Head-to-head · Continuing Education Platforms
Medscape Education vs AAFP Continuing Medical Education (CME)
Medscape Education leads on 1 check, AAFP Continuing Medical Education (CME) on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreMedscape Education · 7.7/10
- Free planonly Medscape Education
Medscape Education scores higher on our rubric for continuing education platforms: 7.7 against 7.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #6.
Medscape Education offers free plan; AAFP Continuing Medical Education (CME) doesn't.
Medscape Education is the better fit for healthcare professionals seeking free CME/CE. AAFP Continuing Medical Education (CME) is the better fit for family physicians managing CME from multiple providers.
- Medscape Education fits best
Healthcare professionals seeking free CME/CE
- AAFP Continuing Medical Education (CME) fits best
Family physicians managing CME from multiple providers
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Side by side
| Feature | Medscape Education 7.7/10 Visit ↗ | AAFP Continuing Medical Education (CME) 7.1/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 7.7 | 7.1 |
| Ranking | #4 in Continuing Education Platforms | #6 in Continuing Education Platforms |
| Best for | Healthcare professionals seeking free CME/CE | Family physicians managing CME from multiple providers |
| Pricing model | Free | Paid |
| Starting price | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | ✓ (best) | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud, Mobile | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web |
| Support | Email, Docs | Phone, Email |
| Built for | Solo, Small business | Solo |
| Features Medscape Education 2/4 · AAFP Continuing Medical Education (CME) 2/4 | ||
| Accredited courses | ✓ | ✓ |
| Credit tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| License tracking | Not published | Not published |
| Employer reporting | Not published | Not published |
| Specs | ||
| Course formats | Clinical News Briefs; Patient Simulations; Clinical Cases; Expert Commentary Videos; Conference Coverage | in-person live, online live, livestream, on-demand/self-study, medical journals, performance improvement, point of care |
| Supported professions | Physicians; nurses; pharmacists; other healthcare professionals | family physicians |
| Our review | ||
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Medscape Education is an online continuing professional-development service for physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. It offers thousands of free CME/CE courses across more than 30 specialty-focused sites,… Read the review → |
AAFP Continuing Medical Education (CME) is a cloud-based, web-accessible catalog for family physicians who need to find, complete, and document continuing medical education. Activities can be browsed by topic, price, date, and provider,… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Medscape Education — where it wins
- Thousands of free CME/CE courses across 30+ specialty-focused sites
- Activity Tracker organizes credit history and certificates
- Eligible activities offer ABIM Maintenance of Certification points
Where it doesn't
- Online tests require learners to meet passing scores
- Some activities are non-credit, so learners must check activity details
- Focused on healthcare continuing education rather than general training
AAFP Continuing Medical Education (CME) — where it wins
- Live, livestream, on-demand, and self-study CME formats
- Reports and searches credits from AAFP and non-AAFP providers
- Editable, printable, and emailable CME transcripts
Where it doesn't
- Individual activity pricing varies across the catalog
- Activity-based catalog rather than a single subscription plan
- Focused on family physicians rather than multiple professions
- Medscape Education7.7/10 · Free plan
Free CME/CE with specialty-focused courses, credit tracking and certificates.
Visit MedscapeFull verdict → - AAFP Continuing Medical Education (CME)7.1/10 · Paid
A web-based CME catalog that combines accredited activities with cross-provider credit tracking.
Visit AAFP CMEFull verdict →
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All continuing education platforms comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
Last updated · How we research and update