Vargo Anesthesia Mega App vs Regional Anesthesia Reference
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Vargo Anesthesia Mega App
This comprehensive medical app consolidates 16 specialized tools for anesthesia professionals. It provides quick access to information on patient care in various settings, including obstetrics, pediatrics, trauma, and critical care. Features include drug information, crisis management algorithms, case tips, and calculations.
- Obstetric, pediatric, trauma, surgical, critical care, emergency, and anesthesia settings
- Malignant Hyperthermia information
- Medical calculations (ABL/EBV, BMI, MAP, etc.)
- Anesthesia crisis management algorithms
- Extensive anesthesia case tips with search
- Pharmacology information for over 200 drugs/drips
- Pediatric and OB regional anesthesia guides
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The Vargo Anesthesia Mega App is a comprehensive, clinician-built platform designed to support anesthesia providers in both preoperative preparation and real-time clinical decision-making. Developed and refined over more than 15 years, the app integrates essential anesthesia, critical care, and perioperative content into one unified system. Built for efficiency and clarity, the Mega App allows providers to quickly access high-value clinical information—whether preparing for a case, reviewing complex physiology, or managing time-sensitive situations in the operating room. The Vargo Anesthesia Mega App brings together a wide range of core anesthesia resources, including: Weight-Based Medication Dosing and Equipment Tables Adult and pediatric dosing and equipment references designed for accuracy across a wide range of patient sizes Cheat Sheets High-yield summaries for rapid review of key anesthesia and critical care concepts Pediatrics Focused pediatric anesthesia guidance and considerations Case Tips Extensive, case-based insights across a broad range of surgical procedures Regional Nerve Blocks & OB Regional Practical guidance for regional anesthesia techniques, including obstetric applications Drugs and Drips Detailed pharmacology with dosing, mechanisms, and clinical application Coagulopathies & Blood Management (TEG/ROTEM) Focused content for complex perioperative and critical care scenarios CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting) Step-by-step guidance from setup through separation from bypass Calculations & Clinical Tools Essential calculations including tidal volume, weight-based dosing, and more Max Local Anesthetic Calculator Quick reference for safe dosing limits Crisis Management Immediate access to critical event management, including: Local Anesthetic Toxicity (LA Max) Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) Blood / TEGs / ROTEM Other high-risk intraoperative events The app is structured for rapid navigation and real-time usability: Clear, organized layout for quick access Concise presentation of complex topics Built to support decision-making under pressure - All future updates and additions are included with a one-time purchase. There are no subscriptions or recurring fees. - Designed for every level of the anesthesia care team. ***iCloud must be switched on to save personal notes.*** This application is intended for educational and clinical reference purposes only. It is designed to support—not replace—the independent judgment of qualified healthcare professionals. It does not diagnose, treat, or provide patient-specific medical advice. All information must be verified based on the individual patient and clinical context.
Regional Anesthesia Reference
This app offers a quick reference for regional nerve block placement using ultrasound. It includes detailed anatomy, patient positioning, and technique videos, along with a local anesthetic drug calculator.
- Ultrasound guidance for nerve blocks
- Anatomy and positioning guides
- Block placement technique videos
- Local anesthetic drug calculator
- List of current blocks
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Regional Anesthesia Reference provides a quick look at the anatomy, positioning, and techniques for placing regional nerve blocks under ultrasound guidance. This includes ultrasound images and anatomic descriptions, images of patient positioning, and videos of block placement. Current blocks include: Interscalene Supraclavicular Infraclavicular Axillary Femoral Adductor Canal Suprainguinal Fascia Iliaca TAP Rectus Sheath Sciatic (Popliteal) A local anesthetic drug calculator is also included for assistance with calculating maximum dosages and percent of max dose delivered for a given patient. This is a weight based calculator using dosages from Miller's Anesthesia or Morgan and Mikhail.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Regional Anesthesia Reference at Free against Vargo Anesthesia Mega App's $99.99. Regional Anesthesia Reference also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). Vargo Anesthesia Mega App's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months) and chart position (#20 vs unranked). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Regional Anesthesia Reference is free to download; Vargo Anesthesia Mega App costs $99.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Regional Anesthesia Reference holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Vargo Anesthesia Mega App has 177 ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Vargo Anesthesia Mega App's written reviews are positive against 89% of Regional Anesthesia Reference's.
Vargo Anesthesia Mega App ships an update every 2 weeks, Regional Anesthesia Reference every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Vargo Anesthesia Mega App | Regional Anesthesia Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (177 ratings) | 5.0 (32 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 84.8% of reviews | 88.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 177 — better | 32 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #20 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 8.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 353 MB | 89 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Vargo Anesthesia Inc | University Of Washington |
Customer experience
Vargo Anesthesia Mega App
Regional Anesthesia Reference
In-app purchases
Vargo Anesthesia Mega App
No in-app purchases
Regional Anesthesia Reference
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Vargo Anesthesia Mega App free?
Is Regional Anesthesia Reference free?
Which has better reviews, Vargo Anesthesia Mega App or Regional Anesthesia Reference?
Do Vargo Anesthesia Mega App or Regional Anesthesia Reference have ads?
Which is updated more often, Vargo Anesthesia Mega App or Regional Anesthesia Reference?
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