SurgeryPal vs SubSpark
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SurgeryPal
This app helps teens aged 12 and up prepare for and recover from spinal fusion surgery. It offers weekly lessons and skills practice, along with symptom tracking for personalized tips. Daily use is encouraged for maximum benefit.
- Spinal fusion surgery preparation
- Post-surgery recovery guidance
- Weekly new lessons and skills
- Symptom tracking
- Personalized tips
- Daily practice encouragement
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What is SurgeryPal? SurgeryPal is a program for teens 12 and up that are having Spinal Fusion Surgery. SurgeryPal is designed to help teens to learn skills to prepare for and recover after surgery. Each week will release new lessons and skills for you to practice. You will also keep track of your symptoms to receive personalized tips just for you. You will get the most benefits if you follow the instructions and use the app daily. However, the effectiveness may vary from person to person. If you are experiencing any life threatening symptoms, please consult with your doctor before you continue using the app. Who created it? SurgeryPal was created by Dr. Jennifer Rabbitts, Dr. Tonya Palermo and their team at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute. The team is composed of health professionals and researchers with experience in pain management, and mHealth treatments for youth. The software was developed by 2Morrow, Inc. a company specialized in mobile behavior change interventions. What if I have questions or concerns? Tech Help: If you need technical help with the app, you can email support@2morrowinc.com. Tip, many tech issues can be solved by completely closing the app and restarting it so try that first. Study/ Program Help: If you have questions about the program or study, please email PPSI@seattlechildrens.org
SubSpark
This app streamlines substitute teacher management for schools. It allows administrators and teachers to quickly find, book, and manage substitute educators, eliminating the need for traditional, time-consuming methods. The platform aims to ensure consistent coverage and reduce scheduling chaos.
- Fast and easy booking of substitute teachers
- Build and manage preferred substitute lists
- All-in-one admin dashboard (desktop)
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Reduces scheduling complexity
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Simplify substitute teacher management with SubSpark. SubSpark helps school administrators and teachers find, book, and manage substitute teachers—fast. Inspired by the convenience of ride-sharing apps, SubSpark brings modern tech to the education sector so schools never have to scramble for coverage again. Key Features: -Fast, Easy Booking: Find and request subs in just a few taps—no phone tag, no spreadsheets, no sticky notes. -Preferred Sub List: Build and manage your own internal network of trusted subs for continuity and peace of mind. -All-in-One Admin Dashboard (Desktop Only): School leaders can manage users, track teacher absences, and job status. -Clean, Intuitive Design: Built for busy educators with a user-friendly interface that makes sense from the start. Whether you’re in the classroom or the front office, SubSpark takes the hassle out of sub scheduling. Download now and take the chaos out of coverage.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: SubSpark at 5.0 against SurgeryPal's 2.7. SubSpark also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months). SurgeryPal's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
SubSpark holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 8 respectively.
SurgeryPal ships an update every 3 months, SubSpark every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SurgeryPal | SubSpark |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.7 (3 ratings) | 5.0 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 33 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Seattle Children's Hospital | SubSpark, LLC |
Customer experience
SurgeryPal
SubSpark
In-app purchases
SurgeryPal
No in-app purchases
SubSpark
No in-app purchases
