Periop Pacemaker vs VentRef
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
VentRef
A clinical reference tool for healthcare professionals managing mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy. It provides information grounded in respiratory physiology and evidence-based critical care.
- Mechanical ventilation reference
- Oxygen therapy reference
- Respiratory physiology
- Evidence-based critical care
- Clinical decision support
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VentRef is a focused clinical reference for clinicians managing invasive and noninvasive mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy, grounded in core respiratory physiology and evidence-based critical care practice. This application is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Calculations and reference values are derived from published peer-reviewed medical literature and textbooks cited in the Sources section of the app. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional with any questions regarding medical conditions or clinical decisions, and do not disregard or delay seeking professional advice because of information provided by this app. About Rishi Kumar, MD, FACC ("RK.MD") I'm an adult cardiothoracic anesthesiologist and cardiovascular ICU intensivist practicing in academic medicine. I'm passionate about teaching with free, open-access medical education. Learn more on my site: https://rk.md
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: VentRef at none against Periop Pacemaker's 2. VentRef also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (42 vs 8). Periop Pacemaker's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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
Both are free to download. Periop Pacemaker sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per year. VentRef asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Periop Pacemaker against 5.0 for VentRef. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VentRef has 42 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Periop Pacemaker ships an update every 2 months, VentRef every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Periop Pacemaker | VentRef |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (8 ratings) | 5.0 (42 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 42 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Rhythm Management, LLC | Rishi Kumar |
Customer experience
Periop Pacemaker
VentRef
In-app purchases
Periop Pacemaker
- PERIOP PACEMAKER ANNUAL FEE1 Month trial$2.991 Year
- Periop Pacemaker$7.99
VentRef
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Periop Pacemaker free?
Is VentRef free?
Which has better reviews, Periop Pacemaker or VentRef?
Do Periop Pacemaker or VentRef have ads?
Which is updated more often, Periop Pacemaker or VentRef?
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