 6 / 6 | 0 / 6 | +6 |
| Years in market | 6 / 6 | 0 / 6 | +6 |
Scroll horizontally to see every column.
Pricing
Epocrates
| Tier | Monthly | Annual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| epocrates+, monthly | $24.99 | n/a | Cancel anytime. |
| epocrates+, yearly | n/a | $179.99 | The page says Save 40% when subscribing annually. Trial and refund terms are not stated. |
Medscape Drug Interaction Checker
| Tier | Monthly | Annual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | n/a | n/a | Free to use per third-party sources (registration may be required). The Medscape page itself states no price. |
Evidence
Epocrates
Peer-reviewed
4 PubMed records name Epocrates.
- Retrospective cohort observation on psychotropic drug-drug interaction and identification utility from 3 databases: Drugs.com®, Lexicomp®, and Epocrates®. (opens in new tab)
- Agreement of Different Drug-Drug Interaction Checkers for Proton Pump Inhibitors. (opens in new tab)
- Assessing accuracy and completeness of drug information in mobile apps compared with Micromedex®: An AI-based study in Thai online communities. (opens in new tab)
Medscape Drug Interaction Checker
No FDA decision, peer-reviewed study or community post in our record.
Compliance and integrations
Documented from each vendor’s own pages.
| Spec | Epocrates | Medscape Drug Interaction Checker |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | ||
| HIPAA | ||
| SOC 2 Type II | ||
| EHR integrations | Not specified | Not specified |
| Founded | 1998 | n/a |
| HQ | US | n/a |
Scroll horizontally to see both columns.
Common questions
Open the full drug info comparison
Drug references (Lexidrug, Micromedex, Epocrates) and interaction checkers (Drugs.com, Medscape). Built for the clinician at the point of care.