Comparison

The Difficult Airway App vs ACLS Fast

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

Head to head
About

The Difficult Airway App

This medical app assists clinicians in managing emergency airways by providing rapid drug selection and dosing for RSI. It offers decision-making support with algorithms and mnemonics for difficult airways, along with educational resources.

Highlights
  • Adult and pediatric drug dosing for RSI
  • Obesity and hemodynamic adjustments
  • Broselow-Luten color system integration
  • Difficult airway algorithms and predictors
  • Step-by-step RSI guidance
  • Customizable drug formulary
  • Airway anatomy illustrations
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The Difficult Airway App (v.3.3) The Difficult Airway App™ is an essential tool for clinicians who manage emergency airways in any setting: the ED, ICU, in-patient unit or the many EMS practice environments. THE RIGHT DRUGS, THE RIGHT DOSES, THE RIGHT WAY! This app rapidly and easily selects the right drugs for RSI, automatically adjusting for obesity and hemodynamics. Pediatric dosing and equipment selection is a snap using the Broselow-Luten color system or the child's estimated weight. Stay out of trouble! The Difficult Airway App™ guides the user quickly and easily through important algorithms, predictors of the difficult airway, and the step-by-step approach to RSI taught in The Difficult Airway Course: Emergency™. The Difficult Airway App™ features: EASY, YET SOPHISTICATED ADULT AND PEDIATRIC DRUG DOSING • For adult dosing, a few simple clicks bring you to recommended doses that incorporate patient weight, body habitus and hemodynamics. • The pediatric drug dosing function incorporates the color-coded system created by James Broselow, MD and Robert C. Luten, MD for rapid, safe management of pediatric airway cases. • The option to customize your formulary means that only the drugs you use will appear in the recommendations. DECISION-MAKING SUPPORT • Straight-forward algorithms allow you to quickly determine the best approach to your patient’s airway. • Easy mnemonics walk you through predictors of a difficult airway, including difficult laryngoscopy (LEMON), difficult BMV (ROMAN), difficult extraglottic device use (RODS) and difficult cricothyrotomy (SMART). • Pearls of wisdom, based on evidence and expert opinion, are offered throughout. RAPID SEQUENCE INTUBATION • The 7 – Ps of RSI: a step-by-step guide for adult and pediatric patients. • Adult and pediatric RSI drug dosing. EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES • Richly detailed illustrations of the airway anatomy. • Links to information about The Difficult Airway Courses™. Created by Ron M. Walls, MD, Michael F. Murphy, MD and Robert C. Luten, MD. With significant updates by Calvin A. Brown III, MD.

About

ACLS Fast

This app provides rapid guidance for ACLS 2020 guidelines, helping users quickly determine appropriate therapies through a question-based system. It includes information on rhythms, arrhythmias, acute coronary and stroke syndromes, and features a two-minute timer for code management.

Highlights
  • Question-based therapy guidance
  • Rhythms and arrhythmias management
  • Acute coronary and stroke syndrome protocols
  • Two-minute code timer with alarm
  • Interactive multiple-choice exams
  • Rapid diagnosis and treatment support
Features
Read full description

This is the fastest utility for managing and preparing for the ACLS 2020 guidelines. Unlike other apps that present algorithm sheets, this smart utility guides you to the pertinent therapy by asking one to two questions. ACLS Fast gives you all the rhythms and arrhythmias along with the specific treatments. You also have acute coronary and stroke syndrome management. In addition, there is a two minute timer to assist you with time management during a code. Now you don't have to second guess when two minutes pass and it is time to recheck vitals and shock. Every two minutes a loud alarm activates. The timer is resettable. Need to start inotropes, but you can't remember the right ones? This app has it and it is fast! Finally, you can take an interactive exam. There are many multiple-choice questions from which you can choose. Use this to test your knowledge or sharpen your ability to take care of patients. You can use the app in the field and hospital for rapid diagnosis and treatment. You can also use it as a quick, comprehensive study tool. Either way, nothing is this fast or simple. Also, check out PALS Fast for pediatrics.

Screenshots

The Difficult Airway App4 screens
ACLS Fast4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ACLS Fast at 76% against The Difficult Airway App's 31%. ACLS Fast also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 10 months) and price ($3.99 vs $4.99). The Difficult Airway App's advantage is rating (4.1 vs 2.8) and chart position (#60 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

The Difficult Airway App costs $4.99 and ACLS Fast $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

The Difficult Airway App holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Difficult Airway App has 22 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 31% of The Difficult Airway App's written reviews are positive against 76% of ACLS Fast's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Difficult Airway App ships an update every 10 months, ACLS Fast every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
The Difficult Airway App versus ACLS Fast: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe Difficult Airway AppACLS Fast
Price$4.99$3.99 — better
Rating4.1 (22 ratings) — better2.8 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews31.3% of reviews75.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings22 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#60 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size62 MB20 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperAirway Management Education CenterCrystal Clear Solutions

Customer experience

The Difficult Airway App

All ratings22 ratings
Positive77.3%
Neutral9.1%
Negative13.6%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive31.3%
Neutral31.3%
Negative37.5%

ACLS Fast

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive75.8%
Neutral3.0%
Negative21.2%

In-app purchases

None

The Difficult Airway App

No in-app purchases

None

ACLS Fast

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is The Difficult Airway App free?
The Difficult Airway App costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ACLS Fast free?
ACLS Fast costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, The Difficult Airway App or ACLS Fast?
The Difficult Airway App is rated higher. The Difficult Airway App averages 4.1 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while ACLS Fast averages 2.8 from 4 ratings.
Do The Difficult Airway App or ACLS Fast have ads?
Neither The Difficult Airway App nor ACLS Fast shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Difficult Airway App or ACLS Fast?
The Difficult Airway App ships an update every 10 months, and ACLS Fast every 3 months. Most recently, The Difficult Airway App was updated on November 10, 2026 and ACLS Fast on November 11, 2026.

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