Plabable vs PassMedicine for PLAB 1, October 2026

Plabable vs PassMedicine: the short answer

Plabable vs PassMedicine for PLAB 1, in short: PassMedicine is the cheaper single subscription and bundles PLAB 1 questions with its PLAB 2 CPSA resource and AI virtual patients, while Plabable is PLAB-only with a Must Know filter, question comments and paid PLAB 2 add-ons. Both list over 5,000 PLAB 1 questions. As of October 2026, PassMedicine 12 months £25; Plabable 5 months £25.

You’ve booked PLAB 1, so your day is 180 single best answer questions in three hours with five options each. If you want the exam brief from the source, read the format and timings in the GMC's guide to the PLAB test.

PLAB 2 sits behind it, 16 eight minute stations, so the bank choice is really about your whole run. As of October 2026, PassMedicine folds in a CPSA resource with AI virtual patients, while Plabable pairs its bank with PLAB 2 Gems, OSCE AI and WhatsApp groups.

If you’re weighing any AI helpers alongside a bank, here’s a quick scan of what actually helps on busy days: AI study tools for exams.

If you want to rehearse a spoken history with a free AI patient before you choose, practise a history out loud.

Disclosure: Diagnosica makes an AI clinical simulator, not a question bank, so Diagnosica has a stake in PLAB 2 practice tools. Plabable and PassMedicine details come from their public pages checked on 27 October 2026; neither company paid for or reviewed this page.

What are Plabable and PassMedicine?

Plabable and PassMedicine are UK PLAB revision platforms built around question practice for PLAB 1, with PassMedicine also bundling PLAB 2 in the same subscription. Both list over 5,000 questions mapped to the GMC’s MLA content map as of October 2026. Plabable sells short passes with optional add-ons, while PassMedicine, a multi-exam site, includes textbooks and a full-length mock.

Plabable is a UK company’s PLAB-focused question bank with more than 5,000 questions aligned to the MLA content map as of October 2026, sold as 3-month and 5-month passes that don’t auto-renew, plus add-ons like Gems. See features and terms on Plabable's question bank page.

PassMedicine is a multi-exam UK revision site whose PLAB resource covers both parts in one subscription, offering over 5,000 SBAs mapped to the MLA content map, two textbooks, and a separate 180-question mock exam as of October 2026. Details are on PassMedicine's PLAB page.

Both products map their PLAB 1 content to the same MLA content map the GMC uses for PLAB 1.

Plabable vs PassMedicine side by side, October 2026

Plabable and PassMedicine both provide PLAB 1 question banks aligned to the GMC’s MLA content map, with more than 5,000 questions and timed mocks, as of October 2026. PassMedicine sells 4 to 12 month subscriptions that include its CPSA resource for PLAB 2. Plabable sells 3 or 5 month PLAB 1 access, with optional Gems and a separate OSCE AI for PLAB 2 practice.

The headline gap is what the price buys. PassMedicine’s £12 to £25 covers PLAB 1 and the PLAB 2 CPSA resource. Plabable’s £20 or £25 covers PLAB 1, with Gems at £10 and OSCE AI at £24 for 50 sessions sold separately. Plabable’s FAQ says 20% VAT is shown on the payment page, so check the final figure at checkout.

When the questions are done, you can rehearse the spoken history free.

Where Plabable is stronger

Plabable is stronger if you want a PLAB-focused question bank with triage tools and a built-in community. As of October 2026 it lists more than 5,000 MLA-aligned questions with explanations, timed mocks and revision guides, plus iPhone and Android apps, which makes day-to-day PLAB 1 practice and optional PLAB 2 extras sit under one roof.

• PLAB-only focus with a Must Know filter that flags the highest-yield topics, which helps you prioritise revision fast when the calendar is tight before PLAB 1.
• A community layer, with comments under each question and WhatsApp groups by exam location and date, which lets you reality-check tricky stems and organise practice with peers on your sitting.
• PLAB 2 depth if you pay for it, including Gems with OSCE stations, monthly PLAB 2 webinars, a pairing feature, and an OSCE AI with 153 timed 8 minute stations and pass or fail reports, which extends your prep into CPSA-style scenarios.
• iPhone and Android apps, which keeps question sets and mocks reachable on commutes and short breaks.

There are catches, as of October 2026. Each subscription gives one attempt at the questions, with an option to reset for a fee, and you can only be logged in on one device at a time per Plabable's FAQ. Purchases are final and non-refundable, and App Store purchases may include Gems and carry platform fees so price and inclusions can differ from the website per Plabable's terms.

Where PassMedicine is stronger

PassMedicine’s PLAB Part 1 and 2 subscription puts both halves of the exam under one roof, with a single account that covers SBA prep and CPSA practice. If your PLAB 2 sits well after PLAB 1, the longer 9 and 12 month options make planning simpler without stacking separate products.

• One subscription covers PLAB 1 and the PLAB 2 CPSA resource, priced from £12 for 4 months to £25 for 12 months as of October 2026.
• The 9 and 12 month windows suit candidates whose PLAB 2 date is far off.
• Two textbooks and a separate 180 question gold standard mock, matching the real paper’s length.
• A histogram of other candidates’ scores, updated daily, plus AI virtual patients for history taking in the PLAB 2 resource.

On its PLAB page, as of October 2026, community groups or per question discussion are not mentioned, and the number of virtual patient stations is not stated. For wider context, see PassMedicine compared with Quesmed and our alternatives to PassMedicine.

What about PLAB 2? Both now list AI patients

PLAB 2 practice with an AI patient is listed by both Plabable and PassMedicine, so as of October 2026 that alone won't split them. PassMedicine’s PLAB page says its CPSA resource includes virtual patients you can interact with and take a history from using the latest AI technology, within the same PLAB 1 and 2 subscription. Plabable’s OSCE AI lists 153 eight minute stations, like the real exam’s 16 scenarios, with a pass or fail report, at £24 for 50 sessions.

Plabable’s sample report scores data gathering, clinical management and interpersonal skills, each out of 4, as shown on Plabable's OSCE AI page.

Neither AI patient tool lists physical examination practice with a person, and PLAB 2 is sat in person at the GMC’s clinical assessment centre.

Diagnosica is an AI clinical simulator for medical students and junior doctors: you take a history from an AI patient by voice or text, order labs and imaging, commit to a diagnosis and management plan, and get a competency scorecard. The patient appears as a video patient, it’s free to start with no card, and it runs on iPhone, Android and the web. Learners use it outside the US. It has no physical examination practice, and it isn’t a PLAB question bank.

If you’re mapping options or building your own prep, see AI practice options for PLAB 2 and a self-directed PLAB 2 plan.

Which should you choose for PLAB 1?

Plabable vs PassMedicine for PLAB 1 comes down to timing, scope, and how you like to organise revision. If PLAB 1 is soon and you want a PLAB-only bank with a Must Know filter and an active peer setup, Plabable fits. If you want one low-cost subscription that spans PLAB 1 and PLAB 2 with longer access and extra reading, PassMedicine fits.

• Pick Plabable if
• you want a PLAB-only bank with a Must Know filter and a peer community
• you're sitting PLAB 1 within roughly 3 or 5 months of buying, 92 or 153 days
• you'll pay separately for PLAB 2 extras like OSCE AI
• Pick PassMedicine if
• you want one low-cost subscription to span PLAB 1 and PLAB 2
• your PLAB 2 is far enough off that a 9 or 12 month window helps
• you want a full-length 180-question mock and two textbooks

Both offer a free way in, Plabable’s free trial and PassMedicine’s free demo, so try both before paying.

Common questions

How much does Plabable cost for PLAB 1?

Plabable costs £20 for 3 months or £25 for 5 months for its PLAB 1 question bank, with an optional £10 Gems add-on, as of October 2026. Subscriptions are one-time, don’t auto renew, show 20 percent VAT at checkout per its FAQ, and App Store purchases include Gems so price and inclusions may differ due to platform fees.

How much does PassMedicine cost for PLAB?

PassMedicine costs £12 for 4 months, £15 for 6 months, £20 for 9 months, or £25 for 12 months, as of October 2026. The single subscription covers PLAB Part 1 and the CPSA or PLAB 2 resource, includes revision and timed test modes, and there’s a free demo on its PLAB page.

Does PassMedicine cover PLAB 2?

Yes, PassMedicine covers PLAB 2 within the same PLAB subscription. Its CPSA resource, per its PLAB page, "includes virtual patients you can interact with and take a history from using the latest AI technology." PLAB 2 itself is an OSCE of 16 scenarios, each lasting eight minutes, and you can check recent PLAB 2 pass rates before planning your prep.

Can you reset Plabable questions?

Yes, but only by paying for an extension. Plabable says each subscription allows one attempt at the questions, and a reset deletes your question and answer history and randomises the order; its timed mocks are built from the same category questions, per its FAQ, as of October 2026.

Is the PLAB 1 question count the same on both?

Yes, both Plabable and PassMedicine list over 5,000 PLAB 1 questions aligned to the GMC MLA content map as of October 2026. The real exam has 180 single best answer questions in three hours with five options each, so frame your prep around recall and triage under time pressure, not the absolute size of a bank.

Rehearse the clinical conversationOnce your question bank is chosen, rehearse the spoken history with Diagnosica's video AI patient, order investigations, commit to a diagnosis and plan, and get a competency scorecard; free to start, no card; apps on iPhone and Android, plus web. Try a free case.