Comparison

AHA ACLS vs ACLSMED Sim

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

ACLSMED Sim

Read full description

ACLSMED Simulator turns iPads into a high-fidelity clinical training rig: one iPad becomes the patient monitor + defibrillator + pacer, another the instructor remote driving the scenario — and, new in 2.0, a six-station CPR skills trainer. Built for nursing schools, paramedic programs, residency simulation labs, and ACLS courses. Aligned with AHA 2025 guidelines (effective March 2026). WHAT'S IN THE APP • MONITOR ROLE — Full patient monitor with up to six clinical channels: HR/ECG, ART/NIBP, PA, CVP, SpO₂, and EtCO₂. Real-time waveform engine, alarm flash, integrated defibrillator (charge → shock → reset), and transcutaneous pacer. New in 2.0: hardware device shells — hospital defib, brushed-metal, and transport styles with color variants. • INSTRUCTOR ROLE — Educator-facing control panel. Drive vitals, switch among 47 rhythm presets (sinus, atrial, SVT, junctional, ventricular, AV blocks, paced, arrest), run 33 megacode scenarios, trigger alarms, toggle CPR artifact, and step through 12-lead ECG presentations. • IVMED ROLE — Infusion pump trainer with a 61-drug library, weight-based dosing, and soft/hard limit alerts. • RESPMED ROLE — Ventilator trainer: AC/VC, PRVC, BiPAP, and PSV modes with lung pathologies and ABG presentation. • CPR SIMULATOR ROLE (NEW IN 2.0) — A multi-station CPR skills trainer on one iPad. Up to six students place an iPhone running the free ACLSMED CPR app on a training manikin's sternum, hands on top: a two-minute timed test with a live quality bar per student, ring-gauge results for rate, depth zone, and hands-on time, a focus area for each student, a class leaderboard — and every student's grade delivered to their own phone. WORKS WITH ACLSMED CPR (FREE) ACLSMED CPR is our free iPhone companion — a CPR counter and feedback trainer for manikin practice. The phone lies on the manikin's chest under the student's hands and measures every compression: rate, honest depth zones, and hands-on time, with a 110/min metronome. Alone it scores solo practice; paired, it powers the CPR Simulator test and drives the monitor's compression artefact, vitals response, and code-debrief hands-on fraction. Student phones never need a seat. • PAIRING — Automatic discovery over local Wi-Fi with Bluetooth fallback; signed envelopes keep every device in lockstep. • AUDIO — Synthesized HR beep tracking SpO₂, ICU alarms, defib charge ramp + shock thump, 110 bpm CPR metronome, and voice prompts. • OFFLINE — Once paired, the simulation runs entirely on-device. WHO IT'S FOR Nurses, paramedics, EMTs, medical students, residents, and ACLS instructors who need a portable, repeatable, clinically credible megacode environment and can be used with CPR manikins. SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED ACLSMED Simulator requires a plan, purchased in the app. Two tiers, each as an auto-renewing monthly or annual subscription or a one-time lifetime license: • ACLSMED Pro Patient Monitor + Instructor Remote + CPR Simulator (licenses 2 devices) • ACLSMED Suite adds IVmed pump + RESPmed ventilator (licenses 4 devices) Payment is charged to your Apple ID. Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends; manage or cancel in Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. One account activates every iPad in your bundle. Privacy Policy: https://www.aclsmed.com/privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.aclsmed.com/terms.html REQUIREMENTS • iPad only (9th generation / A13 or newer), iPadOS 17 or later • Local Wi-Fi or Bluetooth between devices • An active ACLSMED plan (purchased in-app) • CPR Simulator: free ACLSMED CPR app on student iPhones (iOS 17+) IMPORTANT Educational only not diagnostic. ACLSMED Simulator is a teaching tool for clinical education and exam preparation. CPR features are for practice on training manikins only. It is not a medical device, is not for use on patients, and must never be used to make diagnostic or treatment decisions. SUPPORT Email: support@aclsmed.com Web: https://www.aclsmed.com

Screenshots

AHA ACLS4 screens
ACLSMED Sim4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: ACLSMED Sim at every 8 days against AHA ACLS's every 2 months. AHA ACLS's advantage is chart position (#36 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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 and ACLSMED Sim sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AHA ACLS ships an update every 2 months, ACLSMED Sim every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
AHA ACLS versus ACLSMED Sim: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAHA ACLSACLSMED Sim
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (277 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews26.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings277 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscription—
Best chart rank#36 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB68 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperMassachusetts General HospitalMark Daniel Figueroa

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

ACLSMED Sim

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

AHA ACLS

Subscriptions1
  • ACLS Pro3 Days trial$3.991 Year
6 purchases

ACLSMED Sim

Subscriptions4
  • ACLSMED Pro — Monthly$19.991 Month
  • ACLSMED Suite — Monthly$29.991 Month
  • ACLSMED Pro — Annual$99.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • ACLSMED Suite — Annual$179.991 Year
One-time2
  • ACLSMED Pro — Lifetime$399.99
  • ACLSMED Suite — Lifetime$799.99

Questions

Is AHA ACLS free?
AHA ACLS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ACLSMED Sim free?
ACLSMED Sim is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do AHA ACLS or ACLSMED Sim have ads?
Neither AHA ACLS nor ACLSMED Sim shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AHA ACLS or ACLSMED Sim?
AHA ACLS ships an update every 2 months, and ACLSMED Sim every 8 days. Most recently, AHA ACLS was updated on October 15, 2026 and ACLSMED Sim on September 29, 2026.

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