Comparison

ECHO On vs ECGRef

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

Head to head
About

ECHO On

This medical education app helps users learn Transesophageal Echocardiography with a question bank, cognitive aid, case log, and reference library. It provides guidance on performing and interpreting a standard 28-view exam, including anatomy, function, and Doppler interrogations.

Highlights
  • Transesophageal Echocardiography education
  • Enlarging question bank
  • Rescue TEE cognitive aid
  • Case Log system
  • Perioperative Quick Reference library
  • Offline echo loops
  • Pathology, technique, and normal loop examples
Features
Read full description

ECHO On is a free medical education resource for learning Transesophageal Echocardiography including a free, enlarging question bank, a Rescue TEE cognitive aid, a Case Log system for submission to the NBE, and a growing perioperative Quick Reference library with offline echo loops that work even in the OR without internet access, and includes pathology examples, techniques, and normal loops of the heart. ECHO On will walk you through an entire standard 28 view exam teaching you the anatomy, function and Doppler interrogations you should perform at each view, and how to interpret them. ECHO On is and will remain free, and the best way you can contribute is to submit boards-style questions or echo stills and echo loops to help grow the QBank, Quick Reference and Pathology libraries. Disclaimer: This app was written to provide an accessible perioperative tool for residents and fellows learning TEE in the cardiac OR and ICU, and for generalist anesthesiologists looking to refresh their knowledge of TEE. It is not meant for patients to self-diagnose. It is not meant to be a definitive reference. Despite my best efforts, there may be errors or inaccuracies in this app, so please do not use it for medical decision making, as doing so may lead you misdiagnose or seriously harm your patient. If you are not a qualified medical doctor, please see a qualified medical doctor before making any medical decisions, including those based on echocardiograms.

About

ECGRef

An educational reference for interpreting electrocardiograms, this app covers electrophysiology, rhythm recognition, and common patterns. It aims to assist clinicians and students in accurate bedside ECG analysis.

Highlights
  • Electrophysiology concepts
  • Rhythm recognition
  • Clinically relevant patterns
  • Bedside ECG analysis support
  • Educational reference
Features
Read full description

ECG interpretation, organized for the bedside. ECGRef is a comprehensive electrocardiogram reference for physicians, nurses, advanced practice clinicians, medical students, and other healthcare learners. Use a structured interpretation workflow, review rhythm patterns, explore ECG leads, check diagnostic criteria, and perform commonly used ECG calculations all in one focused reference. FEATURES • Step-by-step ECG interpretation workflow • Rhythm recognition and clinically relevant pattern review • Interactive frontal-plane and precordial lead explorer • Searchable library of ECG terminology and concepts • ECG calculators for heart rate, QTc, cardiac axis, ventricular hypertrophy, bundle branch block, wide-complex tachycardia, and more • Clinical risk tools • Bedside takeaways, common pitfalls, and “do not miss” findings • Favorites, global search, related content, and personal notes ECGRef connects core electrophysiology with practical ECG analysis. Whether you are learning a systematic approach, reviewing an unfamiliar rhythm, or checking a calculation, the app makes relevant information easy to find. Created by Rishi Kumar, MD, FACC (“RK.MD”), an academic adult cardiothoracic anesthesiologist and cardiovascular ICU intensivist committed to free, open-access medical education. Learn more at https://rk.md ECGRef is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not provide medical advice and is not a substitute for professional judgment, diagnosis, or treatment. Clinical findings and calculations must be independently verified and interpreted in the context of the individual patient. Seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition. Do not disregard or delay professional medical advice because of information provided by this app.

Screenshots

ECHO On4 screens
ECGRef4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: ECHO On at weekly against ECGRef's every 3 weeks. ECHO On also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for ECHO On against 4.9 for ECGRef. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 32 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ECHO On ships an update weekly, ECGRef every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
ECHO On versus ECGRef: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterECHO OnECGRef
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (15 ratings)4.9 (32 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1532 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size414 MB13 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperRobert ArrigoRishi Kumar

Customer experience

ECHO On

All ratings14 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

ECGRef

All ratings31 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral3.2%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

ECHO On

No in-app purchases

None

ECGRef

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ECHO On free?
ECHO On is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ECGRef free?
ECGRef is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ECHO On or ECGRef?
ECGRef is rated higher. ECHO On averages 4.9 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while ECGRef averages 4.9 from 32 ratings.
Do ECHO On or ECGRef have ads?
Neither ECHO On nor ECGRef shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ECHO On or ECGRef?
ECHO On ships an update weekly, and ECGRef every 3 weeks. Most recently, ECHO On was updated on November 3, 2026 and ECGRef on November 5, 2026.

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