The study of anatomy began over 20 centuries ago with the Ancient Greeks. Over time, people have learned more about the structure and organs inside the human body.
Most of the big advancements have happened in just the last hundred years. This includes non-invasive methods for examining the interior structures of the body, such as X-ray, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography. These techniques have made it possible to study internal structure in unprecedented detail.
Plus, the advent of smartphone computing has radically changed the medical industry. It not only helps healthcare workers practice evidence-based medicine but also allows patients to monitor their medical conditions.
Smartphone apps play a very crucial role in medical education as well. Numerous apps are designed solely to help people working in healthcare. Although the importance and necessity of these applications are hard to estimate, they do take a sound understanding of health responsibilities to a new level.
Below, we have gathered some of the best anatomy apps for biological scientists, doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, prosthetists, nurses, paramedics, and medical students who want to learn about anatomy.
Did you know?
The worldwide market for virtual human anatomy software was valued at approximately $212 million in 2022. It is expected to exceed $777 million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 24.2%.
Table of Contents
10. Skeleton | 3D Anatomy
Platform: Android | iOS | macOS
Price: Free | $1.99 in-app purchases
Skeleton allows you to interact with highly detailed anatomical models in unique ways.
All bones of the human skeleton are constructed in 3D. You can move, zoom in/out, and rotate each model and observe it from any angle. Frame the view on the selected model and hide the selected anatomical part to analyze specific segments in detail.
Tap or click a pin to visualize the terms related to a specific anatomical part. The app can show you the name of each bone and structure in 11 different languages (and in two languages simultaneously).
Pro
- 360° view of anatomical models
- Automatically moves the center of rotation for easier navigation
- High-resolution textures up to 4K
Cons
- Limited payment options to unlock the full version
The 3D anatomical models of the skull, upper limb, and trunk are available for free. However, to unlock all body regions, you need to purchase the premium version of the app.
9. Gray’s Anatomy – Anatomy Atlas
Platform: Android
Price: Free | Ad-free version costs $1.99
Gray’s Anatomy presents a vivid depiction of anatomical structures. It consists of detailed illustrations, surface anatomy, and clinical images that can help you prepare for course exams.
The content within the app is logically organized. For instance,
- Anatomy System contains skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, and sensory systems, etc.
- Anatomy Position contains the head, neck, back, limb, abdomen, thorax, pelvis, and perineum position.
Medical Quiz contains liver, cardiac, pathology, diabetes, and first aid quizzes.
The app includes a medical dictionary that provides simple explanations for difficult terms and phrases. It also has some textbook-level definitions.
JUST PUBLISHED! Gray’s Atlas of Anatomy, 3rd Editionhttps://t.co/0tMKumwrPm pic.twitter.com/zuIWe7FLJR
— Elsevier for Medical Professionals (@Elsevier_Med) February 22, 2020
Pro
- Simple, easy interface
- Includes simple explanations of difficult terms
- Find images quickly with the search tool
- Works offline
Cons
- Image quality can be improved
Simply put, the app is not only designed for medical students but for all people who want to understand how the human body looks and works.
8. Essential Skeleton
Platform: iOS | macOS
Price: Free
Essential Skeleton is a visually stunning medical app that covers more-than-basic information about the human skeletal system. It allows you to analyze and fly through a 3D rendering of the skeleton.
You can easily customize individual bones and view the skeleton from different angles. Select multiple bones, isolate, fade, or hide them. When you zoom in and tap on a bone, you will see its name in English and Latin. There is also an option to hear the audio pronunciation of the bone’s name.
For detailed analysis, you can overlay multiple layers of muscles, arteries, organs, veins, and nerves onto the skeleton. Each part can be removed or isolated to focus on specific sections.
Pro
- Audio pronunciation, Latin nomenclature, and description for each bone
- Multiple search options
- Create pins and place them anywhere on the 3d model
Cons
- Not updated regularly
The app is built on a cutting-edge 3D graphics engine, which is developed specifically to maximize what can be with anatomical models on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Perhaps the best part about this standalone app is it does not contain any in-app purchases. It is completely free.
7. Visual Anatomy
Platform: Android | iOS
Price: Free | Premium version costs $2.99
Visual Anatomy is an interactive reference and education tool that contains over 500 HD images and 850 feature points, each with its own label and short description.
It comes with an intelligent search box. When you input more than one character, the search box suggests a list of potential keywords. Select one keyword from the suggested list, and it will show you the feature point on the anatomy image and label. Several quizzes with multi-choice questions are also included to test how much you’ve learned from the app.
While the app is primarily designed as a learning tool for medical students, it can also be used by educators and professionals who need the occasional reminder.
Pro
- Includes 3D rotational models
- Pronunciation guide for all anatomy terms
- Quick Navigation
- No internet connection is required
Cons
- Interface looks outdated
The premium version gives you access to the muscle index table, 100+ major muscle action movies, 200+ bone markers, 150 more quizzes, and audio pronunciation for all anatomy terms.
6. TeachMeAnatomy
Superior view of the skull base showing the foramina and which cranial nerves pass through them.
Source: TeachMeAnatomy#MedTwitter pic.twitter.com/jAux1ilrYQ
— Hugo Chrost (@chrost_hugo) May 13, 2023
Platform: Android | iOS
Price: Free | Premium version costs $7 per month
TeachMeAnatomy is a comprehensive anatomy encyclopedia presented in a visually appealing, easy-to-read format. It contains more than 400 topics and over 1,200 illustrations and clinical images.
Topics are categorized into numerous groups like The Head, Neuroanatomy, The Thorax, The Back, The Upper Limb, The Lower Limb, The Abdomen, and more. Each topic combines anatomical knowledge with high-yield clinical pearls, bridging the gap between learning and patient care. Everything is stored online for quick access.
Pro
- Includes 400 comprehensive articles covering every aspect of anatomy
- 1,200 HD anatomy illustrations and clinical images
- Everything is stored offline for quick access
Cons
- Most of the content is locked behind a paywall
There are over 1,700 multiple choice questions with explanations to strengthen your anatomy knowledge. TeachMeAnatomy also tracks how well you performed on quizzes.
The premium version of the app gives you cross-platform, ad-free access to all 3D anatomy models and articles.
5. Visible Body Suite
Platform: Android | iOS
Price: Free | Premium version costs $35 per annum
As the name suggests, the Visible Body Suite is a comprehensive package that includes all of the visual body’s 3D models and animations, eliminating the need to download multiple apps separately.
For $15.99 a month, you can access vast content covering pathology, physiology, gross anatomy, microanatomy, and a growing collection of life science material. The app comes with study and presentation tools, including AR dissections and cross-sections.
Pros
- Extensive 3D models and animations
- Includes core physiology and common conditions
- Virtual microscope and simulations
Cons
- Expensive
- The vast amount of content may be overwhelming for some users
You can access free lab activities and visual Flashcard decks (which cover key course topics), or create your own decks to share with peers.
Plus, features like 3D dissection quizzes and a progress tracking system allow you to assess your understanding and closely monitor your learning journey.
4. Anatomy & Physiology
Platform: Android | iOS
Price: $34.99 | 7-day free trial available
Anatomy & Physiology gives you a step-by-step visual introduction to the human body system. It uses 3D animations and video tutorials to present the core concepts in the simplest way possible.
The app teaches you about the core functions of the human body, including skeletal, cells and tissues, nervous, circulatory, endocrine, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive.
You can zoom in to analyze how nerves exit the spinal cord, rotate the 3D structure to study the branches of the cranial nerves, and watch a short animated video explaining the physiology of muscle contractions.
Pro
- Brief animations introduce complex physiology
- Hundreds of microscope images showing body tissues
- Track progress with learning objective checklists
Cons
- Expensive for what it offers
Anatomy & Physiology includes 12 units. Each unit presents a human body system in a series of chapters, with small visual interactivities and quizzes. Also, there are options to create notes, save items to access later, track progress, and share content with others.
3. Anatomy Learning – 3D Anatomy Atlas
Platform: Android | WebGL Browser
Price: Free | $0.99 – $20.00 in-app purchases
Built on an advanced interactive 3D touch interface, Anatomy Learning allows you to explore the human body in real time.
You can visualize every internal part in 3D, including muscles, organs, and nerves.
There is so much you can do to interact with even the tiniest body parts — Rotate models to different angles, zoom in/out, and remove structures to see the anatomical structures below them. It also includes options to add, combine, and delete anatomical structures.
The app is 3D modeled by physicians and anatomy experts. It supports multiple languages, including Chinese, Japanese, German, Spanish, French, and Polish.
Pro
- Includes over 6,000 anatomical structures
- 500+ muscle movement animations
- 1,000+ quizzes to test your knowledge
Cons
- Requires at least 4GB of RAM to work smoothly
If you are using this app on an old smartphone, try not to load too many anatomical structures at once. Otherwise, the app will crash without any warning. If you still experience lags, reduce the graphic quality from Menu >> Setting >> Quality.
2. Essential Anatomy
Platform: Android | iOS
Price: $14.99 | Offers in-app purchases
Essential Anatomy is nothing short of phenomenal. It is packed with interactive 3D anatomical models for learning and reference purposes on mobile devices. These models are developed to allow for more detail and exceptional performance.
With more than 8,200 structures, Essential Anatomy is the gold standard in medical reference applications. It contains both male and female models, with 11 complete systems.
These include Skeletal, Muscular, Connective Tissue, Nervous, Arterial, Venous, Lymphatic, Skin, Respiratory, Digestive, and Urogenital. You can strip away several layers of muscle through a “layering” tool.
Pro
- 8,200+ highly detailed anatomical structures
- Slice through certain structures through a 3D plane tool
- Isolate, hide, or fade individual structures
- Compare numerous structures with Multiple Selection
Cons
- Its Android app is quite buggy
Every structure contains a Latin nomenclature and audio-English pronunciation, along with a detailed description. The app gives you options to view structures in isolation and manipulate them independently. It makes it easy to understand relationships between adjacent structures and compare different structures.
Basically, it’s one of the most detailed anatomy apps to explore and compare differences between male and female structures.
1. Complete Anatomy
Platform: Android | iOS | Windows | macOS
Price: $0.99 – $99.00 in-app purchases | 3-day trial available
Complete Anatomy is designed for remote teaching and learning. It’s not just an atlas but a comprehensive anatomy learning platform with ground-breaking technology and unique content.
The platform has some of the most detailed human anatomy models, with thousands of independent interactive structures. For instance, it includes a beating, dissectible human heart in full 3D.
You can view radiological images along with hundreds of interactive 3D models and over 28 stunning microscopic anatomy models. Plus, there are over 1,500 clinical videos on Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, Cardiology, and Fitness.
Pro
- More than 17,000 structures and 1,500 videos
- Cut, dissect, and annotate the model
- Compare side-by-side with radiology images
- Augmented Reality mode on supported devices
Cons
- Expensive
The app features real-time muscle motion, bone surface and landmark mapping, dynamic cross-sections, nerve tracer, and blood supply tracer. You will also find some creative tools like virtual dissection.
If you have a student license, you get access to all 3D models and a vast library of curated learning materials.
Other Equally Good Anatomy Apps
11. Anatomyka
Platform: Android | iOS | Windows | macOS
Price: Free | $2.99 for one-month subscription
With Anatomyka, you can learn about human anatomy in all its breathtaking complexity. The app is designed for students, teachers, professionals, and anyone with a casual interest in the human body.
All structures and organs are accompanied by medically accurate descriptions, which are taken from an ultimate anatomical resource, Memorix Anatomy. The content is arranged into a proper anatomical hierarchy, so you learn things in a structured and simple way.
You can select from various themes (cartoon style, dark atlas, dark space, classic atlas) for a better visual experience, and set your own color for structures or organs for effective memorizing.
The free version lets you explore the anatomy, with more than 4,500 landmarks on display with easy-to-understand descriptions. If you want to learn about every organ in greater detail, you can opt for a 5-day free trial.
12. 3D Bones and Organs
Platform: Android | iOS
Price: Free
Built on an advanced interactive 3D touch interface, 3D Bones and Organs is a completely free app for learning human anatomy with interesting quizzes. It contains details of every bone and organ in the human body.
Since models are constructed in 3D, you can rotate them to any angle. Peel muscle layers and observe the anatomical structures below them. There is an option to save (or bookmark) the system for further reading.
The app has 3D ligaments, muscles, respiratory system, nervous system, ear, urinary system, and reproductive organ (of both males and females).
13. BioDigital Human
Platform: Android | iOS | Browser-based
Price: Free | Premium version costs $20 per year
BioDigital Human is an interactive 3D system for visualizing anatomy, disease, and treatment. It is used by numerous reputed education companies and medical schools.
The platform is also referred to as “Google Maps for the Human body” (because it’s a precise, virtual map of a human body). It consists of both male and female 3D anatomy models, which include more than 20 regional and system-based anatomy models, and over 700 interactive 3D health condition models in 8 different languages.
The free version gives you access to 10 models per month and allows you to store up to 5 models in your personal library. To get unlimited access to the entire library of 3D models, you need to upgrade to the premium version.
14. e-Anatomy
Platform: Android | iOS
Price: $13 per month or $90 per year
Although e-Anatomy is primarily designed for physicians, radiologists, and medical imaging professionals to assist in analyzing radiological scans, it can also benefit nurses, medical students, and other users seeking a professional understanding of human anatomy.
The app contains more than 15,000 high-quality images, which include a set of pictures in axial, coronal, and sagittal views, as well as angiography, radiography, dissection photos, anatomical charts, and illustrations. Each image is accurately labeled, with over 850,000 labels available in 12 languages.
Other features include Clinical Cases and eCourses, which provide various interacting content, such as practice exams, multiple-choice questions, and workshops specifically developed for medical students.
The only drawback of this app is that it requires a fast Internet connection to download high-definition images. However, once the model is loaded, all of the features work seamlessly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Criteria for app selection
We used 5 parameters to identify the best anatomy apps that perfectly meet the needs of medical students and professionals.
- User interface and user experience
- Accuracy and reliability of anatomical information
- Interactive and engaging features, such as 3D manipulation and virtual dissection
- Compatibility across devices
- Additional features like high-quality 3D models, AR, and quizzes
How to learn anatomy fast?
In order to understand the macroscopic and microscopic structures of the human body, you need to learn about 8,000 anatomical terms. This seems a huge number, but you can follow these strategies to accelerate your learning —
- Find the meaning of the word
- Link the anatomical term to the structure by forming a mental picture
- Create your own abbreviation for the term
- Read case studies
- Develop a habit of reviewing what you’ve learned on a daily basis
What is the best free anatomy app?
Sobotta Anatomy is a completely free app to learn human anatomy and test your skills. It consists of 40 detailed anatomical figures for medical school training and testing. You will find a total of 25,000 precisely placed pins on the musculoskeletal system, head, neck, and internal organs.
Which one is the most detailed 3D anatomy software for PC?
BioDigital is the most complete, scientifically accurate, interactive 3D human body model ever constructed. It includes both male and female anatomy, in which all structures are systematically organized, labeled, and dissectable for easy configuration.
The platform also allows you to explore human diseases and health conditions in interactive 3D. It contains details of more than 600 health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and different types of cancer.
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Would love to hear what you think about Anatomy.app
Web-based and really cool looking!