Comparison

CMC Field Guide vs SHO

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

CMC Field Guide

Access rope rescue and access diagrams, reference charts, and how-to information instantly in the field. This free app provides essential rescue references, allows for note-taking, and supports offline access to downloaded content.

Highlights
  • Rope rescue and access diagrams
  • Reference charts
  • How-to information
  • Bookmark and take notes
  • Offline access to downloads
  • Browse equipment and tutorials
Features
Read full description

This free App allows quick access to rope rescue and access diagrams, reference charts, how-to information, and rescue references, all from the palm of your hand while out in the field. It's packed with reference charts, diagrams, and how-to information. With the CMC Field Guide App you can: Access rescue references instantly Bookmark and take notes on your favorite sections Download videos, guides, and manuals for offline use Browse equipment and information, tutorials, and product user manuals **Note** Updating this App will give you access to all of the functionality built into the most recent version of the App. Your saved information including Notes, References, and Attachments, will be carried through into the updated version.

About

SHO

This app assists firefighters in calculating water flow rates, pump discharge pressures, and nozzle reactions. It can be used with a Bluetooth flow meter or as a standalone calculator with established fire flow formulas. Educational videos on water flow are also included.

Highlights
  • Calculate fire hose flow rates
  • Determine pump discharge pressures
  • Calculate nozzle reaction
  • Perform NFPA 1962 nozzle flow tests
  • Standalone water flow calculator
  • Water flow education videos
Features
Read full description

The SHO-FLOW app is a dual featured application that can be used with or without a TFT SHO-FLOW® Bluetooth® flow meter. When used in conjunction with a SHO-FLOW, users can determine actual flow rates for fire hose lines and nozzles as well as calculate true Pump Discharge Pressures (PDP), Nozzle Reaction, and Hose Friction. In addition an NFPA 1962 nozzle flow test can be performed. As a stand-alone water flow calculator, many of these functions can be performed using established fire flow formulas. The app also includes water flow education videos and recommendations for target fire flows when using water or foam. The TFT SHO-FLOW flow meter is designed to quickly determine flow rates present in a fire hose line and wirelessly transmit the rate to a nearby smart device. Any firefighting, training, or testing operation that utilizes hose lines or nozzles is a potential application. Please read the manual before operation. The Bluetooth word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Task Force Tips, LLC is under license.

Screenshots

CMC Field Guide3 screens
SHO4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CMC Field Guide at 78% against SHO's 0%. SHO's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 4.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SHO holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24 and 12 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 78% of CMC Field Guide's written reviews are positive against 0% of SHO's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CMC Field Guide ships an update every 3 months, SHO every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
CMC Field Guide versus SHO: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCMC Field GuideSHO
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (24 ratings)4.2 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews77.8% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings24 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.114.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB145 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCMC Rescue, Inc.Task Force Tips

Customer experience

CMC Field Guide

All ratings24 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral20.8%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews63 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral3.2%
Negative19.0%

SHO

All ratings12 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

CMC Field Guide

Reported bugs

15 issues
  • App crashes before it opens
  • Unable to go beyond the first page
  • Unable to access after updating
  • App crashed twice
  • Some links in the app don't work
Show 10 more
  • Multiple glitches where pages cannot be opened
  • Cannot open the app after update
  • New upgrade crashes on opening items
  • Could not find page all the time
  • App doesn't open
  • Half the tabs disappear
  • Barely works (can rarely get into any of the pages)
  • Add-on pop up when viewing PDF
  • Poor display quality - not useful for reading
  • Only M/A illustration shown is 1:1 after update

Requested features

2 requests
  • Enable landscape mode
  • Update with latest techniques

SHO

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

CMC Field Guide

No in-app purchases

None

SHO

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CMC Field Guide free?
CMC Field Guide is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SHO free?
SHO is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, CMC Field Guide or SHO?
SHO is rated higher. CMC Field Guide averages 4.0 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while SHO averages 4.2 from 12 ratings.
Do CMC Field Guide or SHO have ads?
Neither CMC Field Guide nor SHO shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CMC Field Guide or SHO?
CMC Field Guide ships an update every 3 months, and SHO every 2 months. Most recently, CMC Field Guide was updated on October 16, 2026 and SHO on September 27, 2026.

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