Comparison

Army IDES vs VA Ready

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

Head to head
About

Army IDES

Features
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*** This has been branded as an official U.S. Army app *** The Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) is a joint DoD and VA disability evaluation process. Under this system, VA helps DoD determine if wounded, ill, or injured Service members are fit for continued Military service and provide disability benefits to Service members and Veterans, if appropriate. IDES allows VA and DoD to share information and to complete each agency’s respective process simultaneously, without the need for duplicative exams and ratings This app answers FAQs and offers important resource information to Soldiers guiding them through the Disability Evaluation System process.

About

VA Ready

This tool helps veterans understand their potential disability ratings and navigate the claims process. It calculates combined ratings using VA math, provides access to accredited representatives, and offers research to support claims. Features include exposure calculators and detailed filing guides.

Highlights
  • Disability rating calculation with VA math
  • Find accredited VSOs by location
  • Access 2,300+ medical studies for claims
  • Exposure calculator for PACT Act and more
  • Detailed filing guides for conditions
  • Symptom logging and PDF export
Features
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VA Ready is the place to keep your whole VA disability claim, from first record to final decision. Built by a veteran, for veterans and service members still in uniform. KNOW YOUR RATING See your combined rating with real VA math, including the bilateral factor, and your estimated monthly pay. Each of 765 conditions carries its full 38 CFR rating criteria, so you know what the examiner measures. TDIU and SMC calculators show what each would change. KEEP YOUR CLAIM IN ONE PLACE Scan, photograph or import every document into your Claim File. Each gets a label matching the VA's document types, a date and the condition it supports, and your evidence checklist ticks itself. Files saved to the VA Ready Documents folder import on their own. On Mac, drag and drop. READY FOR VA One tap builds a dated folder for each condition: your records, signed buddy statements, symptom logs and an optional claim journal. Every file is named with the document type to pick on VA.gov, plus an upload checklist. SEND IT TO THE RIGHT PERSON The Export Center makes one clean PDF for your VSO, your C&P examiner, a doctor writing a nexus letter, or yourself. Cover page and index included. GET READY FOR YOUR C&P EXAM A C&P/DBQ Guideline for each condition, an exam questionnaire you answer in your own words, and peer-reviewed studies mapped to your diagnostic codes, all exportable to PDF. TRACK IT OVER TIME A daily Symptom Tracker builds the frequency and severity record examiners look for. The Claim Journal keeps a dated timeline of every call, letter and decision. FIND WHAT YOU MAY BE MISSING Claim Intel shows the conditions commonly claimed for your MOS, AFSC or rating, plus PACT Act presumptives from the bases you served at and the aircraft you worked on. Secondary conditions commonly granted alongside yours are suggested for each claim. SEE WHAT IT WOULD TAKE What-If shows the claims your profile points to and the rating each would need to reach your next combined level. NEVER MISS A VA DATE One Upcoming list for your Intent to File expiration, VA evidence requests, decision review windows, C&P exams and VSO visits. Reminders never show your condition on the lock screen unless you choose. Print the schedule for the fridge. STILL SERVING A runway built around your separation date, a BDD screener, and a Reserve and Guard duty-status check. FIND FREE HELP Search 8,949 accredited VSO offices, read ratings from other veterans, track visits, and hand your rep a VSO Packet. BUDDY STATEMENTS DONE RIGHT A how-to guide, five templates and examples modeled on statements the Board of Veterans' Appeals credited. Export to PDF or Word. BENEFITS AND BACK PAY Federal and state benefits at your rating, the pay rate chart, and a back pay estimate from your effective date. Guides cover appeals, proposed reductions, protected ratings and more. WHAT IS INSIDE 765 conditions with full 38 CFR criteria. 2,403 peer-reviewed studies. 1,098 military job codes. 8,949 VSO offices. 827 bases and 148 aircraft mapped for exposure. 56 toxic exposures. 644 state benefit entries. 60 filing guides. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account. Your claim stays on your device, backed up to your own iCloud Drive or files, documents included. iPhone, iPad and Mac. FREE No login. Your combined rating, the Claim File, the free share pages and Texas state benefits. PRO Full rating criteria, all 50 states, Claim Intel, and sharing or exporting your documents and packets. $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year, auto-renewing. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at purchase and renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel in Apple settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.vareadyapp.com/privacy.html VA Ready is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Estimates are not VA decisions.

Screenshots

Army IDES4 screens
VA Ready4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Army IDES at none against VA Ready's 3. Army IDES also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). VA Ready's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 10 months) and chart position (#186 vs unranked). On price, ads and device support 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. VA Ready sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Army IDES asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Army IDES ships an update every 10 months, VA Ready weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Army IDES versus VA Ready: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArmy IDESVA Ready
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.8 (701 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—76.9% of reviews
Number of ratings—701 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
Best chart rank—#186 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB17 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperTRADOC MobileJDL Software LLC

In-app purchases

None

Army IDES

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

VA Ready

Subscriptions2
  • VA Ready Pro$4.991 Month
  • VA Ready Pro Annual$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$59.99

Questions

Is Army IDES free?
Army IDES is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is VA Ready free?
VA Ready is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Army IDES or VA Ready have ads?
Neither Army IDES nor VA Ready shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Army IDES or VA Ready?
Army IDES ships an update every 10 months, and VA Ready weekly. Most recently, Army IDES was updated on October 4, 2026 and VA Ready on October 14, 2026.

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