# AO Surgery Reference vs The Arthrex Surgeon App

The clearest difference is rating: The Arthrex Surgeon App at 4.8 against AO Surgery Reference's 4.4. The Arthrex Surgeon App also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months). AO Surgery Reference's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

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

The Arthrex Surgeon App holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 29 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 86% and 86% positive.

AO Surgery Reference ships an update every 6 months, The Arthrex Surgeon App monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AO Surgery Reference | The Arthrex Surgeon App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ao-surgery-reference/id403961165/reviews) | **[4.8 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-arthrex-surgeon-app/id830821565/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **29** |
| Positive reviews | **85.8% of reviews** | 85.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 1 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [AO Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/399757056) | [Arthrex](https://appshunter.io/developer/544039678) |

## 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


### The Arthrex Surgeon App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-arthrex-surgeon-app/id830821565)

Access a comprehensive digital library of orthopedic knowledge and surgical resources on your mobile device. Stream HD technique videos and browse extensive content offline, organized logically for quick discovery.

**Highlights:** HD surgical technique videos, Extensive digital orthopedic knowledge library, Offline content access, Optimized for iPad and iPhone, Intuitive filtering and organization, Cloud video streaming

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**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 The Arthrex Surgeon App free?

The Arthrex Surgeon App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, AO Surgery Reference or The Arthrex Surgeon App?

The Arthrex Surgeon App is rated higher. AO Surgery Reference averages 4.4 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while The Arthrex Surgeon App averages 4.8 from 29 ratings.

### Do AO Surgery Reference or The Arthrex Surgeon App have ads?

Neither AO Surgery Reference nor The Arthrex Surgeon App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AO Surgery Reference or The Arthrex Surgeon App?

AO Surgery Reference ships an update every 6 months, and The Arthrex Surgeon App monthly. Most recently, AO Surgery Reference was updated on September 24, 2026 and The Arthrex Surgeon App on September 29, 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.*