Comparison

Vargo Anesthesia Mega App vs Emergency Manual

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

Head to head
About

Vargo Anesthesia Mega App

A comprehensive medical reference for anesthesia providers, offering quick access to essential clinical information, dosing tables, and crisis management tools. Designed for efficiency in preoperative preparation and real-time decision-making in the operating room.

Highlights
  • Weight-based medication dosing
  • Equipment tables
  • Cheat sheets
  • Pediatric anesthesia guidance
  • Regional nerve block techniques
  • Crisis management protocols
  • Calculations and clinical tools
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Emergency Manual

This free medical app provides cognitive aids and checklists for 25 critical perioperative events. It serves as a drug dosing reference and includes crisis management tips for clinicians. Designed for self-study and real-time use during emergencies.

Highlights
  • Cognitive aids for 25 critical perioperative events
  • Checklists for emergencies
  • Drug dosing and concentration reference
  • Crisis resource management tips
  • Suitable for self-study
  • Real-time cognitive aid during crises
Features
Read full description

Despite best intentions, well-trained clinicians often miss known key steps during crises. This free perioperative Emergency Manual by the Stanford Anesthesia Cognitive Aid Program (SACAP) includes a set of cognitive aids and checklists for 25 critical perioperative events including cardiac arrest, bronchospasm, LAST, malignant hyperthermia, unanticipated difficult airway, and the rest of the key perioperative chief complaints. It includes crisis resource management tips, and serves as a drug dosing and concentration reference for relevant medications. The app can be used for self-study, and most importantly, as a cognitive aid during perioperative crises. The Emergency Manual has been used by thousands of anesthesiologists around the world, and is now available on the iPhone! Disclaimers: The material in this app is not intended to be a substitute for sound medical knowledge and training. Clinicians should always use their clinical judgment and decision making for patient management. Departure from the information presented here is encouraged as appropriate, since situations can vary widely.

Screenshots

Vargo Anesthesia Mega App4 screens
Emergency Manual4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Emergency Manual at Free against Vargo Anesthesia Mega App's $79.99. Emergency Manual also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 85%). Vargo Anesthesia Mega App's advantage is ratings volume (178 vs 12) and chart position (#3 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases, 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

Emergency Manual is free to download; Vargo Anesthesia Mega App costs $79.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Emergency Manual 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 178 ratings behind it against 12, 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 100% of Emergency Manual's.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Vargo Anesthesia Mega App versus Emergency Manual: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVargo Anesthesia Mega AppEmergency Manual
Price$79.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (178 ratings)5.0 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews84.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings178 — better12
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#3 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size381 MB5 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperVargo Anesthesia IncRobert Arrigo

Customer experience

Vargo Anesthesia Mega App

All ratings177 ratings
Positive91.5%
Neutral5.1%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews66 reviews
Positive84.8%
Neutral12.1%
Negative3.0%

Emergency Manual

All ratings12 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Vargo Anesthesia Mega App

No in-app purchases

None

Emergency Manual

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Vargo Anesthesia Mega App free?
Vargo Anesthesia Mega App costs $79.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Emergency Manual free?
Emergency Manual is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Vargo Anesthesia Mega App or Emergency Manual?
Emergency Manual is rated higher. Vargo Anesthesia Mega App averages 4.7 out of 5 from 178 ratings, while Emergency Manual averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.
Do Vargo Anesthesia Mega App or Emergency Manual have ads?
Neither Vargo Anesthesia Mega App nor Emergency Manual shows ads.

Other comparisons