Comparison

PASS CCRN®! vs ICU Advantage Rapid Reference

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

Head to head
About

PASS CCRN®!

Prepare for the CCRN® Adult certification exam with comprehensive review, interactive learning activities, and over 1,000 practice questions. This app offers simulated exams and content updates reflecting the latest research and guidelines for critical care nursing.

Highlights
  • Comprehensive content review
  • Over 1,000 interactive practice questions
  • Study Mode with feedback
  • Practice Exam Mode for simulation
  • Interactive learning activities
  • Updated content reflecting latest guidelines
Features
Read full description

"Try before you buy" - Download the FREE App, which includes sample content. In-App purchase required to unlock all content. Comprehensive content review to pass the latest CCRN®-Adult certification exam. Based on 6th print edition Prepare for success on the CCRN® (Adult) examination with a focused review, interactive learning activities, and practice exams! Pass CCRN® (Adult), 6th Edition provides online learning activities, multiple-choice questions, and simulated examinations to help you master each of the content areas covered on the most current CCRN® (Adult) exam. Content updates reflect the latest research evidence, treatment protocols, and national and international guidelines for critical care nursing. From exam-preparation expert Robin Donohoe Dennison, this edition makes studying easier with a more focused, quick-reference format, mobile learning activities, and more than 1,000 interactive questions in Study Mode and Practice Exam Mode. New to this edition NEW! Thoroughly updated content follows the latest CCRN® (Adult) exam blueprint, covering the content areas tested and matching the percentage of the examination devoted to each. NEW! Updates also reflect the latest research evidence and national and international guidelines and treatment protocols. NEW! Focus on need-to-know content helps you make the most of your study time. NEW! Interactive Learning Activities provide an engaging and stimulating way to review essential content, with question styles such as matching, fill-in-the blank, comparison, case studies, and more. NEW! References and Recommended Readings NEW! Improved design improves the book’s legibility and reduces eyestrain. Key Features More than 1,000 interactive practice questions can be answered in Study Mode, with feedback and page references, or in Practice Exam Mode for realistic simulated CCRN® (Adult) exam practice. Virtually unlimited number of practice exams in Practice Exam Mode provides unrivalled realistic practice for the CCRN® (Adult) exam. Simplified outline format makes it easier to read, understand, and remember the information you must know to pass the CCRN® (Adult) exam. Abundant tables, illustrations, concept maps, and algorithms help to clarify content and highlight key concepts. Content licensed from printed ISBN 10: 032376150X Content licensed from printed ISBN 13: 9780323761505 SUBSCRIPTION : Please choose an auto renewable subscription plan to receive content access & continuous updates. Your subscription automatically renews as per your plan, so you always have the latest content. Yearly auto-renewing payment - $59.99 Three months auto-renewing payment - $39.99 Monthly auto-renewing payment - $29.99 Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Subscription may be managed by the user and auto-renewal can be disabled at any time by going to your device “Settings” and tapping “iTunes & App Store”. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription, where applicable. If you have any questions or comments, email us any time: customersupport@skyscape.com or call 508-299-3000 Privacy Policy - https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/privacypolicy.aspx Terms and Conditions - https://www.skyscape.com/terms-of-service/licenseagreement.aspx Editor(s): Robin Donohoe Dennison, DNP, CNE, NEA-BC, NPD-BC Publisher: Elsevier Health Sciences Company

About

ICU Advantage Rapid Reference

This clinical reference tool helps critical care professionals understand complex patient conditions. It provides organ-system-based information, ventilator settings, drug references, calculators, and interactive protocols. Designed for nurses, therapists, and providers, it focuses on deep understanding rather than just quick lookups.

Highlights
  • Organ-system-based clinical reference
  • Ventilator settings and troubleshooting
  • Drug references with dosing and pearls
  • Calculators and scoring systems
  • Interactive emergency protocols
  • Offline access to content
  • Search functionality
Features
Currently charting
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ICU Advantage Rapid Reference is the critical care reference built for ICU nurses, respiratory therapists, and every clinician caring for critically ill patients. Built to help you understand the complexity of critical care, not just looking things up and forgetting them, while also giving you an extensive collection of tools right at your fingertips when you need them. From the team behind the ICU Advantage YouTube channel, trusted by more than 980,000 nurses and critical care professionals worldwide. FOR THE WHOLE CRITICAL CARE TEAM ICU nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, residents, fellows, attendings, advanced practice providers, and anyone else caring for patients in the ICU. Whether you are a new ICU nurse or have been running codes for twenty years, Rapid Reference meets you where you are, gives you the deep clinical understanding you want and the tools you actually need, and helps you to keep learning and growing wherever you are. WHAT'S INSIDE • Organ-system-based critical care reference across cardiology, pulmonology, neurology, renal, GI, endocrine, and more • Ventilator modes, settings, and troubleshooting for mechanical ventilation • Hemodynamics, shock, sepsis, MCS support, trauma, burns, and even OB critical care • Labs, ABGs, and acid-base walkthroughs • Equipment, procedures, and point-of-care tests • Drug references with indications, common dosing, titratable drips, medication deep dives, and clinical pearls • Medical calculators that get you values fast, with full explanations of what they measure • Easy-to-use scoring systems, from GCS to SOFA and so much more: select criteria, get scores fast • Interactive emergency and resuscitation protocols, from ACLS algorithms to airway emergencies to MTP and more: zoom through visually or follow step by step • Quick Lookup for lab values, abbreviations, and terminology • Search built for the way critical care nurses and clinicians think • All available offline once the content is synced! • So much more! And even more yet to come still! BUILT TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND, NOT JUST LOOK UP Every topic is written to actually teach, not just summarize. Same philosophy as the ICU Advantage YouTube channel: take something genuinely complex, break it down into pieces that make sense, and leave you knowing the "why," not just the "what." When you need a quick review or refresher, the Rapid Reference for each content area surfaces the important, high-value information for quick access, with links to dive deeper into the parts you need. DESIGNED FOR CLINICIANS Clean, readable, and beautifully rendered. This doesn't just feel like reading a textbook on your phone. Elegantly designed to not just look great, but to easily navigate the huge collection of resources. And it stays readable in dark mode or light mode, on iPhone and iPad. Works fully offline, so it's there when the network is not. Bookmarks and favorites for the topics you come back to. No ads, no social feed, no distractions. Just the information you need, organized for quick access and the way you think. HONEST ABOUT WHAT THIS IS Rapid Reference is a reference and education tool designed for health care professionals working in critical care in the ICU. It is not medical advice, not a diagnostic device, and not a replacement for your institution's policies, procedures, the laws and regulations of your licensing governing body, or the orders of a qualified prescribing provider. Always defer to your local protocols and clinical judgment. TRY IT FREE Every new account gets a 7-day free trial with full access. After that, $15/month or $129/year. Cancel anytime. Built with care by critical care clinicians and the ICU Advantage team. Questions, feedback, or something we can make better? We read every message: contact@icuadvantage.com Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings.

Screenshots

PASS CCRN®!4 screens
ICU Advantage Rapid Reference4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ICU Advantage Rapid Reference at 100% against PASS CCRN®!'s 20%. ICU Advantage Rapid Reference also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.8) and ads (none vs shown). PASS CCRN®!'s advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. PASS CCRN®! sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month and ICU Advantage Rapid Reference sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $15.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ICU Advantage Rapid Reference holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 75 and 113 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of PASS CCRN®!'s written reviews are positive against 100% of ICU Advantage Rapid Reference's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PASS CCRN®! ships an update every 5 months, ICU Advantage Rapid Reference every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
PASS CCRN®! versus ICU Advantage Rapid Reference: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPASS CCRN®!ICU Advantage Rapid Reference
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (75 ratings)4.9 (113 ratings) — better
Positive reviews20.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings75113 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#78 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size148 MB93 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperSkyscape Medpresso IncICU Advantage LLC

Customer experience

PASS CCRN®!

All ratings75 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral4.0%
Negative29.3%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative80.0%

ICU Advantage Rapid Reference

All ratings113 ratings
Positive98.2%
Neutral0.9%
Negative0.9%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

PASS CCRN®!

Subscriptions6
  • PASS CCRN®! 1M Sub$29.991 Month
  • PASS CCRN®! 3M Sub$39.993 Months
  • 25% Off-Limited Period Offer$44.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • 20% Off-Limited Period Offer$47.991 Year
  • 15% Off-Limited Period Offer$50.991 Year
  • PASS CCRN®! 1Y Sub.$59.991 Year
2 purchases

ICU Advantage Rapid Reference

Subscriptions2
  • Rapid Reference Monthly7 Days trial$15.001 Month
  • Rapid Reference Annual7 Days trial$129.001 Year

Questions

Is PASS CCRN®! free?
PASS CCRN®! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ICU Advantage Rapid Reference free?
ICU Advantage Rapid Reference is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PASS CCRN®! or ICU Advantage Rapid Reference?
ICU Advantage Rapid Reference is rated higher. PASS CCRN®! averages 3.8 out of 5 from 75 ratings, while ICU Advantage Rapid Reference averages 4.9 from 113 ratings.
Do PASS CCRN®! or ICU Advantage Rapid Reference have ads?
PASS CCRN®! shows ads; ICU Advantage Rapid Reference does not.
Which is updated more often, PASS CCRN®! or ICU Advantage Rapid Reference?
PASS CCRN®! ships an update every 5 months, and ICU Advantage Rapid Reference every 2 weeks. Most recently, PASS CCRN®! was updated on September 22, 2026 and ICU Advantage Rapid Reference on September 22, 2026.

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