Comparison

AHA ACLS vs NIH Stroke Scale Calculator

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

NIH Stroke Scale Calculator

This tool helps healthcare professionals quickly assess a patient's neurologic condition for stroke-like symptoms. Its user-friendly interface streamlines the diagnosis process, saving critical time during emergencies.

Highlights
  • Quick neurologic assessment
  • Stroke symptom evaluation
  • Intuitive user interface
  • Faster diagnosis
  • Severity determination
Features
Read full description

The NIH Stroke Scale Calculator is a lightweight tool for quickly assessing the neurologic condition of a patient with stroke-like symptoms to determine the presence and severity of any neurologic deficit resulting from an ischemic stroke. The intuitive, responsive UI results in a much faster diagnosis than the standard pen and paper approach to the NIH Stroke Scale thus saving precious time during a potentially life-threatening or debilitating stroke encounter.

Screenshots

AHA ACLS4 screens
NIH Stroke Scale Calculator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NIH Stroke Scale Calculator at none against AHA ACLS's 1. AHA ACLS's advantage is ratings volume (277 vs 4) and chart position (#63 vs unranked). On price, rating, 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. AHA ACLS sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per year. NIH Stroke Scale Calculator asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for AHA ACLS against 5.0 for NIH Stroke Scale Calculator. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AHA ACLS has 277 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AHA ACLS ships an update every 2 months, NIH Stroke Scale Calculator every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
AHA ACLS versus NIH Stroke Scale Calculator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAHA ACLSNIH Stroke Scale Calculator
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (277 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews26.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings277 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionFree — better
Best chart rank#63 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.1 — better15.4
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB2 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperMassachusetts General HospitalUS Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Customer experience

AHA ACLS

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

NIH Stroke Scale Calculator

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

NIH Stroke Scale Calculator

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

AHA ACLS

Subscriptions1
  • ACLS Pro3 Days trial$3.991 Year
None

NIH Stroke Scale Calculator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AHA ACLS free?
AHA ACLS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is NIH Stroke Scale Calculator free?
NIH Stroke Scale Calculator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, AHA ACLS or NIH Stroke Scale Calculator?
NIH Stroke Scale Calculator is rated higher. AHA ACLS averages 4.9 out of 5 from 277 ratings, while NIH Stroke Scale Calculator averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do AHA ACLS or NIH Stroke Scale Calculator have ads?
Neither AHA ACLS nor NIH Stroke Scale Calculator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AHA ACLS or NIH Stroke Scale Calculator?
AHA ACLS ships an update every 2 months, and NIH Stroke Scale Calculator every 4 months. Most recently, AHA ACLS was updated on September 24, 2026 and NIH Stroke Scale Calculator on September 20, 2026.

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