Comparison

EMS ALS Guide vs PHECC Field Guide App

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

Head to head
About

EMS ALS Guide

This app provides critical emergency medical information for advanced life support professionals. It offers quick navigation, search functionality, custom bookmarks, and calculators for medications, dosages, and emergency algorithms.

Highlights
  • Quick navigation to critical information
  • Custom bookmarks
  • Search capability
  • Add notes to pages
  • Interactive calculators
  • Current ACLS Algorithms
  • 12-Lead EKG interpretation
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The original EMS Field Guide® from Informed Publishing—the trusted leader in emergency reference information since 1986—now has a new version for the iPhone and iPod Touch. FEATURES * Quick navigation to critical information * Custom bookmarks let you quickly return to your favorite pages * Search capability * Add notes to a page * Calculators TOPICS INCLUDE * Current ACLS Algorithms * 12-Lead EKG Section & Acute MI * Airway Management / RSI * Top Prescription Drugs * Emergency & ACLS Drugs * IV Drips, Drug Infusions, Dosages * Poisons & Overdose / “Rave” Drugs * Medical Emergencies Section * Fibrinolytics for AMI & Stroke / CVA * Childbirth, Diabetic, Respiratory Distress * Pediatric Resuscitation, Drug Doses, Vitals * Trauma, Triage, MCI, Glasgow Coma Scales * Pulse Oximetry, Infectious Diseases * Quick EMS Spanish Translations * Lab Values, Metrics, Notes * Interactive calculators “THE ORIGINAL AND STILL THE BEST” —EMS Magazine Twenty-three years after publication, the EMS Field Guide remains the most widely-used reference in EMS history. Carried in the pockets, phones and emergency vehicles of millions of first responders, this is the guide EMS Magazine calls “the original and still the best.” The EMS Field Guide app puts critical information at your fingertips with rich content, detailed illustrations and pioneering features. This app is available in two editions— Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic & Intermediate Life Support (BLS)—designed specifically to correspond with each tier of EMT certification and practice, so you know you have the right tool for your job. The Advanced Life Support (ALS) app equips the Paramedic or EMT-P to triage and address trauma. It provides fast, easy access to vital assessment information, medications, and drug doses; quick interpretation of 12-Lead EKGs; and the latest CPR and ACLS algorithms from the American Heart Association (AHA). The ALS app is also suitable for Intermediates whose practice orders require a more detailed understanding of these topics. REVIEWS “The EMS Field Guide by Informed is probably the most popular pocket reference guide carried on ambulances across the country.” “I love your guides. I’ve been a paramedic for 25 years and your ALS guides are the best source of reliable on-scene information.” “This is a great review tool as well as a resource.” “…Highly recommended in some of my advanced cardiac life support training courses.” “One of the best things a paramedic can have. A cheat sheet for the things you may not always remember.” FOR MORE INFORMATION Informed Publishing offers a full product line of references for the medical and first response markets, as well as a consumer line for home and family emergency preparedness. Informed references are available in a variety of formats: pocket-size print guides, and now, apps for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Learn more at www.informedguides.com. SUPPORT For questions, comments, or suggestions concerning this guide, contact Informed® Publishing at apps@informedguides.com

About

PHECC Field Guide App

This medical reference app provides quick access to medication calculations and clinical guidelines for practitioners. It features an age-per-page medication listing, linked CPGs, and pregnancy notes for medications. Designed for field use, it aids in infrequent clinical encounters.

Highlights
  • Medication dose calculator
  • Age-per-page medication listing
  • Linked Clinical Practice Guidelines
  • Medications in Pregnancy notes
  • Update notifications
  • Future CPG switching
Features
Read full description

This Field Guide is not a substitute for the published Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs). It is a quick reference to help Practitioners in the field particularly with medication calculations and infrequent clinical encounters. It also gives users: • Linked CPGs for each practitioner level. • All medications in the 2017 CPGs • Dose calculator for medications • Age-Per-Page medications listing • Update notifications • Future proofing to allow switching from current to future CPGs • Medications in Pregnancy notes added to medication information This Field Guide does not authorise skills or medication administration. Practitioners should only practice within their scope of practice and in accordance with their level on the PHECC Register.

Screenshots

EMS ALS Guide4 screens
PHECC Field Guide App4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PHECC Field Guide App at Free against EMS ALS Guide's $5.99. PHECC Field Guide App also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.3). EMS ALS Guide's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 19 months) and ratings volume (43 vs 1). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

PHECC Field Guide App is free to download; EMS ALS Guide costs $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PHECC Field Guide App holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EMS ALS Guide has 43 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

EMS ALS Guide ships an update every 2 months, PHECC Field Guide App every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
EMS ALS Guide versus PHECC Field Guide App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEMS ALS GuidePHECC Field Guide App
Price$5.99Free — better
Rating2.3 (43 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews42.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings43 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 19 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#136 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS8.0 — better11.0
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperInformed PublishingPre-hospital Emergency Care Council

Customer experience

EMS ALS Guide

All ratings43 ratings
Positive32.6%
Neutral2.3%
Negative65.1%
Written reviews80 reviews
Positive42.5%
Neutral3.8%
Negative53.8%

PHECC Field Guide App

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

EMS ALS Guide

Reported bugs

37 issues
  • App is frozen and unavailable
  • Outdated and bug filled
  • Content is blank
  • Home page is black
  • Screen menu does not load
Show 32 more
  • App doesn't work
  • Black screen
  • Stuck on RSI page
  • Does not work
  • Topic screen is black
  • Blank screen 90% of the time
  • Screen goes black, requires re-download
  • Not reliable
  • Does not support landscape mode
  • App developer stopped updating
  • App not working properly
  • May not work on newer iOS
  • Needs to go away if not maintained
  • Not updated in years
  • Doesn't work
  • No content
  • Buttons don't work
  • Search button takes you to bookmarks
  • No home content screen
  • Unable to open app and go back to main screen without deleting
  • Cannot view main menu
  • Lost almost all content
  • Update eliminated 90% of content
  • Useless update
  • Blank topics screen
  • Pretty much useless now
  • Needs to be fixed
  • Junk app
  • Needs update for latest iPhones and treatments
  • Missing some drugs
  • Phone numbers no longer listed
  • Several medications taken off list

Requested features

13 requests
  • iPad version available
  • Update to reflect current guidelines
  • Update app with bug fixes
  • iPad compatibility
  • Update app
Show 8 more
  • Update app for newer iOS
  • Add ITLS
  • Add more drugs
  • Add phone numbers back
  • Add back removed medications
  • Input own protocols
  • Better organize protocol specific notes
  • Add categories to notes

PHECC Field Guide App

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

EMS ALS Guide

No in-app purchases

None

PHECC Field Guide App

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is EMS ALS Guide free?
EMS ALS Guide costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is PHECC Field Guide App free?
PHECC Field Guide App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, EMS ALS Guide or PHECC Field Guide App?
PHECC Field Guide App is rated higher. EMS ALS Guide averages 2.3 out of 5 from 43 ratings, while PHECC Field Guide App averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do EMS ALS Guide or PHECC Field Guide App have ads?
Neither EMS ALS Guide nor PHECC Field Guide App shows ads.
Which is updated more often, EMS ALS Guide or PHECC Field Guide App?
EMS ALS Guide ships an update every 2 months, and PHECC Field Guide App every 19 months. Most recently, EMS ALS Guide was updated on October 14, 2026 and PHECC Field Guide App on October 13, 2026.

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