Comparison

AST CST Exam Prep vs CST Surgical Tech Prep

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

Head to head
About

AST CST Exam Prep

Prepare for your Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam with a personalized study plan. Practice with over 550 questions, track your progress, and compare your scores to the community average to boost your confidence and pass on your first attempt.

Highlights
  • Personalized study plan
  • 550+ practice questions
  • Track strengths and weaknesses
  • Detailed test statistics
  • Community score comparison
  • Multiple exam options
Read full description

Pass your CST exam with flying colors! Boost your confidence in passing first time with our mobile app and a personal study plan based on your current skill and requirements. The national certifying examination for surgical technologists covers the knowledge and skills common to competent entry-level Surgical Technologists in varied settings and geographical locations. Committee members designed the examinations to assess the skills that comprise the core body of knowledge for all surgical technologists and surgical first assistants. The Certified Surgical Technologist (CST®) examination examines practical knowledge, and one night of studying will not lead to passing grades. Key features: - Choose from different exams - Practice with 550+ questions written by instructors and expert tutors - Track your strengths and weaknesses within Stats section of the app - Study detailed statistics of every test you take - Compare your score to the community average for almost any type of exam - - - - Purchases, subscriptions and terms You need to buy a lifetime access or subscribe to get access to all features, courses and questions. The cost of the purchase is charged to your iTunes account. Subscriptions are auto-renewable and are billed at the rate and period selected depending on the subscription plan. Users’ accounts are charged for auto-renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Subscriptions can be managed and auto-renewal can be turned off in Account Settings in iTunes after the purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Terms of use: https://mastrapi.com/terms Privacy policy: https://mastrapi.com/policy

About

CST Surgical Tech Prep

Prepare for your Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam with a comprehensive question bank. It offers detailed explanations for each answer, personalized study plans, and progress tracking to build confidence for exam day.

Highlights
  • 2,275 board-style practice questions
  • Detailed explanations for every answer
  • 13 full subjects covering the CST blueprint
  • Daily Plan, Quick 10, Timed Mode, Smart Review
  • Full-Length Mock Exam
  • Progress tracking with pass probability
  • Customizable quizzes
Features
Read full description

Walk into your CST exam ready. Surgical Tech CST Exam Prep gives you 2,275 board-style practice questions with a clear explanation for every single answer, so you don't just memorize the right choice - you understand why it's right and why the others are wrong. Built for surgical technologists preparing for the NBSTSA certification. WHY IT WORKS Passing isn't about cramming. It's about repeated, targeted practice across every domain the exam tests - then reinforcing exactly what you got wrong until it sticks. - 2,275 questions written to match the real exam's style and difficulty - An explanation on every answer, so each question teaches you something - 13 full subjects covering the entire CST blueprint: Sterile Technique & Asepsis - Surgical Instruments - Perioperative Patient Care & Positioning - Anesthesia - Pharmacology & Hemostasis - Counts, Specimens & Documentation - Microbiology & Infection Control - Sterilization & Disinfection - Sutures, Needles & Wound Healing - General & GI Surgery - OB/GYN & Genitourinary - Orthopedic, Neuro, Cardiovascular & Plastic - Professional Roles, Ethics & Safety STUDY YOUR WAY Fit prep into a 12-hour shift or a quiet weekend - your call. - Daily Plan that sizes itself to your exam date and keeps you on pace - Quick 10 for a fast review between cases - Timed Mode to build exam-day speed and stamina - Smart Review using spaced repetition to resurface weak spots before you forget them - Full-Length Mock Exam that simulates the real thing end to end - Missed Questions queue so nothing slips through - Custom Quiz to drill any subject or weak area on demand TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Know exactly where you stand before exam day. - Pass probability that updates as you practice - Accuracy broken down by subject so you study what actually moves the needle - Streaks to keep you consistent - Exam countdown that keeps the date front and center WHO IT'S FOR Surgical technology students, scrub techs, and OR professionals sitting for the NBSTSA certification - whether you're testing for the first time or recertifying and want a confidence check. START TODAY Your exam date isn't moving. Start a free trial, take your first Quick 10 today, and watch your pass probability climb. Thousands of explained questions, one clear goal: walk in ready. --- SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Full access is available through an auto-renewing subscription: A free trial is available for new subscribers. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your App Store account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Terms of Use: https://hermesdigitalbr.github.io/surgicaltech-legal/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://hermesdigitalbr.github.io/surgicaltech-legal/privacy.html

Screenshots

AST CST Exam Prep4 screens
CST Surgical Tech Prep3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CST Surgical Tech Prep at 100% against AST CST Exam Prep's 25%. CST Surgical Tech Prep also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). AST CST Exam Prep's advantage is ratings volume (288 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. AST CST Exam Prep sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month and CST Surgical Tech Prep sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CST Surgical Tech Prep holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AST CST Exam Prep has 288 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of AST CST Exam Prep's written reviews are positive against 100% of CST Surgical Tech Prep's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
AST CST Exam Prep versus CST Surgical Tech Prep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAST CST Exam PrepCST Surgical Tech Prep
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (288 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews25.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings288 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMastrAPIHermes Inteligencia Digital Ltda

Customer experience

AST CST Exam Prep

All ratings284 ratings
Positive88.7%
Neutral4.6%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative58.3%

CST Surgical Tech Prep

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

AST CST Exam Prep

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Answers change after submission
  • Incorrect scoring
  • Repeated questions
  • Misspellings and poor wording
  • Answers marked incorrect when correct
Show 2 more
  • Content not transferring to new app
  • Typos in questions and answers

Requested features

3 requests
  • iPad version of the app
  • Personalizing tests
  • Better questions

CST Surgical Tech Prep

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

AST CST Exam Prep

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly with trial7 Days trial$24.991 Month
One-time1
  • Lifetime access$99.99
3 purchases

CST Surgical Tech Prep

Subscriptions3
  • CST Prep Pro Weekly3 Days trial$5.997 Days
  • CST Prep Pro Monthly3 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Quarterly3 Days trial$29.993 Months

Questions

Is AST CST Exam Prep free?
AST CST Exam Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CST Surgical Tech Prep free?
CST Surgical Tech Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, AST CST Exam Prep or CST Surgical Tech Prep?
CST Surgical Tech Prep is rated higher. AST CST Exam Prep averages 4.6 out of 5 from 288 ratings, while CST Surgical Tech Prep averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do AST CST Exam Prep or CST Surgical Tech Prep have ads?
Neither AST CST Exam Prep nor CST Surgical Tech Prep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AST CST Exam Prep or CST Surgical Tech Prep?
AST CST Exam Prep ships an update every 2 months, and CST Surgical Tech Prep every 2 months. Most recently, AST CST Exam Prep was updated on November 3, 2026 and CST Surgical Tech Prep on November 5, 2026.

Other comparisons