Comparison
DoseMed vs Medisafe
Medisafe is the most established pill reminder app, with an Apple Watch app, Medfriend caregiver alerts and health trackers. Outside the U.S. it has required a subscription since January 2026 ($4.99/month or $39.99/year). DoseMed is free to use with every feature, costs $2.99/month or $9.99/year to remove its limits, needs no account, and adds an FDA label database and an AI assistant.
Last verified:
Price
- DoseMed
- Free; Premium $0.99/week, $2.99/month or $9.99/year
- Medisafe
- $4.99/month or $39.99/year; subscription required outside the U.S. since Jan 1, 2026
Free plan
- DoseMed
- Every feature; 1 active reminder and 3 AI assistant messages
- Medisafe
- No free plan outside the U.S.; U.S. availability may differ
Account
- DoseMed
- None needed
- Medisafe
- Family sync works through a Medisafe account
Refill reminders
- DoseMed
- Yes, from a pill count
- Medisafe
- Yes
Drug interactions
- DoseMed
- Interaction section of each FDA label, plus AI assistant questions
- Medisafe
- Drug-to-drug interaction warnings
Drug label database
- DoseMed
- 9,900+ FDA labels from DailyMed
- Medisafe
- Not advertised
Caregiver alerts
- DoseMed
- No
- Medisafe
- Yes (Medfriends, dependents)
Health measurements
- DoseMed
- No
- Medisafe
- Yes (health trackers)
Apple Watch
- DoseMed
- No
- Medisafe
- Yes
Home Screen widgets
- DoseMed
- Yes; mark doses taken
- Medisafe
- Not listed
Languages
- DoseMed
- 8
- Medisafe
- 16
App Store rating (U.S.)
- DoseMed
- 4.3 (66 ratings)
- Medisafe
- 4.7 (101K ratings)
| Feature | DoseMed | Medisafe |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; Premium $0.99/week, $2.99/month or $9.99/year | $4.99/month or $39.99/year; subscription required outside the U.S. since Jan 1, 2026 |
| Free plan | Every feature; 1 active reminder and 3 AI assistant messages | No free plan outside the U.S.; U.S. availability may differ |
| Account | None needed | Family sync works through a Medisafe account |
| Refill reminders | Yes, from a pill count | Yes |
| Drug interactions | Interaction section of each FDA label, plus AI assistant questions | Drug-to-drug interaction warnings |
| Drug label database | 9,900+ FDA labels from DailyMed | Not advertised |
| Caregiver alerts | No | Yes (Medfriends, dependents) |
| Health measurements | No | Yes (health trackers) |
| Apple Watch | No | Yes |
| Home Screen widgets | Yes; mark doses taken | Not listed |
| Languages | 8 | 16 |
| App Store rating (U.S.) | 4.3 (66 ratings) | 4.7 (101K ratings) |
Choose Medisafe if…
- A family member or caregiver should be alerted when you miss a dose.
- You want an Apple Watch app or to track blood pressure and other measurements in the same app.
- You manage medications for several dependents in one place.
Choose DoseMed if…
- You don't want to create an account or keep your medication list on a company's server.
- You want every feature for free, or Premium for $9.99 a year.
- You want full FDA label information and an AI assistant for questions about your list.
- You want Home Screen widgets and refill alerts without a subscription.
The core difference
Medisafe is built around connected care. DoseMed is built around privacy.
Medisafe connects people: Medfriends can be told when you miss a dose, families can manage dependents, and the app works on Apple Watch. That requires your data to sync through Medisafe's service.
DoseMed takes the opposite approach. There is no account, your schedule and history stay on your iPhone, and the app works offline. In exchange, it cannot alert another person, and it has no Apple Watch app.
Price after Medisafe's 2026 change
Medisafe's help center announced that, from January 1, 2026, the app requires a subscription for users outside the U.S.: $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year. DoseMed is free with every feature; Premium removes the limits on reminders and AI messages for $0.99 a week, $2.99 a month or $9.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial.
Drug information
Medisafe shows drug-to-drug interaction warnings. DoseMed includes the full FDA label for 9,900+ products from DailyMed, including the interactions section, and an AI assistant you can ask about the medications on your list. Neither replaces your pharmacist.
Sources (checked 2026-10-18)
Competitor details are based on public information as of 2026-10-18 and may change. Medisafe is a trademark of its respective owner; DoseMed is not affiliated with it.
Frequently asked questions
Is Medisafe still free?
Not outside the United States. Medisafe's help center says that from January 1, 2026 it requires a monthly or annual subscription for users outside the U.S. ($4.99/month or $39.99/year). Check the app for your country.
What is a free alternative to Medisafe?
DoseMed is free to download and every feature works on the free plan, including refill alerts, the FDA drug database and widgets. The free plan includes 1 active reminder; Premium ($2.99/month or $9.99/year) removes the limits. Apple Health's Medications feature is another free option on iPhone.
Does DoseMed have Medfriend-style caregiver alerts?
No. DoseMed keeps everything on your device and has no way to notify another person. If remote caregiver alerts matter most, Medisafe is the better fit.
Other comparisons
- DoseMed vs Apple Health MedicationsDoseMed vs the iPhone Health app's Medications feature: schedules, reminders, refill tracking, drug information, privacy and price, with sources.
- DoseMed vs MyTherapyDoseMed vs MyTherapy: price and ads, refill reminders, health diary, drug information, languages and privacy, with App Store sources.
Your next dose, on time
Set up your first reminder in under a minute. No sign-up, no email.
Scan to get DoseMed on your iPhone