Comparison

AHA ACLS vs Code Timer

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

Code Timer

This application helps first responders track time-sensitive events during emergencies. It offers intuitive timing, event logging, and offline functionality for enhanced coordination and post-operation review. Designed for reliability when every second counts.

Highlights
  • Intuitive event timing
  • Event logging and history
  • User-friendly interface
  • Offline functionality
  • Enhanced team coordination
  • No personal data collection
Features
Read full description

Every event. Every second. Code Timer is a timing and documentation companion for the adult resuscitation recorder. Start the code clock with one tap, capture events as they happen, and review a clear record afterward. RECORD AS YOU GO Log compressions and pauses, rhythm and pulse checks, shocks, medications, airway, vascular access, vitals, notes, ROSC, and re-arrest. Choose from three recorder layouts, with space for controls and recent events on iPad. KEEP TRACK OF TIME See elapsed code time, compression cycles, pauses, and time since the last logged epinephrine dose. Configure reminder intervals for your team's workflow. Enable system alarms and optional fallback notifications. Live Activities keep timing information accessible on supported devices. CORRECT AND REVIEW Undo a recent tap or edit an event's time and details. Corrections preserve the original entry in an audit trail. After a code, review key times, totals, a visual timeline, and documentation gaps. Missing entries are identified as not documented; they do not establish that an intervention did not happen. EXPORT FOR DOCUMENTATION Share a PDF code sheet, CSV spreadsheet, or plain text record. Print the PDF through the system share sheet or copy the record as text. Verify the information and transcribe it into your institution's official medical record. KEEP RECORDS ON YOUR DEVICE No account, ads, or analytics SDKs. Core recording and review work offline. Records are excluded from device backups. Optionally protect saved records with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode, and choose automatic deletion after 7, 30, or 90 days. OPTIONAL ON-DEVICE HIGHLIGHTS On compatible Apple Intelligence devices, an optional experiment selects highlights from app-calculated debrief facts. Free-text notes and custom names are excluded. Highlights are temporary and never enter the saved record or exports. The full calculated debrief works without Apple Intelligence. Code Timer records events and measures elapsed time. It does not recommend treatment, calculate doses, replace clinical judgment or local protocols, or serve as the official medical record. Debriefs are not clinical assessments or validated evaluations of care quality. Do not enter patient identifiers. Rehearse alerts on your actual device before use. Permissions, system settings, battery, and device state can affect delivery. Fallback notification sounds respect Silent mode. Keep your usual clock and documentation process available.

Screenshots

AHA ACLS4 screens
Code Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: AHA ACLS at Free against Code Timer's $3.99. AHA ACLS also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 16 months) and ratings volume (277 vs 2). Code Timer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On 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

AHA ACLS is free to download; Code Timer costs $3.99 up front. AHA ACLS sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per year. Code Timer 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 Code Timer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AHA ACLS has 277 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AHA ACLS ships an update every 2 months, Code Timer every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
AHA ACLS versus Code Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAHA ACLSCode Timer
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.9 (277 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews26.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings277 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 16 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionPaid — better
Best chart rank#42 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB4 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperMassachusetts General HospitalZachery Gentry

Customer experience

AHA ACLS

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

Code Timer

All ratings2 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

Code Timer

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

Code Timer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AHA ACLS free?
AHA ACLS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Code Timer free?
Code Timer costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, AHA ACLS or Code Timer?
Code Timer is rated higher. AHA ACLS averages 4.9 out of 5 from 277 ratings, while Code Timer averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do AHA ACLS or Code Timer have ads?
Neither AHA ACLS nor Code Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AHA ACLS or Code Timer?
AHA ACLS ships an update every 2 months, and Code Timer every 16 months. Most recently, AHA ACLS was updated on October 15, 2026 and Code Timer on October 6, 2026.

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