# ABG Expert vs Pocket ICU

ABG Expert and Pocket ICU both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of ABG Expert's written reviews are positive against 64% of Pocket ICU's. ABG Expert also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Pocket ICU's advantage is ratings volume (317 vs 9). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pocket ICU sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. ABG Expert asks for nothing beyond the download.

ABG Expert holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket ICU has 317 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of ABG Expert's written reviews are positive against 64% of Pocket ICU's.

ABG Expert ships an update every 5 months, Pocket ICU every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ABG Expert | Pocket ICU |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abg-expert/id885575488/reviews)** | [4.6 (317 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-icu/id999527431/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **317** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 64.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Brian Dale Vander Werf MD Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1521935908) | [Unbound Medicine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300420400) |

## What reviewers say

### ABG Expert

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abg-expert/id885575488)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pocket ICU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-icu/id999527431)

This app offers concise critical care guidance written by attending physicians. It covers diagnosis, treatment, and management across various subspecialties, including detailed images and decision algorithms. Quickly find information, bookmark entries, and take notes for efficient ICU rounds and consultations.

**Highlights:** Concise guidance by attending physicians, Diagnosis, treatment, and management details, Subspecialty coverage, Detailed images and algorithms, Statistics and EBM overview, Pharmacological data and formulas, Full text search and bookmarking

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pocket ICU | $69.99 | one-time |
| Pocket ICU 2023 | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Quick reference material
- 👍 Well-laid out and written material
- 👍 Useful for reviewing previous cases
- 👍 Resourceful and to the point
- 👍 Good preview/summary

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 No access for duration paid
- 😞 Not user friendly/confusing
- 😞 Disappointed content (nursing school without experience)
- 😞 Bait and switch (expensive, not well thought out)
- 😞 Content is limited

**Reported bugs**

- No information loads after purchase
- Issues with download/access


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ABG Expert free?

ABG Expert is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pocket ICU free?

Pocket ICU is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ABG Expert or Pocket ICU?

ABG Expert is rated higher. ABG Expert averages 4.8 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Pocket ICU averages 4.6 from 317 ratings.

### Do ABG Expert or Pocket ICU have ads?

Neither ABG Expert nor Pocket ICU shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ABG Expert or Pocket ICU?

ABG Expert ships an update every 5 months, and Pocket ICU every 9 months. Most recently, ABG Expert was updated on October 20, 2026 and Pocket ICU on October 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*