Comparison

Thopaz+ Simulator vs ICU Advantage Rapid Reference

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

Head to head
About

Thopaz+ Simulator

This medical simulation app allows users to familiarize themselves with the advanced functions of a chest drainage therapy device. It simulates functional checks, warnings, alarms, menu settings, and drainage histories, providing a hands-on learning experience for healthcare professionals.

Highlights
  • Simulate functional checks
  • Simulate visual and audio warnings/alarms
  • Simulate catheter checks
  • Change menu settings
  • Simulate fluid drainage
  • View drainage and event histories
Read full description

Medela's Thopaz+ takes chest drainage therapy to a new level of care. Unlike analogue systems, it reliably regulates the applied pressure at the patient's chest and digitally (and quietly) monitors critical therapy indicators. Clinical data has demonstrated that Medela's chest drainage therapy improves outcomes and streamlines the delivery of care. This simulator helps you to become familiar with Thopaz+ and its advanced functions. You can… - simulate a functional check - simulate visual and audio warnings and alarms - simulate the catheter check - change all menu settings - simulate fluid drainage - see examples of air leak and fluid histories - see an example of an event history DISCLAIMER:  This app is intended to be a tool to provide information only. This app is not intended to be a source of medical advice or treatment and does not replace in any way your independent medical advice regarding your patient’s diagnosis or treatment. The app does not interact Thopaz+ in any way and cannot impact, change, alter or amend any treatment you prescribe or program.  Only you can determine whether the Thopaz+ is right for your patient. Before initiating Thopaz+ treatment in any patient, read the instructions for use, indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions and safety instructions. Nothing in this app should be construed as replacing, revising or amending the information contained in the instructions for use, contraindications, warnings, precautions and safety instructions. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Medela hereby disclaims all liabilities, including without limitation, compensatory, direct, and indirect or consequential damages, arising from use of the app.

About

ICU Advantage Rapid Reference

This clinical reference tool helps critical care professionals understand complex patient conditions. It provides organ-system-based information, ventilator settings, drug references, calculators, and interactive protocols. Designed for nurses, therapists, and providers, it focuses on deep understanding rather than just quick lookups.

Highlights
  • Organ-system-based clinical reference
  • Ventilator settings and troubleshooting
  • Drug references with dosing and pearls
  • Calculators and scoring systems
  • Interactive emergency protocols
  • Offline access to content
  • Search functionality
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

ICU Advantage Rapid Reference is the critical care reference built for ICU nurses, respiratory therapists, and every clinician caring for critically ill patients. Built to help you understand the complexity of critical care, not just looking things up and forgetting them, while also giving you an extensive collection of tools right at your fingertips when you need them. From the team behind the ICU Advantage YouTube channel, trusted by more than 980,000 nurses and critical care professionals worldwide. FOR THE WHOLE CRITICAL CARE TEAM ICU nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, residents, fellows, attendings, advanced practice providers, and anyone else caring for patients in the ICU. Whether you are a new ICU nurse or have been running codes for twenty years, Rapid Reference meets you where you are, gives you the deep clinical understanding you want and the tools you actually need, and helps you to keep learning and growing wherever you are. WHAT'S INSIDE • Organ-system-based critical care reference across cardiology, pulmonology, neurology, renal, GI, endocrine, and more • Ventilator modes, settings, and troubleshooting for mechanical ventilation • Hemodynamics, shock, sepsis, MCS support, trauma, burns, and even OB critical care • Labs, ABGs, and acid-base walkthroughs • Equipment, procedures, and point-of-care tests • Drug references with indications, common dosing, titratable drips, medication deep dives, and clinical pearls • Medical calculators that get you values fast, with full explanations of what they measure • Easy-to-use scoring systems, from GCS to SOFA and so much more: select criteria, get scores fast • Interactive emergency and resuscitation protocols, from ACLS algorithms to airway emergencies to MTP and more: zoom through visually or follow step by step • Quick Lookup for lab values, abbreviations, and terminology • Search built for the way critical care nurses and clinicians think • All available offline once the content is synced! • So much more! And even more yet to come still! BUILT TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND, NOT JUST LOOK UP Every topic is written to actually teach, not just summarize. Same philosophy as the ICU Advantage YouTube channel: take something genuinely complex, break it down into pieces that make sense, and leave you knowing the "why," not just the "what." When you need a quick review or refresher, the Rapid Reference for each content area surfaces the important, high-value information for quick access, with links to dive deeper into the parts you need. DESIGNED FOR CLINICIANS Clean, readable, and beautifully rendered. This doesn't just feel like reading a textbook on your phone. Elegantly designed to not just look great, but to easily navigate the huge collection of resources. And it stays readable in dark mode or light mode, on iPhone and iPad. Works fully offline, so it's there when the network is not. Bookmarks and favorites for the topics you come back to. No ads, no social feed, no distractions. Just the information you need, organized for quick access and the way you think. HONEST ABOUT WHAT THIS IS Rapid Reference is a reference and education tool designed for health care professionals working in critical care in the ICU. It is not medical advice, not a diagnostic device, and not a replacement for your institution's policies, procedures, the laws and regulations of your licensing governing body, or the orders of a qualified prescribing provider. Always defer to your local protocols and clinical judgment. TRY IT FREE Every new account gets a 7-day free trial with full access. After that, $15/month or $129/year. Cancel anytime. Built with care by critical care clinicians and the ICU Advantage team. Questions, feedback, or something we can make better? We read every message: contact@icuadvantage.com Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings.

Screenshots

Thopaz+ Simulator4 screens
ICU Advantage Rapid Reference4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Thopaz+ Simulator at none against ICU Advantage Rapid Reference's 2. Thopaz+ Simulator also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). ICU Advantage Rapid Reference's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 85 months) and ratings volume (158 vs 1). On price, rating, 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

Both are free to download. ICU Advantage Rapid Reference sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $15.00 per month. Thopaz+ Simulator asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Thopaz+ Simulator against 4.9 for ICU Advantage Rapid Reference. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ICU Advantage Rapid Reference has 158 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Thopaz+ Simulator ships an update every 85 months, ICU Advantage Rapid Reference fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Thopaz+ Simulator versus ICU Advantage Rapid Reference: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThopaz+ SimulatorICU Advantage Rapid Reference
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.9 (158 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1158 — better
Update frequencyEvery 85 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#121 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size505 MB92 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperMedela AGICU Advantage LLC

Customer experience

Thopaz+ Simulator

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

ICU Advantage Rapid Reference

All ratings150 ratings
Positive98.7%
Neutral0.7%
Negative0.7%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Thopaz+ Simulator

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

ICU Advantage Rapid Reference

Subscriptions2
  • Rapid Reference Monthly7 Days trial$15.001 Month
  • Rapid Reference Annual7 Days trial$129.001 Year

Questions

Is Thopaz+ Simulator free?
Thopaz+ Simulator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ICU Advantage Rapid Reference free?
ICU Advantage Rapid Reference is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Thopaz+ Simulator or ICU Advantage Rapid Reference?
Thopaz+ Simulator is rated higher. Thopaz+ Simulator averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while ICU Advantage Rapid Reference averages 4.9 from 158 ratings.
Do Thopaz+ Simulator or ICU Advantage Rapid Reference have ads?
Neither Thopaz+ Simulator nor ICU Advantage Rapid Reference shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Thopaz+ Simulator or ICU Advantage Rapid Reference?
Thopaz+ Simulator ships an update every 85 months, and ICU Advantage Rapid Reference fortnightly. Most recently, Thopaz+ Simulator was updated on November 6, 2026 and ICU Advantage Rapid Reference on November 5, 2026.

Other comparisons