# AO Surgery Reference vs OrthoGuidelines

The clearest difference is rating: OrthoGuidelines at 4.9 against AO Surgery Reference's 4.4. OrthoGuidelines also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 86%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

OrthoGuidelines holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 10 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of AO Surgery Reference's written reviews are positive against 100% of OrthoGuidelines's.

AO Surgery Reference ships an update every 6 months, OrthoGuidelines every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AO Surgery Reference | OrthoGuidelines |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ao-surgery-reference/id403961165/reviews) | **[4.9 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orthoguidelines/id1040658933/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 85.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 1 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AO Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/399757056) | [American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Mobile](https://appshunter.io/developer/549697931) |

## What reviewers say

### AO Surgery Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ao-surgery-reference/id403961165)

Access a comprehensive online repository of surgical knowledge for fracture management. It provides detailed guidance on diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare for numerous fracture types, supported by extensive illustrations and expert review.

**Highlights:** 353 fracture types covered, 172 surgical approaches, 1222 surgical procedures, Over 30,000 illustrations, Feline, canine, and equine fracture care, Powerful search function

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### OrthoGuidelines

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orthoguidelines/id1040658933)

Access evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and appropriate use criteria for orthopaedic diseases. Navigate recommendations by specialty, keyword, or stage of care for quick comprehension and clinical decision-making at the point of care.

**Highlights:** Clinical practice guidelines, Appropriate use criteria, Navigation by disease, specialty, keyword, Evidence-based recommendations, Point-of-care decision support, Single keyword search

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AO Surgery Reference free?

AO Surgery Reference is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is OrthoGuidelines free?

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

### Which has better reviews, AO Surgery Reference or OrthoGuidelines?

OrthoGuidelines is rated higher. AO Surgery Reference averages 4.4 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while OrthoGuidelines averages 4.9 from 10 ratings.

### Do AO Surgery Reference or OrthoGuidelines have ads?

Neither AO Surgery Reference nor OrthoGuidelines shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AO Surgery Reference or OrthoGuidelines?

AO Surgery Reference ships an update every 6 months, and OrthoGuidelines every 2 months. Most recently, AO Surgery Reference was updated on October 11, 2026 and OrthoGuidelines on September 23, 2026.

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