Comparison

VA Ready vs Second Muster

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

Head to head
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
Read full description

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.

About

Second Muster

This app provides veterans and service members with a comprehensive guide to civilian careers, VA benefits, and state-specific perks. It features a skill translator, resume assistance, and a separation timeline with reminders. Access vital information on healthcare, insurance, and discounts, all while working offline.

Highlights
  • Skill translator for MOS/rating to civilian jobs
  • Resume jargon conversion
  • Separation timeline with deadlines
  • VA and state benefits explained
  • Federal and retail discounts
  • VA medical center locator
  • Job application tracker
Read full description

Second Muster is a free guide for veterans, service members getting out, and their families. No account, no ads, and your information stays on your phone. • SKILL TRANSLATOR: Enter your MOS, rating or AFSC (989 codes across every branch) and see matching civilian job titles, resume skills and certifications. • RESUME HELP: Paste military bullets and turn the jargon into plain civilian language. • SEPARATION TIMELINE: Set your separation date and get a countdown, a checklist for each stage, and reminders before key deadlines like BDD claims, VGLI and the one-year VA claim window. • VA BENEFITS: Disability compensation, the PACT Act, GI Bill, VR&E, health care and life insurance explained in plain English, with links to official sources. • STATE BENEFITS: Property tax, tuition, hunting and park benefits for your state, checked against official state sources. • DISCOUNTS: Federal perks most veterans don't know about, plus retail discounts. • VA CARE: Find VA medical centers and Vet Centers in your state. • CONNECT: Peer support lines, veteran communities, and help for families, caregivers and women veterans. • CRISIS HELP: One tap to the Veterans Crisis Line (988, press 1) from any screen. • JOB TRACKER: Keep track of every job you apply to. Works offline. Available in English and Spanish. Built by the child of two Army veterans. Second Muster is an independent resource, not affiliated with or endorsed by the VA, the Department of Defense, or any military branch. Always confirm details with the official source.

Screenshots

VA Ready4 screens
Second Muster4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Second Muster at none against VA Ready's 3. Second Muster also leads on update cadence (daily vs weekly) and review sentiment (100% vs 77%). VA Ready's advantage is ratings volume (751 vs 1) and chart position (#158 vs unranked). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Second Muster asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Second Muster holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VA Ready has 751 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of VA Ready's written reviews are positive against 100% of Second Muster's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VA Ready ships an update weekly, Second Muster daily. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
VA Ready versus Second Muster: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVA ReadySecond Muster
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (751 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings751 — better1
Update frequencyWeeklyDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
Best chart rank#158 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB1 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperJDL Software LLCMargaret Laughlin

Customer experience

VA Ready

All ratings724 ratings
Positive94.5%
Neutral2.9%
Negative2.6%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive76.9%
Neutral7.7%
Negative15.4%

Second Muster

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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
None

Second Muster

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is VA Ready free?
VA Ready is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Second Muster free?
Second Muster is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, VA Ready or Second Muster?
Second Muster is rated higher. VA Ready averages 4.8 out of 5 from 751 ratings, while Second Muster averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do VA Ready or Second Muster have ads?
Neither VA Ready nor Second Muster shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VA Ready or Second Muster?
VA Ready ships an update weekly, and Second Muster daily. Most recently, VA Ready was updated on October 31, 2026 and Second Muster on October 26, 2026.

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