EveryDose has made a name for itself with Maxwell, an AI assistant that answers questions about your medications and nudges you to stay on track. Cadence takes a different path: no chatbot, no cloud account, just a focused medication app that keeps your data on your device. If you are choosing between them in 2026, the real decision is about AI and privacy.
We built Cadence, so weigh this accordingly. EveryDose is a capable, modern app, and its AI features are genuinely novel.
The short answer
Choose EveryDose if you want an AI assistant to answer medication questions, you want it on iPhone or Android, and you are comfortable with a cloud account.
Choose Cadence if you want your medication data to stay on your device, want adherence insights tied to your Apple Health metrics, and prefer a one-time price over a subscription.
The AI question
EveryDose's headline feature is Maxwell, an embedded AI assistant that can answer medication-related questions and deliver personalised adherence nudges based on your data. For people who want a conversational helper and reminders to take their leaflets and interactions seriously, that is a real draw.
It also comes with a trade-off worth understanding. An AI assistant that reasons about your medications generally processes your data in the cloud. Cadence deliberately does not do this: there is no account and no chatbot, and your data stays on your device, syncing only through your own iCloud. If you would rather your medication list never leave your phone, that architectural difference is the whole point.
Neither choice is wrong. It is a question of whether you value the AI assistance or the on-device privacy more.
Pricing: subscription vs one-time
EveryDose has a free tier with reminders, taken/skipped/snoozed logging, medication leaflets and drug-interaction alerts. EveryDose Plus, at $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year, adds up to five extra profiles, a health journal with 13 metrics, refill reminders and personalisation.
Cadence is free for unlimited medications, with an optional one-time Cadence Pro upgrade at $9.99. Notably, refill and supply tracking are included rather than gated behind a subscription tier.
| Year 1 | Year 3 | Year 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EveryDose Plus | $59.99 | $179.97 | $299.95 |
| Cadence Pro | $9.99 | $9.99 | $9.99 |
Where EveryDose is the better choice
- AI assistant. Maxwell can answer medication questions and tailor nudges, which no on-device app can match.
- Cross-platform. EveryDose runs on iPhone and Android. Cadence is iPhone and Apple Watch only.
- Medication leaflets. EveryDose surfaces drug-information leaflets, which Cadence does not. Both apps warn about drug-to-drug interactions.
- Multiple profiles. EveryDose Plus tracks medications for up to five other people.
Where Cadence is the better choice
- Privacy by default. No account, no chatbot, data on your device. For many people this is the deciding factor.
- Apple Health correlations. Cadence Pro reads 10 metrics, including resting heart rate, blood pressure, sleep and HRV, and shows how your adherence relates to them. See how that works.
- Refill and supply tracking included. On EveryDose these sit in the paid Plus tier; on Cadence they are part of the free app.
- Dose windows and smart timing. A slightly late dose still counts as on time, and reminders adapt to when you actually take your medication. Here is why dose windows matter.
- One-time price. $9.99 once versus $59.99 a year.
Feature comparison
| Cadence | EveryDose | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, Pro $9.99 once | Free, Plus $59.99/yr |
| Platforms | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, Android |
| Account required | No | Yes |
| Data storage | On-device + your iCloud | Cloud |
| AI assistant | No | Yes (Maxwell) |
| Drug interaction alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Medication leaflets | No | Yes |
| Refill / supply tracking | Yes, free | Plus tier |
| Apple Health correlations | Yes, 10 metrics (Pro) | Health journal (Plus) |
| Dose windows | Yes | No |
| Multiple profiles | No | Yes (Plus) |
The bottom line
EveryDose is the better pick if you want an AI medication assistant, cross-platform support and medication leaflets, and a cloud account is fine with you. Cadence is the better pick if you want your data to stay private and on-device, want adherence insights tied to your Apple Health metrics, and prefer paying $9.99 once over $59.99 a year.
For the wider category, see our best medication tracker apps for iPhone guide, or compare Cadence with Apple Health and Medisafe.
Frequently asked questions
What is Maxwell in the EveryDose app?
Maxwell is EveryDose's embedded AI assistant. It answers medication-related questions and provides personalised adherence nudges based on your data. Cadence does not include an AI assistant and keeps your data on your device.
Is EveryDose free?
EveryDose has a free tier with reminders, logging, medication leaflets and interaction alerts. EveryDose Plus is $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year. Cadence is free for unlimited medications, with an optional one-time $9.99 Pro upgrade.
Is Cadence or EveryDose more private?
Cadence is more private by design: no account, no AI chatbot, and data kept on your device. EveryDose uses a cloud account, which its AI assistant relies on to function.
Does Cadence have drug interaction alerts like EveryDose?
Yes. Both Cadence and EveryDose warn about drug-to-drug interactions. EveryDose additionally provides medication-information leaflets, which Cadence does not. Always confirm interactions with your pharmacist.
Does EveryDose work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. EveryDose is available on both iPhone and Android. Cadence is iPhone and Apple Watch only.
Cadence is a free medication reminder app for iPhone with unlimited medications and no account required. Cadence Pro is $9.99 as a one-time purchase.
