Army Ranger Handbook vs Basic Leader Course
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Army Ranger Handbook
Access the latest techniques and tactics used by U.S. Army Rangers for various missions. This comprehensive guide covers everything from leadership and operations to specialized skills like demolitions, stealth, and survival.
- Latest Ranger techniques and tactics
- Covers deception, stealth, and communications
- Escape and evasion strategies
- Ambush operations and booby traps
- Demolitions and perimeter defense
- Counterintelligence and specialized operations
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The ultimate resource for anyone who wants to know how Rangers think and work. Army Rangers specialize in airborne assault, raids, recovery of personnel and equipment, and airfield seizure, among other difficult and dangerous missions. The U.S. Army Ranger Handbook app offers the latest techniques and tactics used everyday by Rangers. Now with the latest April 2017 manual and full support for retina displays, this app covers deception, stealth, communications, escape and evasion, ambush operations, booby traps, demolitions perimeter defense, counterintelligence, and much more. This manual was designed so Rangers could easily carry it into the field. Chapters include: + Leadership + Operations + Fire Support + Communications + Demolitions + Movement + Patrols + Battle Drills + Military Mountaineering + Machine Gun Employment + Urban Operations + Waterborne Operations + Mounted Patrol Operations + Aviation + First Aid Learn from the best soldiers in the world.
Basic Leader Course
This app provides essential guidance and tools for the Army's Basic Leader Course. It offers intelligent conversation prompts for discussions and a secure journal for note-taking and tracking progress. Prepare effectively for BLC with this comprehensive resource.
- Intelligent conversation prompts
- Secure journaling system
- Course map and standards reference
- Preps and tips for BLC
- Links to official Army sites
- Required reading material
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The Basic Leader Course Guide - completely rebuilt for 2025 - is your essential companion for BLC success. Whether you're a student preparing for the course or currently attending, or prepping one of your Joes to go, this app delivers course content and two killer tools: • Smart Things To Say - Get intelligent conversation prompts and discussion points for every BLC module. Never get stuck in mandatory discussions again! From Group Dynamics to Mission Orders, we provide quick insights that help you meaningfully contribute to class discussions. • Journal & Notes Tool - Capture your thoughts, record key takeaways, and organize your class notes in one secure place. Track your development throughout the course with our easy-to-use journaling system. The New School Army project has supported Army leaders since 2011. Originally launched as the Warrior Leader Course Guide, we've evolved alongside Army training to deliver practical tools that matter. Our 2025 rebuild brings a modernized interface and features while maintaining our core mission: strengthening the profession of arms through accessible training resources. Features: - Course Map - Preps & Tips - Standards reference for all BLC modules - Smart discussion prompts for every lesson - Secure journaling system - Required reading material - Links to official sites
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Army Ranger Handbook at 94% against Basic Leader Course's 33%. Army Ranger Handbook also leads on chart position (#83 vs unranked). Basic Leader Course's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 15 months) and price ($0.99 vs $1.99). 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
Army Ranger Handbook costs $1.99 and Basic Leader Course $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Army Ranger Handbook ships an update every 15 months, Basic Leader Course every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Army Ranger Handbook | Basic Leader Course |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | $0.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (651 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 94.1% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 651 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #83 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 138 MB | 40 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Calculated Industries | Polemics Applications LLC |
Customer experience
Army Ranger Handbook
Basic Leader Course
Bugs and requests
Army Ranger Handbook
Reported bugs
4 issues- Antenna length calculator formula incorrect (should specify megahertz)
- Wrong image in machine gun emplacement section (M14 sniper rifle under M249 heading)
- Battle drill numbering mislabeled (Battle Drill 1 listed as react to contact instead of platoon attack)
- Discrepancies between app content and official ranger handbook
Requested features
10 requests- Video demonstrations of tactics and movements
- Interactive quizzes and knowledge checks
- Map utilities: notes, custom landmarks, waypoints
- Hyperlinks for acronym and abbreviation definitions
- Previous page/back button for navigation
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- PT log functionality
- Voice recorder for recitations and cadences
- Memory and practice tools for hand signals
- More visual aids and slides
- iBook version with enhanced formatting
Basic Leader Course
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Army Ranger Handbook
No in-app purchases
Basic Leader Course
No in-app purchases
