Comparison

PICU Essentials vs AAP Experience

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

Head to head
About

PICU Essentials

A practical handbook for medical professionals in pediatric intensive care units, drawing on 20 years of experience. Content is peer-reviewed and updated regularly, applicable across various settings. Proceeds support app maintenance and development.

Highlights
  • Practical handbook for PICU professionals
  • Based on 20 years of PICU practice
  • Peer-reviewed content
  • Regular content updates
  • Applicable in most settings
  • Supports app development
Features
Read full description

This app was designed to be used as a practical handbook for rotating residents, advanced practice providers, and fellows. It is based upon 20 years of PICU practice, and while much of the content describes practice or protocols here at UFHealth/Shands Children’s Hospital, it could be applied in most settings. This app is now in use in over 50 countries. All content is peer-reviewed, and content is reviewed for currency every 1-2 years and as needed. All proceeds from this app go toward maintaining and developing the app itself. Privacy Policy: https://skywave.io/picu-privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://skywave.io/picu-terms-of-use/

About

AAP Experience

This app provides attendees with access to conference schedules, presentations, exhibitor information, and speaker details. Users can take notes directly on slides and posters, and engage with colleagues through in-app messaging.

Highlights
  • View conference schedule
  • Access presentations and speaker details
  • Take notes on slides and posters
  • Draw directly on presentation slides
  • In-app messaging with attendees
Features
Read full description

****FOR ATTENDEES ONLY**** The AAP National Conference mobile application allows you to view the schedule, presentations, exhibitors, and speaker details from AAPediatrics conference and meetings. Users can take notes on adjacent presentations when they are available for each presentation as well as draw directly onto the slides themselves all from within the app. Note-taking is also available in the posters and exhibitors modules. Additionally, users can share information with attendees and colleagues with the in app messaging features.

Screenshots

PICU Essentials4 screens
AAP Experience4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PICU Essentials at 56% against AAP Experience's 20%. PICU Essentials also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6). AAP Experience's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (1.4K vs 124). On price, update cadence, 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. PICU Essentials sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. AAP Experience asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PICU Essentials holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AAP Experience has 1.4K ratings behind it against 124, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of PICU Essentials's written reviews are positive against 20% of AAP Experience's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PICU Essentials ships an update every 6 months, AAP Experience every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on August 24, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
PICU Essentials versus AAP Experience: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPICU EssentialsAAP Experience
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (124 ratings) — better4.6 (1.4K ratings)
Positive reviews55.6% of reviews — better20.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1241.4K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 months — betterEvery 12 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.614 — better
Further details — not scored
Size130 MB76 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperAtmosphere Apps, Inc.American Academy of Pediatrics

Customer experience

PICU Essentials

All ratings124 ratings
Positive96.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive55.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative44.4%

AAP Experience

All ratings1,426 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral4.3%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews35 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral17.1%
Negative62.9%

Bugs and requests

PICU Essentials

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

AAP Experience

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Difficulty accessing livestream events
  • Room changes not reflected in the app
  • Slides not always uploaded
  • Evaluation submissions getting erased
  • Lack of integration with CME/MOC tracking

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to export/save slides
  • Seamless login options (e.g., Face ID, save login info)
  • Better integration with schedule and abstracts
  • Improved stability and performance

In-app purchases

1 purchases

PICU Essentials

Subscriptions1
  • Annual Subscription14 Days trial$9.991 Year
None

AAP Experience

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PICU Essentials free?
PICU Essentials is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AAP Experience free?
AAP Experience is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PICU Essentials or AAP Experience?
PICU Essentials is rated higher. PICU Essentials averages 4.8 out of 5 from 124 ratings, while AAP Experience averages 4.6 from 1.4K ratings.
Do PICU Essentials or AAP Experience have ads?
Neither PICU Essentials nor AAP Experience shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PICU Essentials or AAP Experience?
PICU Essentials ships an update every 6 months, and AAP Experience every 12 months. Most recently, PICU Essentials was updated on August 24, 2026 and AAP Experience on September 18, 2026.

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