Comparison

Code Blue vs AHA ACLS

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Code Blue

This specialized stopwatch helps medical professionals meticulously record events during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Designed for first responders and healthcare staff, it aids in managing cardiac arrest scenarios by tracking key actions.

Highlights
  • CPR event recording
  • Cardiac arrest management
  • Time key events
  • For medical professionals
  • Used by first responders
Features
Read full description

Code Blue is a specialized clinical support tool designed to help healthcare professionals manage and document cardiac arrest events in real time. Built for first responders, nurses, physicians, and emergency personnel in health systems around the world, Code Blue keeps your team focused on the patient while automatically tracking key events, medications, and interventions. Features include: - CPR, shock, and epinephrine timers with counters - 3-minute epinephrine due alert (AHA 2025) - CPR pause visual indicator - AHA-aligned metronome (100–120 BPM) - Events, medications, and rhythm logging - Expanded post-code details form - PDF and CSV export - Log viewer with full event history - Dark mode support Developed by Dojo Medical — Precision Medical Apps. * Code Blue is a clinical support tool and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. It is not a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, or established resuscitation guidelines. Use by licensed healthcare professionals and authorized emergency responders only.

About

AHA ACLS

This app provides clinicians with a digital tool to assist in running cardiac arrest codes and delivering advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) at the bedside. It features the latest AHA recommendations and includes intuitive access to algorithms, drug dosing, and timers for efficient patient care.

Highlights
  • 4 ACLS algorithms (cardiac arrest, tachycardia, bradycardia, post-arrest)
  • Latest 2025 AHA ACLS content
  • Drug therapy and dosing
  • Easy-to-read timers
  • CPR and epinephrine logging
  • Rapid transition to post-arrest care
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The AHA ACLS app is the American Heart Association's (AHA) officially endorsed digital health solution to assist clinicians in running codes and delivering bedside ACLS care with actual patients. The app was developed by Harvard-trained physicians, in collaboration with the AHA, to help fellow physicians, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and EMTs deliver the highest level of advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) at the point-of-care. It began as a project to assist clinicians within Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital—and then expanded to have a global scope after significant positive impact was demonstrated. Importantly, real-time feedback from our clinician users continuously drives improvements in app design, features, and function so that you will have the best experience providing life-saving care at the bedside. The AHA ACLS app is the only one to have all content vetted by both the AHA science team and practicing Harvard-affiliated physicians. It also features the latest 2025 release of AHA recommendations for ACLS. We owe it to our patients to use the best digital health tools to give them the highest chance of surviving acute life-threatening cardiac illnesses. To this end, we have developed a low cost, intuitive, and rigorously vetted mobile app to assist clinicians— including in all stages of training—and enhance ACLS care at the bedside. Features: - Intuitive design to rapidly access 4 ACLS algorithms (i.e. cardiac arrest, tachycardia with pulse, bradycardia with pulse, and post cardiac arrest care) - Includes all recently released 2025 ACLS content including drug therapy and dosing, reversible causes, etc. - Easy-to-read timers and ability to log rounds of CPR, epinephrine, and defibrillations - Button within cardiac arrest algorithm that allows for rapid transition to post cardiac arrest care pathway once patient achieves ROSC - All content rigorously vetted by AHA science team and practicing Harvard-affiliated physicians We continue to iterate based on real-time clinician feedback, so that you will have the best experience providing life-saving care at the bedside. AHA ACLS offers an auto-renewing annual subscription at $3.99/year with a 3-day free trial. You will have unlimited access to all content while you maintain an active subscription. Payment will be charged to the credit card connected to your Apple ID Account when you confirm the initial subscription purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current subscription period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. You may manage your subscription and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to your Account Settings after the purchase. Any unused portion of the free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. You can read more about our terms and conditions in the app.

Screenshots

Code Blue4 screens
AHA ACLS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: AHA ACLS at Free against Code Blue's $9.99. AHA ACLS also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 9 months) and chart position (#49 vs unranked). Code Blue's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (50% vs 26%). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

AHA ACLS is free to download; Code Blue costs $9.99 up front. AHA ACLS sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per year. Code Blue asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Code Blue ships an update every 9 months, AHA ACLS every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Code Blue versus AHA ACLS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCode BlueAHA ACLS
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating—4.9 (377 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews — better26.3% of reviews
Number of ratings—377 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid — betterSubscription
Best chart rank—#49 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB48 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperErik SantanaMassachusetts General Hospital

Customer experience

Code Blue

Written reviews14 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral7.1%
Negative42.9%

AHA ACLS

All ratings277 ratings
Positive99.3%
Neutral0.4%
Negative0.4%
Written reviews80 reviews
Positive26.3%
Neutral3.8%
Negative70.0%

Bugs and requests

Code Blue

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

AHA ACLS

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App fails to load information despite subscription payment
  • Users locked out of app mid-code
  • Unexpected app crashes during critical moments

Requested features

10 requests
  • Multiple log storage with dates
  • More detailed code logging with event documentation (IO access, medications, rhythms)
  • End code button and pause compressions feature
  • Real-time log tracking for back-charting
  • LVAD algorithm inclusion
Show 5 more
  • Additional medication counters (bicarbonate, calcium)
  • One-time purchase option instead of subscription
  • Free basic version with premium features behind paywall
  • Voluntary donation model instead of mandatory subscription
  • Actual time reflection in logs for accurate timekeeping

In-app purchases

None

Code Blue

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

AHA ACLS

Subscriptions1
  • ACLS Pro3 Days trial$3.991 Year

Questions

Is Code Blue free?
Code Blue costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is AHA ACLS free?
AHA ACLS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Code Blue or AHA ACLS have ads?
Neither Code Blue nor AHA ACLS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Code Blue or AHA ACLS?
Code Blue ships an update every 9 months, and AHA ACLS every 2 months. Most recently, Code Blue was updated on October 22, 2026 and AHA ACLS on October 29, 2026.

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