Comparison

LCAST vs PREP Self

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

Head to head
About

LCAST

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
Read full description

The Lurie Children’s Child Injury Plausibility Assessment Support Tool (LCAST) is an app based on a validated Bruising Clinical Decision Rule (BCDR) called the TEN-4-FACESp. Use of this tool has the potential to improve recognition of abuse in young children with bruising. This app functions only as a screening tool and cannot be used to diagnose abuse. The app applies to children less than 4.0 years of age with bruising. If the child is older than 4.0 and/or bruising is not present, this tool cannot be used. In those circumstances, alternative methods of screening for abuse are needed. WHY FOCUS ON BRUISING? Bruising is the most common injury resulting from physical abuse and is the most overlooked or misdiagnosed antecedent injury prior to an abuse-related fatality or near-fatality in a young child. Bruising occurs from both accidental and abusive trauma, but differences identified by the TEN-4-FACESp bruising clinical decision rule may allow improved and earlier recognition of the abused child. ABOUT THE APP: The app is intended for clinical use by licensed healthcare professionals and providers. The app can inform decision-making and be used as an educational tool for learning about bruising characteristics that commonly result from abusive and accidental injury. The core feature of the app is an interactive 3D body model that allows the user to utilize visual cues of the human body to input clinical observations. The result is the opportunity to compare a child’s bruise findings to the published evidence resulting from a NIH-funded multi-center study. The data that drive the app are based on 2,161 patients of which 410 (19%) were classified by a multi-disciplinary panel of medical experts as abuse and 1,713 (79%) as accident. The TEN-4-FACESp bruising clinical decision rule resulted from analysis of 35 body regions and is 96% specific and 87% sensitive for distinguishing bruising from abuse versus accident. The TEN-4-FACESp has three components based on: 1) specific body regions with bruising, 2) patterned bruising, and 3) bruising anywhere on non-mobile infants. An affirmative finding for any one of the three TEN-4-FACESp components without a clear and reasonable explanation indicates a potential risk for abuse. The child may warrant further evaluation and consultation with an expert in child abuse should be considered. In addition to using the data in this app, the user should always check with a doctor before making any medical decisions.

About

PREP Self

Access trusted pediatric learning content through a new mobile app. Build a personalized question bank by selecting blocks from various content areas to fit your learning style and schedule. Earn CME credits and MOC points with each block.

Highlights
  • Trusted PREP content
  • Customizable question bank
  • Case-based questions
  • Earn CME credits
  • Earn MOC points
  • Modern user interface
Read full description

Trusted PREP® Content, New Mobile App! For nearly 45 years, the PREP Self-Assessment Program has been a trusted source for pediatric learning and professional growth. Now, we're reimagining the experience. Meet PREP Blocks: A new, customizable way to access the same trusted PREP questions you know and value, designed to fit your learning style, pace, and schedule. • Enjoy a modern, user-friendly interface with a long-awaited mobile app and new desktop experience • Build a Question Bank by selecting blocks from content areas that match your goals • 20 case-based questions per block • Earn up to 4 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and 4 MOC Part 2 Points with each block

Screenshots

LCAST3 screens
PREP Self4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PREP Self at 67% against LCAST's 0%. PREP Self also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 21 months). LCAST's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 3.7) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). On price, ratings volume, 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

LCAST holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 9 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of LCAST's written reviews are positive against 67% of PREP Self's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LCAST ships an update every 21 months, PREP Self daily. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
LCAST versus PREP Self: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLCASTPREP Self
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (8 ratings) — better3.7 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews66.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings89 — better
Update frequencyEvery 21 monthsDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size146 MB44 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperigNew, LLC dba SlingshotAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

Customer experience

LCAST

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

PREP Self

All ratings9 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

None

LCAST

No in-app purchases

None

PREP Self

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is LCAST free?
LCAST is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PREP Self free?
PREP Self is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, LCAST or PREP Self?
LCAST is rated higher. LCAST averages 4.3 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while PREP Self averages 3.7 from 9 ratings.
Do LCAST or PREP Self have ads?
Neither LCAST nor PREP Self shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LCAST or PREP Self?
LCAST ships an update every 21 months, and PREP Self daily. Most recently, LCAST was updated on October 1, 2026 and PREP Self on September 22, 2026.

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