EMS ALS Guide vs EMS Guidebook
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Quick navigation to critical information
- Custom bookmarks
- Search capability
- Add notes to pages
- Interactive calculators
- Current ACLS Algorithms
- 12-Lead EKG interpretation
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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
EMS Guidebook
This app provides a digital reference for emergency medical service protocols, replacing traditional physical guidebooks. It includes essential medical charts, guidelines, and rhythm examples, with agency-specific protocols accessible via password.
- Digital EMS agency protocols
- Replacement for physical guidebooks
- Pediatric vital signs charts
- Burn and c-spine clearance guides
- Cardiac rhythm examples
- AHA guidelines
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EMS Guidebook allows the user to view the medical protocols of specific EMS agencies. This guidebook is meant to be a replacement of the traditional flip book guides that EMTs and Paramedics carry for reference on emergency calls. The specific agencies protocols require passwords to download. Those passwords are available from the agency's Training Officer. The Generic Protocols are available without a password. As part of the base program, each set of protocols contain references such as pediatric vital signs, burn references, c-spine clearance charts, 12-lead guidelines, American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines, START and JumpSTART triage guides. There are also guides to several common cardiac rhythms with examples. If you wish to have your protocols put into this system contact us through the app
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: EMS Guidebook at Free against EMS ALS Guide's $5.99. EMS Guidebook also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.3). EMS ALS Guide's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months). On ratings volume, ads 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
EMS Guidebook is free to download; EMS ALS Guide costs $5.99 up front. EMS Guidebook sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. EMS ALS Guide asks for nothing beyond the download.
EMS Guidebook holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 43 and 90 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 43% of EMS ALS Guide's written reviews are positive against 33% of EMS Guidebook's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
EMS ALS Guide ships an update every 2 months, EMS Guidebook every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | EMS ALS Guide | EMS Guidebook |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 2.3 (43 ratings) | 4.8 (90 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 42.5% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 43 | 90 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | #188 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 39 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Informed Publishing | Larry Owens |
Customer experience
EMS ALS Guide
EMS Guidebook
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 moreShow fewer
- 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
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- 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
EMS Guidebook
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
EMS ALS Guide
No in-app purchases
EMS Guidebook
- 2009 Utah EMS for Children Off-Line Protocols$1.99
- District 2B Protocols$2.99
- 2009 West Virginia EMT Basic Protocols$3.99
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- 2012 North Carolina EMS Protocols$4.99
- 2009 North Carolina EMS Protocols$4.99
- 2010 Hawaii EMS Standing Orders$4.99
- 2011-2013 St John New Zealand Protocols$4.99
Questions
Is EMS ALS Guide free?
Is EMS Guidebook free?
Which has better reviews, EMS ALS Guide or EMS Guidebook?
Do EMS ALS Guide or EMS Guidebook have ads?
Which is updated more often, EMS ALS Guide or EMS Guidebook?
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