# AHA PALS vs LCAST

The clearest difference is review sentiment: AHA PALS at 55% against LCAST's 0%. AHA PALS also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 21 months) and rating (4.5 vs 4.3). LCAST's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AHA PALS sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per year. LCAST asks for nothing beyond the download.

AHA PALS holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AHA PALS has 53 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of AHA PALS's written reviews are positive against 0% of LCAST's.

AHA PALS ships an update every 2 months, LCAST every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AHA PALS | LCAST |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (53 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aha-pals/id1577470913/reviews)** | [4.3 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lcast/id1663066252/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **53** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **54.5% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 21 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#182** | — |
| Size | 48 MB | 146 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Massachusetts General Hospital](https://appshunter.io/developer/376928206) | [igNew, LLC dba Slingshot](https://appshunter.io/developer/1663066254) |

## What reviewers say

### AHA PALS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aha-pals/id1577470913)

**Currently charting:** #182 Top Grossing · Medical (US App Store)

This app provides pediatric advanced life support (PALS) protocols and tools for healthcare professionals at the point-of-care. Developed by physicians and vetted by the American Heart Association, it offers intuitive access to algorithms, drug information, and timers for critical care situations.

**Highlights:** PALS pathways and algorithms, Drug therapy and dosing, CPR and intervention timers, Metronome for compression accuracy, Critical care references, Vetted by AHA and physicians

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PALS | $3.99 | per year |


### LCAST

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lcast/id1663066252)

This medical tool aids healthcare professionals in assessing the plausibility of bruising in young children. It utilizes a validated clinical decision rule to help identify potential abuse by analyzing bruise characteristics and body locations. The app serves as a screening tool to inform decision-making and educate users on bruising patterns.

**Highlights:** Bruising clinical decision rule (TEN-4-FACESp), Interactive 3D body model for inputting observations, Compares bruise findings to published evidence, Screening tool for children under 4.0 years, Educational tool for healthcare providers, Data based on multi-center NIH-funded study

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AHA PALS free?

AHA PALS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is LCAST free?

LCAST is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, AHA PALS or LCAST?

AHA PALS is rated higher. AHA PALS averages 4.5 out of 5 from 53 ratings, while LCAST averages 4.3 from 8 ratings.

### Do AHA PALS or LCAST have ads?

Neither AHA PALS nor LCAST shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AHA PALS or LCAST?

AHA PALS ships an update every 2 months, and LCAST every 21 months. Most recently, AHA PALS was updated on October 14, 2026 and LCAST on October 17, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*