Comparison

ABG Expert vs PulmTools

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

Head to head
About

ABG Expert

This medical tool provides accurate and flexible acid-base analysis for healthcare professionals. It offers detailed explanations, customizable ranges, and advanced features like anion gap correction and A-a gradient adjustments for various patient conditions and locations.

Highlights
  • Validated accuracy with real-world testing
  • Plausibility checks for physiologically impossible data
  • Automatic anion gap correction with albumin
  • Detailed explanations with equations
  • Separate or combined analysis of ABG, anion gap, A-a gradient
  • Customizable normal ranges for anion gap and delta gap
  • Age and barometric pressure adjustments for A-a gradient
  • Support for SI and non-SI units
  • Color-coded results and differential diagnoses
  • Adjustments for chronic respiratory conditions
Features
Read full description

ABG Expert™ is simply the best acid-base analysis tool with features available in no other app. Designed and tested by practicing physicians, ABG Expert is trusted by medical professionals for unparalleled accuracy, flexibility, and power while remaining completely intuitive to use. Whether you are a physician, nurse, respiratory therapist, paramedic, or student, ABG Expert is your ideal acid base analysis app. Accuracy- • ABG Expert has been validated using extensive testing under real-world conditions. • No need to worry about entering physiologically impossible data by mistake. Data is checked for plausibility and for internal consistency using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. • An accurate analysis depends on an accurate anion gap. ABG Expert has you covered with automatic correction of the anion gap when albumin is provided. • Never again wonder about how a result was obtained. Detailed explanations include easy-to-understand equations so you can be sure the calculations are correct. Flexibility- • Need the arterial blood gas analysis, but not the anion gap or A-a gradient? No problem. ABG Expert can analyze the data for all three results separately or together. • Set the normal anion gap range based on the normal range at your institution. Or, use your patient’s own baseline anion gap to maximize your sensitivity to detect disorders. • Caring for an 80-year-old patient in Denver? Provide age and barometric pressure, and ABG Expert automatically adjusts interpretation of the A-a gradient. • Need more specificity? Adjust the normal delta gap range based on the literature you follow in your practice. • ABG Expert works as well in Bangkok as it does in Boston with full support for SI and non-SI units. Power- • Color-coded results allow for rapid analysis in critical situations. One additional click gives you a detailed differential diagnosis and additional recommendations. • Concerned about a new problem in your patient with advanced COPD? ABG Expert can adjust its calculations for chronic respiratory conditions so you can detect additional disorders that are missed by other apps. • Detailed explanations of disorders integrate ABG, anion gap, and A-a gradient results providing individualized answers like no textbook can. • Refine your differential diagnosis even further with the included osmolal gap and urine anion gap calculators. • ABG Expert combines beauty and brains with optimization for iOS devices running iOS 13 and later. Disclaimer: Brian Dale Vander Werf MD Inc. has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information included in this product. However, the authors, developers, and Brian Dale Vander Werf MD Inc. are not responsible for errors or omissions or for any consequences from the use of this product and make no warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the currency, completeness, or accuracy of the contents of this product. This product has been designed as a supplemental source of information for medical professionals. This product is not a substitute for clinical judgment, and the use of the information produced by this product in a particular situation remains the responsibility of the medical professional. Privacy Policy: This product does not collect, store, or transmit individually identifiable health information. References: NEJM. 2014; 371: 1434. Medicine. 1980; 59(3): 161. Kidney International. 2009; 76: 1239. Emerg Med. 1990; 19: 1310. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2007; 2: 162. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2010; 6: 274. Anaesthesia. 2008; 63: 294. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2012; 7: 671. The ICU Book. 3rd ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2007.

About

PulmTools

This medical app helps clinicians and students interpret blood gas results, utilize clinical calculators, and practice realistic cases. It offers tools for respiratory and critical care, with progress tracking available via a free account.

Highlights
  • Interpret ABGs and VBGs
  • Clinical calculators and references
  • Realistic case practice
  • Progress tracking
  • Breathing exercises
  • Trend analysis
Features
Read full description

PulmTools is a focused respiratory and critical care toolkit for clinicians and learners. Interpret ABGs and VBGs, use clinical calculators and references, practice realistic cases, and follow learning or de-identified results over time. Start without registration. Core calculators and educational content are available in guest mode, while a free account enables synchronized progress and saved trends. INTERPRET ABGs & VBGs • Enter arterial or venous blood gas values through focused workflows. • Review pH status, likely primary patterns, expected compensation, and applicable oxygenation context. • See measured values alongside a structured interpretation. • Review methodology, limitations, and linked references within applicable tools. EXPLORE RESPIRATORY & CRITICAL CARE TOOLS Use focused calculators and references for: • Ventilator mechanics, minute ventilation, and static compliance • P/F ratio, A–a gradient, ROX index, oxygenation, and ARDS context • Fick cardiac output, hemodynamics, MAP, and shock index • Oxygen tank duration and respiratory support • Umbilical cord and capillary blood gases • Asthma and pulmonology references • Pulmonary risk and clinical-reference workflows • ECMO referral context and additional critical care tools LEARN THROUGH REALISTIC CASES • Build arterial blood gas interpretation skills with ABGenius. • Practice venous blood gas patterns with VBGenius. • Receive immediate feedback and clear explanations. • Use adaptive review and spaced repetition to revisit concepts that need more practice. • Follow accuracy, streaks, review readiness, and learning progress. SAVE & COMPARE TRENDS With a free account, you can: • Save calculator snapshots using non-identifying case aliases. • Compare measurements over time while retaining relevant clinical context. • Open focused trend analyses for supported tools. • Sync learning progress and saved trends across devices. RESET & REFOCUS Use PulmReset and guided Box Breathing for breathing practice and personal reflection between demanding moments. WHO PULMTOOLS IS FOR Designed for respiratory therapists, nurses, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, students, residents, fellows, and other respiratory and critical care learners. IMPORTANT INFORMATION PulmTools is intended for educational, informational, and clinical-reference purposes. It does not diagnose, recommend treatment, or replace professional medical judgment, institutional protocols, validated equipment measurements, or bedside assessment. Independently verify calculations, source inputs, and clinical decisions. Consult an appropriately qualified healthcare professional before making medical decisions. Do not enter patient names, medical record numbers, dates of birth, or other directly identifying information when saving cases.

Screenshots

ABG Expert4 screens
PulmTools4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: PulmTools at every 5 days against ABG Expert's every 5 months. PulmTools also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). ABG Expert's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.5). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume 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

PulmTools holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 8 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ABG Expert ships an update every 5 months, PulmTools every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
ABG Expert versus PulmTools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterABG ExpertPulmTools
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (9 ratings)5.0 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings9 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.5
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB55 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperBrian Dale Vander Werf MD IncLedgeworks LLC

Customer experience

ABG Expert

All ratings9 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral11.1%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

PulmTools

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

ABG Expert

No in-app purchases

None

PulmTools

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ABG Expert free?
ABG Expert is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PulmTools free?
PulmTools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ABG Expert or PulmTools?
PulmTools is rated higher. ABG Expert averages 4.8 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while PulmTools averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.
Do ABG Expert or PulmTools have ads?
Neither ABG Expert nor PulmTools shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ABG Expert or PulmTools?
ABG Expert ships an update every 5 months, and PulmTools every 5 days. Most recently, ABG Expert was updated on November 1, 2026 and PulmTools on October 31, 2026.

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