# Somnus vs ASCAR

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ASCAR at none against Somnus's 3. Somnus's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and device support (5 vs 2). On price, review sentiment, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Somnus sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. ASCAR asks for nothing beyond the download.

Somnus ships an update every 4 days, ASCAR every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Somnus | ASCAR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/somnus/id1360604259/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **27** | — |
| Positive reviews | **88.9% of reviews** | 87.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 137 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **17.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Somnus Health Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1104893009) | [Anaesthesia Cognitive Aids and Research Group Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/1609670504) |

## What reviewers say

### Somnus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/somnus/id1360604259)

Log anesthesia, surgical, and critical care cases and procedures efficiently. Securely sync data with iCloud, encrypt it locally, and utilize powerful search and export features. Customize entries, add notes, and scan patient IDs for streamlined record-keeping.

**Highlights:** Case and procedure logging, Secure iCloud syncing, Local data encryption, Customizable categories and items, Patient ID scanning, Clinical photo integration, Data export (PDF, CSV)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription PRO | $99.99 | per year |
| Shout Paul A Coffee? | $3.99 | one-time |


### ASCAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascar/id1600414369)

This app provides a comprehensive, up-to-date library of cognitive aids for anaesthetists to support planning and crisis response in operating theatres. It features a paediatric dose calculator and advanced search functionality for quick access to critical information, even offline.

**Highlights:** Complete ASCAR library, Paediatric Dose Calculator, Offline access, Advanced search function, Automatically updated aids

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Somnus free?

Somnus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ASCAR free?

ASCAR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Somnus or ASCAR have ads?

Neither Somnus nor ASCAR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Somnus or ASCAR?

Somnus ships an update every 4 days, and ASCAR every 2 months. Most recently, Somnus was updated on October 14, 2026 and ASCAR on October 8, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*