Comparison

ICS Field Guide vs Tailboard Academy

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

Head to head
About

ICS Field Guide

Features
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ICS Field Guide is an offline reference and study aid for the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS). FOR REFERENCE & TRAINING ONLY. This app is not for operational decision-making during a real incident. Always follow the procedures adopted by your Authority Having Jurisdiction. It does not confer any certification. WHAT'S INSIDE • NIMS overview and the 14 ICS management characteristics • Command & General Staff, Incident Command, and the five functional sections: Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration • Unified Command, transfer of command, the Planning "P", and the Incident Action Plan • ICS forms reference with the real blank forms (ICS-201, 207, 214 and more) • Org-chart and incident-facility figures, full-text search, and bookmarks STUDY TOOLS • Fillable ICS-214 Activity Log • ICS-201 Incident Briefing builder • ICS knowledge quiz (IS-100 / 200 / 700 style) SOURCES Built on public-domain FEMA material, including the National Incident Management System doctrine and the NIMS ICS Forms Booklet. This is an independent app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security, or any government agency.

About

Tailboard Academy

Features
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Train for the NREMT and your fire department hiring process with the app built by a working firefighter/paramedic. PRACTICE TESTS THAT WORK LIKE THE REAL EXAM • EMT and Paramedic question banks written to current NREMT domain weightings • Firefighter entry written prep: reading, math, mechanical reasoning, spatial, and situational judgment, in the NTN and FCTC style • Adaptive exams that end when the algorithm is confident, just like test day • Weekly Checks, baseline diagnostics, and topic drills for your weak areas • Detailed AI feedback on every scored test THE ORAL BOARD SIMULATOR Practice your firefighter oral board interview out loud, with your voice. A realistic panel asks the questions, listens to your answers, and debriefs you with scores and specific coaching. It is the closest thing to a real board without putting on a suit. KNOW WHERE YOU STAND Your Readiness Score combines every scored attempt into one honest number, weighted toward the exams that matter. No participation trophies. STUDY ANYWHERE • Full lesson library: pharmacology, cardiology, airway, trauma, protocols • Flashcard decks with spaced review • Question of the Day and oral board Question of the Week • A daily reminder you control ONE ACCOUNT, EVERY DEVICE Your progress syncs with tailboardacademy.com. Study on your phone at the station, review on your laptop at home. Free preview included. Full access unlocks every exam, the Oral Board Simulator, and the complete study library. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS • Monthly Full Access: $24.99 per month • Annual Full Access: $179.00 per year • Season Pass: $59.00 one time for 90 days, does not auto-renew Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Monthly and Annual subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings after purchase. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://tailboardacademy.com/privacy

Screenshots

ICS Field Guide3 screens
Tailboard Academy4 screens

Verdict

The call

ICS Field Guide and Tailboard Academy are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. ICS Field Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Tailboard Academy sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
ICS Field Guide versus Tailboard Academy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterICS Field GuideTailboard Academy
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size47 MB15 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperSEDX LLCJohn Nelson

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ICS Field Guide

One-time1
  • Pro Tools$0.99
3 purchases

Tailboard Academy

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Full Access$24.991 Month
  • Annual Full Access$179.001 Year
One-time1
  • Season Pass (90 Days)$59.00

Questions

Is ICS Field Guide free?
ICS Field Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tailboard Academy free?
Tailboard Academy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ICS Field Guide or Tailboard Academy have ads?
Neither ICS Field Guide nor Tailboard Academy shows ads.

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