Comparison

VentRef vs Respiratory Tactician

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Mechanical ventilation reference
  • Oxygen therapy reference
  • Respiratory physiology
  • Evidence-based critical care
  • Clinical decision support
Features
Read full description

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

About

Respiratory Tactician

A rapid, offline reference tool for respiratory therapists and critical care clinicians. It offers numerous calculators, a guide to ventilator modes, and an AI-powered blood gas interpreter to aid in patient assessment and management.

Highlights
  • Extensive medical calculators
  • Ventilator modes reference
  • AI-powered ABG interpreter
  • Offline functionality
  • Favorites and history tracking
  • Unit conversion
Features
Read full description

Respiratory Tactician is a field manual built for respiratory therapists, students, and clinicians who need fast, focused respiratory calculations and references. CALCULATORS AND REFERENCES Use practical tools for oxygenation, ventilation, ABGs, hemodynamics, pediatric and neonatal care, specialty gases, extubation readiness, ventilator alarms, and more. Core calculators and reference content work on device and remain free. OPERATOR — OPTIONAL SUBSCRIPTION Unlock connected AI tools for respiratory-scoped case reasoning, Ask the Tactician Q&A, case simulation and TMC-style practice, photo and waveform interpretation, and Smart Scan chart capture. Operator features require an internet connection and are intended for education and workflow support. BUILT FOR THE BEDSIDE • Fast calculator search and favorites • Session history and related calculators • Respiratory medication reference • Clear formulas and source notes • iPhone and iPad support from iOS 17 Respiratory Tactician does not replace clinical judgment, institutional policy, or professional medical advice. Verify all inputs and outputs before clinical use. Every calculator stays free. Operator is optional and renews automatically unless canceled in App Store subscription settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

VentRef4 screens
Respiratory Tactician4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: VentRef at none against Respiratory Tactician's 2. VentRef also leads on ratings volume (44 vs 9). Respiratory Tactician's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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. Respiratory Tactician sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. VentRef asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for VentRef against 5.0 for Respiratory Tactician. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 44 and 9 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VentRef ships an update every 3 weeks, Respiratory Tactician every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
VentRef versus Respiratory Tactician: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVentRefRespiratory Tactician
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (44 ratings)5.0 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings44 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB26 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperRishi KumarJESUS CALATA VARGAS

Customer experience

VentRef

All ratings44 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Respiratory Tactician

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

VentRef

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Respiratory Tactician

Subscriptions2
  • Operator Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Operator Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is VentRef free?
VentRef is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Respiratory Tactician free?
Respiratory Tactician is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, VentRef or Respiratory Tactician?
VentRef and Respiratory Tactician are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 44 and 9 ratings respectively.
Do VentRef or Respiratory Tactician have ads?
Neither VentRef nor Respiratory Tactician shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VentRef or Respiratory Tactician?
VentRef ships an update every 3 weeks, and Respiratory Tactician every 2 weeks. Most recently, VentRef was updated on October 10, 2026 and Respiratory Tactician on October 24, 2026.

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