Comparison

Luma Anesthesia vs ShockRef

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

Head to head
About

Luma Anesthesia

A clinical reference app for anesthesia professionals offering quick access to drug information, airway guides, crisis protocols, and procedural support. It includes educational modules and board review preparation. Some content requires a paid subscription.

Highlights
  • Drug references with dosing and interactions
  • Airway and respiratory guides
  • Crisis protocols for emergencies
  • Regional and procedural anesthesia techniques
  • Case setup and clinical tools
  • Educational modules and board review prep
Features
Read full description

Luma Anesthesia is a modern clinical reference app for CRNAs, anesthesiologists, AAs, SRNAs, and residents who need fast, organized anesthesia information at the point of care. Download and start using free core content immediately. No account is required to browse free sections or start a free trial. Create an account only if you want optional multi-device access. FREE TO START • Drug References: Quick-Look Drug Cards • Drug Deep Dive: requires subscription • Pediatric & OB tools EXPLORE WITH SOFT-GATED PREVIEWS Most clinical sections include free preview content so you can evaluate the app before subscribing. Upgrade anytime to unlock the full library. • Airway & Respiratory guides • Case Setup & clinical tools • Crisis Hub emergency protocols • Regional & procedural anesthesia • Luma Academy modules, flashcards, and board-review prep FULL ACCESS WITH SUBSCRIPTION A Luma Anesthesia subscription unlocks the complete clinical library and education platform, including full depth in soft-gated sections and advanced references. AIRWAY & RESPIRATORY • Difficult airway guidance • Double-lumen tube sizing and placement CASE SETUP & CLINICAL TOOLS • Case setup guides for common procedures • Positioning and anesthetic plan considerations • Machine pre-checkout checklist • Blood transfusion guidance including MTP, compatibility, and dosing CRISIS HUB Fast access to emergency reference pathways such as: • Malignant Hyperthermia • LAST (Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity) • Airway emergencies REGIONAL & PROCEDURAL ANESTHESIA • Regional anesthesia library and block techniques • Spinal and epidural guides • Local anesthetic dose charts LUMA ACADEMY Built-in education for SRNAs and residents: • Modules • Flashcards • Board review prep SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Luma Anesthesia offers auto-renewable subscriptions: • Monthly: $9.99/month after a 14-day free trial • Annual: $69.99/year Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Privacy Policy: https://lumaeducationalapps.com/privacy-policy-1 Terms of Use (EULA): https://lumaeducationalapps.com/terms-of-use-eula Data Compliance: https://lumaeducationalapps.com/data-compliance Medical Disclaimer: https://lumaeducationalapps.com/medical-disclaimers MEDICAL DISCLAIMER For educational and reference use only. Always seek the advice of a qualified physician or healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of information provided by this app. Luma Anesthesia is intended strictly as an educational resource and digital clinical reference for qualified healthcare professionals and student trainees, including CRNAs, anesthesiologists, anesthesiologist assistants, SRNAs, and residents. Not a substitute for professional judgment: Clinical decisions must always be based on the individual patient’s condition, applicable protocols, current standards of care, and the clinician’s expertise. Verify independently: Users are responsible for independently verifying all drug dosages, contraindications, interactions, and clinical protocols with authoritative sources and institutional guidelines before use in patient care. The developer assumes no liability for damages, injury, adverse outcomes, or decisions resulting from use of the app. Always use your own clinical judgement and expertise. By downloading or using Luma Anesthesia, you acknowledge that you are a qualified healthcare professional or student trainee and accept sole responsibility for verifying information and applying your own clinical judgment.

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

Luma Anesthesia4 screens
ShockRef4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ShockRef at none against Luma Anesthesia's 2. Luma Anesthesia's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ratings volume 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. Luma Anesthesia sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. ShockRef 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 Luma Anesthesia against 5.0 for ShockRef. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Luma Anesthesia ships an update every 3 days, ShockRef every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Luma Anesthesia versus ShockRef: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLuma AnesthesiaShockRef
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 4 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB15 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperNicole FetzerRishi Kumar

Customer experience

Luma Anesthesia

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

ShockRef

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

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Luma Anesthesia

Subscriptions2
  • Luma Anesthesia Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Luma Anesthesia App Yearly$69.991 Year
None

ShockRef

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Luma Anesthesia free?
Luma Anesthesia is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ShockRef free?
ShockRef is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Luma Anesthesia or ShockRef?
Luma Anesthesia and ShockRef are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do Luma Anesthesia or ShockRef have ads?
Neither Luma Anesthesia nor ShockRef shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Luma Anesthesia or ShockRef?
Luma Anesthesia ships an update every 3 days, and ShockRef every 4 days. Most recently, Luma Anesthesia was updated on September 24, 2026 and ShockRef on October 10, 2026.

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