# Firefighter Pocketbook vs IFSTA Essentials 8

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Firefighter Pocketbook at 88% against IFSTA Essentials 8's 10%. Firefighter Pocketbook also leads on rating (4.4 vs 2.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). IFSTA Essentials 8's advantage is price (Free vs $4.99) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 25 months). On ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

IFSTA Essentials 8 is free to download; Firefighter Pocketbook costs $4.99 up front. IFSTA Essentials 8 sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Firefighter Pocketbook asks for nothing beyond the download.

Firefighter Pocketbook holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 36 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Firefighter Pocketbook's written reviews are positive against 10% of IFSTA Essentials 8's.

Firefighter Pocketbook ships an update every 25 months, IFSTA Essentials 8 every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Firefighter Pocketbook | IFSTA Essentials 8 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.4 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firefighter-pocketbook/id483659354/reviews)** | [2.7 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifsta-essentials-8/id6654913928/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **36** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | **88.2% of reviews** | 10.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#177** | — |
| Size | 9 MB | 224 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Code 3 Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/427516925) | [International Fire Service Training Association](https://appshunter.io/developer/495289396) |

## What reviewers say

### Firefighter Pocketbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firefighter-pocketbook/id483659354)

**Currently charting:** #177 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

This comprehensive training tool offers firefighters practice quizzes, flashcards, and scene checklists. It covers medical, firefighting, and technical rescue scenarios, along with reference terms and skill sheets. Designed for both students and experienced professionals to stay current.

**Highlights:** Practice quizzes and exam questions, 700 review flashcards, Scene checklists for Medical, Firefighting, Technical Rescue, Reference terms and skill sheets, Bookmarking for difficult questions/flashcards, Explanations for learning

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### IFSTA Essentials 8

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifsta-essentials-8/id6654913928)

This educational app provides comprehensive study materials for aspiring firefighters based on the Essentials of Fire Fighting, 8th Edition manual. It offers exam preparation, interactive modules, flashcards, and skill videos to enhance learning and test knowledge.

**Highlights:** Exam Prep with 1,271 validated questions, Audiobook with offline access, Interactive learning modules, Flashcards for key terms, Tool and equipment identification, Skill videos for hands-on preparation

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all Exam Prep Chapters | $19.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all Interactive | $25.00 | one-time |
| Unlock all Audiobook Chapters | $34.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Firefighter Pocketbook free?

Firefighter Pocketbook costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is IFSTA Essentials 8 free?

IFSTA Essentials 8 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Firefighter Pocketbook or IFSTA Essentials 8?

Firefighter Pocketbook is rated higher. Firefighter Pocketbook averages 4.4 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while IFSTA Essentials 8 averages 2.7 from 27 ratings.

### Do Firefighter Pocketbook or IFSTA Essentials 8 have ads?

Neither Firefighter Pocketbook nor IFSTA Essentials 8 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Firefighter Pocketbook or IFSTA Essentials 8?

Firefighter Pocketbook ships an update every 25 months, and IFSTA Essentials 8 every 6 weeks. Most recently, Firefighter Pocketbook was updated on October 30, 2026 and IFSTA Essentials 8 on October 24, 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.*