Comparison

Periop Pacemaker vs EBMRef

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

Head to head
About

Periop Pacemaker

This app provides medical professionals with a decision algorithm for managing surgical patients with implantable defibrillators or pacemakers. It is based on guidelines endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society and updated annually by an expert committee.

Highlights
  • Decision algorithm for pacemaker/defibrillator management
  • Endorsed by Heart Rhythm Society
  • Based on ASA Perioperative Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Management Aid
  • Annual expert committee updates
  • Designed for medical professionals
Features
Read full description

Periop Pacemaker is a smartphone app that assists medical professionals who take care of surgical patients that have implantable defibrillators or pacemakers. The decision algorithm is endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society and is based on the American Society of Anesthesiologists Perioperative Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Management Aid. As device technology evolves, an expert committee of anesthesiologists, cardiologists, and device representatives will meet annually to keep information up-to-date. Disclaimer: ASA Pacemaker is designed for use by medical professionals only. Accessing the app content requires either a one-time payment of $7.99 USD or an annual subscription payment of $2.99 USD. A 30-day free trial is available under the annual subscription plan.

About

EBMRef

Access summaries of landmark medical research across specialties. Quickly find key trial details like interventions, outcomes, and clinical relevance for bedside reference. Intended for educational use, it's a supplement to, not a replacement for, professional medical advice.

Highlights
  • Landmark research summaries
  • Organized by medical specialty
  • Key trial details (name, year, interventions, outcomes)
  • Clinical relevance distilled
  • Quick bedside access
  • Educational and informational
Features
Read full description

EBMRef is a comprehensive evidence-based medicine reference for physicians, nurses, advanced practice clinicians, medical students, and other healthcare learners. Review landmark clinical trials, explore concise evidence summaries, learn essential EBM terminology, and quickly find the details that matter for clinical interpretation all in one focused reference. FEATURES • Hundreds of landmark clinical trials across medical and surgical specialties • Concise key takeaways and clinically relevant major findings • Detailed study design, population, interventions, outcomes, and limitations • Browse and filter trials by specialty, publication year, study type, and open-access status • Searchable library of evidence-based medicine terminology and concepts • Direct PubMed links for source verification • Related articles and random trial discovery • Favorites, global search, recent searches, and personal notes EBMRef connects foundational evidence-based medicine concepts with practical clinical research appraisal. Whether you are reviewing a landmark trial, comparing evidence across specialties, or checking study methods and limitations, the app makes relevant information easy to find. Created by Rishi Kumar, MD, FACC (“RK.MD”), an academic adult cardiothoracic anesthesiologist and cardiovascular ICU intensivist committed to free, open-access medical education. Learn more at https://rk.md EBMRef is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not provide medical advice and is not a substitute for professional judgment, diagnosis, or treatment. Clinical findings and calculations must be independently verified and interpreted in the context of the individual patient. Seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition. Do not disregard or delay professional medical advice because of information provided by this app.

Screenshots

Periop Pacemaker4 screens
EBMRef4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: EBMRef at none against Periop Pacemaker's 2. EBMRef also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Periop Pacemaker's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. Periop Pacemaker sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per year. EBMRef asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Periop Pacemaker against 5.0 for EBMRef. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 22 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Periop Pacemaker ships an update every 2 months, EBMRef every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Periop Pacemaker versus EBMRef: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPeriop PacemakerEBMRef
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (9 ratings)5.0 (22 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings922 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size43 MB8 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperRhythm Management, LLCRishi Kumar

Customer experience

Periop Pacemaker

All ratings9 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

EBMRef

All ratings22 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Periop Pacemaker

Subscriptions1
  • PERIOP PACEMAKER ANNUAL FEE1 Month trial$2.991 Year
One-time1
  • Periop Pacemaker$7.99
None

EBMRef

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Periop Pacemaker free?
Periop Pacemaker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is EBMRef free?
EBMRef is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Periop Pacemaker or EBMRef?
EBMRef is rated higher. Periop Pacemaker averages 4.9 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while EBMRef averages 5.0 from 22 ratings.
Do Periop Pacemaker or EBMRef have ads?
Neither Periop Pacemaker nor EBMRef shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Periop Pacemaker or EBMRef?
Periop Pacemaker ships an update every 2 months, and EBMRef every 3 weeks. Most recently, Periop Pacemaker was updated on November 12, 2026 and EBMRef on November 5, 2026.

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