What changed with Medisafe?
Medisafe was a widely used pill reminder app until they introduced aggressive paywalls in 2025–2026. Core features including multiple medications and dose reminders moved behind a subscription. Users who had relied on it for years found themselves paying or searching for alternatives.
At $4.99/week, the annual cost exceeds $260 — a steep price for reminders, especially for users managing chronic conditions on a fixed income.
How PillRem compares
Medisafe in 2026
- $4.99/week subscription
- Ads in the free tier
- No medication scanner
- No iCloud sync
- English only
- Family features paywalled
PillRem — free forever
- Free with no ads, ever
- Optional Pro: 3.99€/month
- Medication scanner (40+ countries)
- iCloud sync included
- 19 languages
- Up to 8 family profiles
The scanner
PillRem's biggest advantage isn't just price. Point your iPhone or iPad camera at any medication box and PillRem reads the barcode, then fills in name, active ingredient, dose, and expiry date automatically. Offline, in seconds. No other free pill reminder app offers this.
iCloud Sync
PillRem syncs your medication data automatically across iPhone and iPad via your personal iCloud account. No separate server — just your own iCloud, encrypted and private. Medisafe has no equivalent.
Nearby pharmacies
Find the nearest open pharmacy with one tap — without leaving the app. Running low on a medication is never a problem.
Privacy
PillRem collects no personal data. No account, no email. Everything stays on your device and your own iCloud. PillRem will never sell your health information because it never has access to it.
What does PillRem Pro include?
The free tier covers unlimited medications, unlimited scanner use, and 7-day adherence. Pro adds: up to 8 family profiles, full adherence graphs, Smart Insights, nearby pharmacy search, and biometric or passcode lock.
Pro costs 3.99€/month, 29.99€/year, or 79.99€ once. No ads, no scanning limits, no expiring trial in the free tier.