# EMS Guidebook vs Houston Fire

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Houston Fire at none against EMS Guidebook's 7. EMS Guidebook's advantage is review sentiment (33% vs 0%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. EMS Guidebook sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Houston Fire asks for nothing beyond the download.

EMS Guidebook holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EMS Guidebook has 90 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of EMS Guidebook's written reviews are positive against 0% of Houston Fire's.

EMS Guidebook ships an update every 6 months, Houston Fire every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | EMS Guidebook | Houston Fire |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (90 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ems-guidebook/id527102213/reviews)** | [4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/houston-fire-ems-protocols/id879910135/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **90** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **33.3% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 3 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Larry Owens](https://appshunter.io/developer/496138296) | [Acid Remap LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/323130617) |

## What reviewers say

### EMS Guidebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ems-guidebook/id527102213)

This app provides a digital reference for emergency medical service protocols, replacing traditional physical guidebooks. It includes essential medical charts, guidelines, and rhythm examples, with agency-specific protocols accessible via password.

**Highlights:** Digital EMS agency protocols, Replacement for physical guidebooks, Pediatric vital signs charts, Burn and c-spine clearance guides, Cardiac rhythm examples, AHA guidelines

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2009 Utah EMS for Children Off-Line Protocols | $1.99 | one-time |
| District 2B Protocols | $2.99 | one-time |
| 2009 West Virginia EMT Basic Protocols | $3.99 | one-time |
| 2012 North Carolina EMS Protocols | $4.99 | one-time |
| 2009 North Carolina EMS Protocols | $4.99 | one-time |
| 2010 Hawaii EMS Standing Orders | $4.99 | one-time |
| 2011-2013 St John New Zealand Protocols | $4.99 | one-time |


### Houston Fire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/houston-fire-ems-protocols/id879910135)

Access Houston Fire Department's EMS protocols and supporting materials offline. Features quick indexed lookup, search functionality, and customizable notes. Stay updated with the latest protocols directly on your device.

**Highlights:** Offline protocol access, Indexed lookup, Search titles and text, Favorites tab, Customizable hospital contacts, Customizable notes

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is EMS Guidebook free?

EMS Guidebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Houston Fire free?

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

### Which has better reviews, EMS Guidebook or Houston Fire?

EMS Guidebook is rated higher. EMS Guidebook averages 4.8 out of 5 from 90 ratings, while Houston Fire averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do EMS Guidebook or Houston Fire have ads?

Neither EMS Guidebook nor Houston Fire shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, EMS Guidebook or Houston Fire?

EMS Guidebook ships an update every 6 months, and Houston Fire every 5 months. Most recently, EMS Guidebook was updated on September 10, 2026 and Houston Fire on September 15, 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.*