Comparison

Critical Care Vault vs ShockRef

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

Head to head
About

Critical Care Vault

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
Read full description

Critical care rewards the clinician who can reason fast: read the numbers, see the pattern, choose the next move. Critical Care Vault is built to train that, not just test recall. It pairs interactive reasoning practice with a bedside reference so you can sharpen your thinking on a slow afternoon and look something up between cases on a busy one. Built from bedside critical-care experience for the whole ICU team: nurses, NPs, PAs, residents, fellows, RTs, pharmacists finding their footing, and intensivists keeping pattern recognition sharp. Guest mode includes a limited preview of selected tools and training content. Create a free account to unlock the full app. No ads. No subscription. TRAIN THE REASONING • Question Bank — 850+ clinical questions across cardiac, pulmonary, neuro, renal, hematology/immunology, endocrine/metabolic, GI, multisystem, professional/ethical, and device topics, written to mirror real ICU decision points. Every question is cited; newer sets break down why the right answer is right, why each wrong one is wrong, and the pearl that ties it together. Spaced review brings back what you miss. • Bedside Simulation — Run a simulated ICU case on a monitor, ventilator, pacer, or Swan: make a call, watch the modeled physiology respond, then debrief what actually helped. Shock, low-flow states, bradycardia and pacing, and ventilator management. • Hemodynamics Trainer — Six progressive modes that turn pressure, volume, and resistance into reflex-level pattern recognition. Read the shock state from the profile, predict the response to an intervention, and work a deteriorating case step by step. • EKG Trainer — Conduction anatomy, 12-lead territory mapping, a clean rhythm library, and timed self-assessment. Sinus tach through VT, AV blocks, axis, and lead-by-lead infarct localization. • Study Modules — One ICU topic at a time, concepts first, then check yourself: Vasopressors, Ventilator, ABG, Labs, Fluids, Hemodynamics, and Pharmacology. Progress is tracked on each. KEEP THE REFERENCE CLOSE • Clinical Tools — ICU calculators and scores, including MAP, CI, SVR, P/F ratio, anion gap, IBW, free water deficit, Fick CO, drip rate, and more. • Protocols & Device Guides — Quick-access reference for shock, sepsis, ARDS, neuro, and surgical care, plus equipment-focused guides for ventilators, oxygen devices, pacers, PA waveforms, and CRRT. • Medications — A dedicated ICU drug reference with case-based scenarios that put pharmacology into real decisions. • Unified Search — One bar across questions, glossary, abbreviations, medications, and reference cards. Guest search respects preview limits; account mode unlocks full search coverage. BUILT FOR THE UNIT • Offline-first — bundled content available to your current access level works offline after setup. • Optional cloud sync — carry your history and progress across devices. • Dark, monitor-style interface with a light mode for shared screens. • No ads, no subscription, and no advertising tracking. INTENDED USE Critical Care Vault is an educational training and reference tool for trained healthcare professionals. It is not a medical device, does not provide patient-specific diagnostic or treatment recommendations, and is not a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, or provider orders.

About

ShockRef

A clinical reference for managing shock and hemodynamics, offering insights into bedside physiology, resuscitation, and mechanical circulatory support. It includes practical calculators and drug references for critical care professionals and students.

Highlights
  • Shock phenotyping
  • Resuscitation workflows
  • Vasoactive drug references
  • Mechanical circulatory support troubleshooting
  • Physiology-based critical care
  • Practical calculators
Features
Read full description

ShockRef is a focused educational reference for clinicians and learners managing shock, hemodynamics, vasoactive therapy, and temporary mechanical circulatory support. It integrates bedside physiology, shock phenotyping, resuscitation workflows, monitoring pitfalls, drug references, MCS troubleshooting, source citations, and practical calculators for structured, physiology-based critical care. This app is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, and never 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

Critical Care Vault4 screens
ShockRef4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ShockRef at 5.0 against Critical Care Vault's 4.8. Critical Care Vault's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ShockRef holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 8 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Critical Care Vault versus ShockRef: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCritical Care VaultShockRef
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (13 ratings)5.0 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings13 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 4 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB15 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperJosue EdmondRishi Kumar

Customer experience

Critical Care Vault

All ratings12 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

ShockRef

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Critical Care Vault

No in-app purchases

None

ShockRef

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Critical Care Vault free?
Critical Care Vault is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ShockRef free?
ShockRef is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Critical Care Vault or ShockRef?
ShockRef is rated higher. Critical Care Vault averages 4.8 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while ShockRef averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.
Do Critical Care Vault or ShockRef have ads?
Neither Critical Care Vault nor ShockRef shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Critical Care Vault or ShockRef?
Critical Care Vault ships an update every 4 days, and ShockRef every 4 days. Most recently, Critical Care Vault was updated on October 31, 2026 and ShockRef on October 31, 2026.

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