# AHS EMS vs Dispensaries

AHS EMS and Dispensaries both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Dispensaries's written reviews are positive against 34% of AHS EMS's. AHS EMS's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for AHS EMS against 5.0 for Dispensaries. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 34% of AHS EMS's written reviews are positive against 100% of Dispensaries's.

AHS EMS ships an update every 11 months, Dispensaries every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AHS EMS | Dispensaries |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ahs-ems/id413312484/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dispensaries/id1509311124/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 34.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 10 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 28 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [The Essential Talk Network Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/357541284) | [Dispensaries (1991) Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1509311123) |

## What reviewers say

### AHS EMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ahs-ems/id413312484)

Access essential Alberta Health Services Medical Control Protocols for pre-hospital emergency medical providers. Includes adult and pediatric algorithms, reference materials, and pharmacology information.

**Highlights:** Alberta Health Services Protocols, Medical Control, Medical First Response, Incident Response, Adult and pediatric algorithms, Reference material, Pharmacology information

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great source of MCPs
- 👍 Good pharmacology info
- 👍 Useful for pre-hospital care understanding
- 👍 Handy reference tool
- 👍 Easy to navigate (older versions)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Does not work offline
- 🐛 Requires constant updates
- 🐛 Updates freeze or fail
- 🐛 Protocols not found
- 🐛 Glitchy on iOS

**Reported bugs**

- Does not allow access if phone does not have reception
- Protocols just come up as “not found.”
- Very glitchy on IOS, requires multiple restarts to return to the main menu. Menu bars disappear once zoomed in or scrolled and don’t always reappear.
- Formatting of some protocol/med pages are warped as if an image has been inserted into the page but incorrectly sized.
- Updates will not download to be able to get in

**Requested features**

- Allow offline access to downloaded content
- Improve iPad optimization for landscape mode
- Fix update download issues
- Ensure protocols are not randomized after updates
- Improve formatting for readability and protocol switching


### Dispensaries

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dispensaries/id1509311124)

Manage your prescriptions with ease, find nearby locations, and contact your pharmacy. Refill prescriptions conveniently and access health resources.

**Highlights:** Prescription management, Find nearest locations, Get directions and hours, Contact pharmacy, Refill prescriptions, OTC dosing resources, Device technique videos

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AHS EMS free?

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

### Is Dispensaries free?

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

### Which has better reviews, AHS EMS or Dispensaries?

AHS EMS and Dispensaries are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do AHS EMS or Dispensaries have ads?

Neither AHS EMS nor Dispensaries shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AHS EMS or Dispensaries?

AHS EMS ships an update every 11 months, and Dispensaries every 10 months. Most recently, AHS EMS was updated on November 6, 2026 and Dispensaries on November 3, 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.*