Comparison

AHA ACLS vs AHA Knowledge Booster

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

Head to head
About

AHA ACLS

This app provides clinicians with a digital tool to assist in running cardiac arrest codes and delivering advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) at the bedside. It features the latest AHA recommendations and includes intuitive access to algorithms, drug dosing, and timers for efficient patient care.

Highlights
  • 4 ACLS algorithms (cardiac arrest, tachycardia, bradycardia, post-arrest)
  • Latest 2025 AHA ACLS content
  • Drug therapy and dosing
  • Easy-to-read timers
  • CPR and epinephrine logging
  • Rapid transition to post-arrest care
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The AHA ACLS app is the American Heart Association's (AHA) officially endorsed digital health solution to assist clinicians in running codes and delivering bedside ACLS care with actual patients. The app was developed by Harvard-trained physicians, in collaboration with the AHA, to help fellow physicians, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and EMTs deliver the highest level of advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) at the point-of-care. It began as a project to assist clinicians within Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital—and then expanded to have a global scope after significant positive impact was demonstrated. Importantly, real-time feedback from our clinician users continuously drives improvements in app design, features, and function so that you will have the best experience providing life-saving care at the bedside. The AHA ACLS app is the only one to have all content vetted by both the AHA science team and practicing Harvard-affiliated physicians. It also features the latest 2025 release of AHA recommendations for ACLS. We owe it to our patients to use the best digital health tools to give them the highest chance of surviving acute life-threatening cardiac illnesses. To this end, we have developed a low cost, intuitive, and rigorously vetted mobile app to assist clinicians— including in all stages of training—and enhance ACLS care at the bedside. Features: - Intuitive design to rapidly access 4 ACLS algorithms (i.e. cardiac arrest, tachycardia with pulse, bradycardia with pulse, and post cardiac arrest care) - Includes all recently released 2025 ACLS content including drug therapy and dosing, reversible causes, etc. - Easy-to-read timers and ability to log rounds of CPR, epinephrine, and defibrillations - Button within cardiac arrest algorithm that allows for rapid transition to post cardiac arrest care pathway once patient achieves ROSC - All content rigorously vetted by AHA science team and practicing Harvard-affiliated physicians We continue to iterate based on real-time clinician feedback, so that you will have the best experience providing life-saving care at the bedside. AHA ACLS offers an auto-renewing annual subscription at $3.99/year with a 3-day free trial. You will have unlimited access to all content while you maintain an active subscription. Payment will be charged to the credit card connected to your Apple ID Account when you confirm the initial subscription purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current subscription period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. You may manage your subscription and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to your Account Settings after the purchase. Any unused portion of the free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. You can read more about our terms and conditions in the app.

About

AHA Knowledge Booster

Reinforce critical CPR and emergency care knowledge with personalized quizzes. Choose topics like BLS, ACLS, and PALS to build mastery and improve long-term retention of lifesaving information.

Highlights
  • Personalized quizzes
  • Adaptive learning algorithm
  • Proficiency mapping
  • Multiple topic choices (BLS, ACLS, PALS, First Aid, CPR)
  • Neuroscience-based retrieval practice
  • Long-term knowledge retention
Features
Read full description

The AHA Knowledge Booster app was created to reinforce critical CPR and emergency care knowledge in an effort to save more lives. Users can choose the topics appropriate for their level of knowledge – Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), First Aid, and CPR Basics. This booster app is ideal for those who have completed American Heart Association courses and are looking to keep this lifesaving information top of mind. The quiz-based application will feature different types of questions with topics including: * CPR Basics * First Aid Basics * Emergency Preparedness * BLS * ACLS * PALS * Heartsaver * Opioid * Ventilator Reskilling * Choking * Signs of Heart Attack and Stroke Our adaptive learning algorithm analyzes a users’ interaction with various topics, and dynamically builds a proficiency map on what a user does and does not know. This proficiency map is used to generate personalized quizzes to help them build mastery. This whole process is 100% automated based on the neuroscience-based technique of retrieval practice. The more you engage with the app, the more tailored the quizzes will be! Play today to help keep your critical lifesaving knowledge top of mind. AHA Booster makes it easy to engage learners, increase long-term knowledge retention, and measure and improve learning effectiveness.

Screenshots

AHA ACLS4 screens
AHA Knowledge Booster4 screens

Verdict

The call

AHA ACLS and AHA Knowledge Booster both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 71% of AHA Knowledge Booster's written reviews are positive against 26% of AHA ACLS's. AHA Knowledge Booster also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). AHA ACLS's advantage is chart position (#62 vs unranked). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. AHA ACLS sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per year and AHA Knowledge Booster sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for AHA ACLS against 4.8 for AHA Knowledge Booster. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 277 and 544 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 26% of AHA ACLS's written reviews are positive against 71% of AHA Knowledge Booster's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AHA ACLS ships an update every 2 months, AHA Knowledge Booster monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
AHA ACLS versus AHA Knowledge Booster: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAHA ACLSAHA Knowledge Booster
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (277 ratings) — better4.8 (544 ratings)
Positive reviews26.3% of reviews70.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings277544 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#62 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.1 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB39 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperMassachusetts General HospitalTrivie, Inc

Customer experience

AHA ACLS

All ratings277 ratings
Positive99.3%
Neutral0.4%
Negative0.4%
Written reviews80 reviews
Positive26.3%
Neutral3.8%
Negative70.0%

AHA Knowledge Booster

All ratings544 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.5%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive70.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative29.4%

User reviews

AHA ACLS

From 277 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✅ Accurate, up-to-date AHA ACLS algorithms
  • ⏱️ Built-in timers and counters for code management
  • 👍 User-friendly, intuitive interface
  • 🏥 Trusted by Harvard/MGH and American Heart Association
  • 📋 Helpful for documentation and PCR completion

Room to improve

  • 💰 Subscription paywall on previously free app
  • 🚨 Dangerous surprise paywall during active codes
  • ⚠️ No warning before transition to paid model
  • 🔐 Requires payment even for basic ACLS information
  • 😤 Perceived greed from wealthy organizations (MGH/AHA)

AHA Knowledge Booster

From 544 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great refresher app
  • 👍 Simple and functional
  • 👍 Helpful for learning
  • 👍 Enjoyable quizzes
  • 👍 Concise information files

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App doesn't work
  • 🐛 App is empty
  • 🐛 Never sends link
  • 🐛 Requires login
  • 🐛 Paid app requires login

Bugs and requests

AHA ACLS

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App fails to load information despite subscription payment
  • Users locked out of app mid-code
  • Unexpected app crashes during critical moments

Requested features

10 requests
  • Multiple log storage with dates
  • More detailed code logging with event documentation (IO access, medications, rhythms)
  • End code button and pause compressions feature
  • Real-time log tracking for back-charting
  • LVAD algorithm inclusion
Show 5 more
  • Additional medication counters (bicarbonate, calcium)
  • One-time purchase option instead of subscription
  • Free basic version with premium features behind paywall
  • Voluntary donation model instead of mandatory subscription
  • Actual time reflection in logs for accurate timekeeping

AHA Knowledge Booster

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Literally doesn't work
  • App opens but is completely empty
  • Asks for email, never sends link
  • Requires a login when already paid
  • Can't sign on

Requested features

2 requests
  • Explanations for incorrect answers
  • New update

In-app purchases

1 purchases

AHA ACLS

Subscriptions1
  • ACLS Pro3 Days trial$3.991 Year
4 purchases

AHA Knowledge Booster

Subscriptions4
  • PALS$1.991 Year
  • BLS$1.991 Year
  • ACLS$2.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • All-Access Bundle14 Days trial$3.991 Year

Questions

Is AHA ACLS free?
AHA ACLS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AHA Knowledge Booster free?
AHA Knowledge Booster is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, AHA ACLS or AHA Knowledge Booster?
AHA ACLS is rated higher. AHA ACLS averages 4.9 out of 5 from 277 ratings, while AHA Knowledge Booster averages 4.8 from 544 ratings.
Do AHA ACLS or AHA Knowledge Booster have ads?
Neither AHA ACLS nor AHA Knowledge Booster shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AHA ACLS or AHA Knowledge Booster?
AHA ACLS ships an update every 2 months, and AHA Knowledge Booster monthly. Most recently, AHA ACLS was updated on September 29, 2026 and AHA Knowledge Booster on September 25, 2026.

Other comparisons