# LabRef vs Critical Care Vault

The clearest difference is review sentiment: LabRef at 100% against Critical Care Vault's 67%. LabRef also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Critical Care Vault's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

LabRef holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25 and 13 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of LabRef's written reviews are positive against 67% of Critical Care Vault's.

LabRef ships an update every 5 weeks, Critical Care Vault every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LabRef | Critical Care Vault |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/labref/id6751020319/reviews)** | [4.8 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/critical-care-vault/id6763825778/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **25** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 16 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Rishi Kumar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434016052) | [Josue Edmond](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895510889) |

## What reviewers say

### LabRef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/labref/id6751020319)

This medical reference app provides concise interpretations and reference ranges for common laboratory values across various disciplines. It's designed for quick access at the bedside, aiding in clinical decision-making. The app is for educational and informational purposes only.

**Highlights:** Interprets common laboratory values, Covers hematology, nephrology, critical care, and perioperative medicine, Provides concise interpretations, Includes reference ranges, Clean, intuitive interface, Optimized for bedside use

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Critical Care Vault

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/critical-care-vault/id6763825778)

This app offers interactive training and a bedside reference for critical care professionals. It features a question bank, simulations, and trainers for reasoning practice, alongside quick access to clinical tools, protocols, and medication information.

**Highlights:** Interactive clinical question bank, Bedside case simulations, Hemodynamics and EKG trainers, Study modules with progress tracking, ICU calculators and scores, Protocol and device quick reference, Offline-first functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LabRef free?

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

### Is Critical Care Vault free?

Critical Care Vault is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, LabRef or Critical Care Vault?

LabRef is rated higher. LabRef averages 5.0 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while Critical Care Vault averages 4.8 from 13 ratings.

### Do LabRef or Critical Care Vault have ads?

Neither LabRef nor Critical Care Vault shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LabRef or Critical Care Vault?

LabRef ships an update every 5 weeks, and Critical Care Vault every 4 days. Most recently, LabRef was updated on November 5, 2026 and Critical Care Vault on October 31, 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.*