# ACLS Fast vs Pocket ICU

The clearest difference is price: Pocket ICU at Free against ACLS Fast's $3.99. Pocket ICU also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.8) and ratings volume (317 vs 4). ACLS Fast's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 9 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Pocket ICU is free to download; ACLS Fast costs $3.99 up front. Pocket ICU sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. ACLS Fast asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pocket ICU holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket ICU has 317 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of ACLS Fast's written reviews are positive against 64% of Pocket ICU's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ACLS Fast ships an update every 3 months, Pocket ICU every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ACLS Fast | Pocket ICU |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acls-fast/id654570275/reviews) | **[4.6 (317 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-icu/id999527431/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **317** |
| Positive reviews | **75.8% of reviews** | 64.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 20 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Crystal Clear Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/444062170) | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) |

## What reviewers say

### ACLS Fast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acls-fast/id654570275)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pocket ICU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-icu/id999527431)

This app offers concise critical care guidance written by attending physicians. It covers diagnosis, treatment, and management across various subspecialties, including detailed images and decision algorithms. Quickly find information, bookmark entries, and take notes for efficient ICU rounds and consultations.

**Highlights:** Concise guidance by attending physicians, Diagnosis, treatment, and management details, Subspecialty coverage, Detailed images and algorithms, Statistics and EBM overview, Pharmacological data and formulas, Full text search and bookmarking

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pocket ICU | $69.99 | one-time |
| Pocket ICU 2023 | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Quick reference material
- 👍 Well-laid out and written material
- 👍 Useful for reviewing previous cases
- 👍 Resourceful and to the point
- 👍 Good preview/summary

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 No access for duration paid
- 😞 Not user friendly/confusing
- 😞 Disappointed content (nursing school without experience)
- 😞 Bait and switch (expensive, not well thought out)
- 😞 Content is limited

**Reported bugs**

- No information loads after purchase
- Issues with download/access


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ACLS Fast free?

ACLS Fast costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pocket ICU free?

Pocket ICU is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ACLS Fast or Pocket ICU?

Pocket ICU is rated higher. ACLS Fast averages 2.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Pocket ICU averages 4.6 from 317 ratings.

### Do ACLS Fast or Pocket ICU have ads?

Neither ACLS Fast nor Pocket ICU shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ACLS Fast or Pocket ICU?

ACLS Fast ships an update every 3 months, and Pocket ICU every 9 months. Most recently, ACLS Fast was updated on October 26, 2026 and Pocket ICU on October 27, 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.*