SimuSurg vs AnSo
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SimuSurg
This app offers a virtual surgical environment for practicing minimally invasive techniques. It features four levels of clinical scenarios to progressively challenge users, focusing on instrument familiarity, movement control, and device operation in a simulated gaming setting.
- Virtual surgical environment
- Four progressive clinical scenarios
- Instrument familiarization practice
- Degrees of movement training
- Device control simulation
- Camera scope operation
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Minimally invasive surgery in the palm of your hand… The SimuSurg app, created by surgeons for surgeons simulates minimally invasive surgery. It provides an engaging, fun and interactive way to perform surgical skills in a gaming environment. Work through four levels of clinical scenarios designed to progressively challenge you in a virtual surgical environment. You will practice: ∙ Instrument familiarisation ∙ Degrees of movement ∙ Movement scaling ∙ Device control ∙ Cutting and object manipulation You will use: ∙ Rods ∙ Graspers ∙ Cutters ∙ Irrigation ∙ Scope – move the camera to focus
AnSo
This app helps anesthesiologists quickly identify sonoanatomy for various procedures. It offers detailed images, landmark sketches, and innervation data for nerve blocks, along with tips from experienced clinicians. It covers regional anesthesia and other perioperative ultrasound uses.
- Sonoanatomy identification
- Landmark sketches
- Nerve block innervation
- Ergonomic positioning guides
- Perioperative ultrasound uses
- Clinical tips and notes
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AnSo is a convenient resource designed to help anaesthetists identify common sonoanatomy, in a time efficient manner, within the busy operating theatre. It has been created by practicing anaesthetists with an interest in teaching ultrasound and regional anaesthesia. Please note that a subscription is required to access all content for this app. You can purchase a monthly or yearly subscription after signing in. AnSo: - provides multiple examples of the sonoanatomy as every individual is different, - provides landmark sketches useful for developing pattern recognition of landmark structures, and for trainees to draw in exams, - displays the cutaneous, motor, osseous and visceral innervation of the numerous nerve blocks and fascial plane blocks now available, facilitating appropriate block choice and knowledge of expected results, - allows combining and comparing block innervation, - allows images to be flipped to display both L and R sided orientation, - demonstrates functional ergonomics with patient, ultrasound screen and proceduralist positioning essential for efficient practical performance, - provides block notes with sonoanatomy tips and practical tips from experienced clinicians which can be invaluable to the learner. AnSo is not only for regional anaesthesia but includes many other perioperative uses of ultrasound relevant to the anaesthetist, such as: - airway - gastric antrum - vascular access - spine - transthoracic echo - lung signs AnSo contains: - over 250 ultrasound images with over 1500 sonoanatomy colour overlays, - innervation images, - ergonomic images, - landmarks pattern sketches, - loops when required for dynamic sonoanatomy, - notes with tips from experienced clinicians. AnSo helps identify not only the target structures but all the surrounding sonoanatomy. This more comprehensive understanding of the sonoanatomy helps detect anatomical variability, improves the safety and efficacy of procedures, and facilitates learning and teaching. AnSo has been designed in a format that can be easily updated and distributed to users so the information can be kept as current as possible in this rapidly expanding field. AnSo does not require an internet connection to run. Once downloaded all data is stored on your device so it will work anywhere and images will display without any delay. It can be useful both in and out of theatre, when performing procedures, and when learning or teaching ultrasound. There is no advertising in the app making it pleasant and time efficient to use. Terms of use can be found at https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Download AnSo today and always have access to this sonoanatomy and nerve block resource.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: SimuSurg at 75% against AnSo's 39%. SimuSurg also leads on rating (4.0 vs 3.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). AnSo's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 29 months) and ratings volume (30 vs 2). On price, 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
Both are free to download. AnSo sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. SimuSurg asks for nothing beyond the download.
SimuSurg holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AnSo has 30 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of SimuSurg's written reviews are positive against 39% of AnSo's.
SimuSurg ships an update every 29 months, AnSo fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SimuSurg | AnSo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (2 ratings) — better | 3.5 (30 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better | 39.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 30 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 29 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | #85 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 153 MB | 72 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Royal Australasian College of Surgeons | Sumo Enterprises Pty Ltd |
Customer experience
SimuSurg
AnSo
In-app purchases
SimuSurg
No in-app purchases
AnSo
- AnSo one month subscription14 Days trial$0.491 Month
- AnSo Pro one year subscription1 Month trial$5.991 Year
- AnSo Pro subscription1 Year trial$5.991 Year
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- AnSo one year subscription14 Days trial$5.991 Year
Questions
Is SimuSurg free?
Is AnSo free?
Which has better reviews, SimuSurg or AnSo?
Do SimuSurg or AnSo have ads?
Which is updated more often, SimuSurg or AnSo?
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