Monitor SimulatorPatient monitor simulator apps compared
Eight tools that turn a tablet, laptop or phone into a training monitor. We make one of them, so read this with that in mind. We have tried to be fair, and where another tool does something better we say so.
The short version
- Free, in the browser, nothing to install: Monitor Simulator, TrainingMonitor.App and ResusMonitor.
- You need a defibrillator or a 12-lead on the monitor: TrainingMonitor.App is free and has it. TruMonitor and Medical Rescue Sim Clinic have it as paid apps.
- You already own Laerdal manikins: TruMonitor is built to work with them.
- You want a cheap native iPad app: SIMPL, SimMon and Sim Vitals all cost less than a textbook.
Side by side
| Runs in | Price | How devices connect | ECG rhythms | Defibrillator | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monitor Simulator | Any browser | Free | Internet, 6-digit code | 22 | No |
| TrainingMonitor.App | Any browser | Free | Internet, session | 200+ variations | Yes, plus 12-lead |
| ResusMonitor | Any browser | Free | Internet, session ID | Not stated | Not stated |
| SIMPL Patient Monitor | iOS, Android app | Free, Premium about $10 | Internet | 15 | Not stated |
| SimMon | iOS, Android app | About $23, one-off | Bluetooth or local Wi-Fi | Not stated | Not stated |
| Sim Vitals | iPad app | Free, unlock from $1, lifetime $8 | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| TruMonitor | iOS, Android app | Laerdal subscription, 14-day trial | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or cloud | 40+ | Yes |
| Medical Rescue Sim Clinic | iPad and iPhone app | About $240 | Bluetooth or Wi-Fi | 30 | Yes |
Checked on 31 October 2026 against each maker's own site or the US App Store. Prices change, and some apps sell extras inside the app, so check the listing before you buy. "Not stated" means we could not find it in the maker's own material.
The tools one by one
TrainingMonitor.App
The most complete free option, aimed at EMS programmes. It lists 68 ready-made scenarios, more than 200 rhythm variations and up to 20 sessions run from one place, and since September 2026 it adds a 12-lead ECG, manual defibrillation and synchronised cardioversion. If your course is paramedic or ACLS training and you need the defibrillator on the screen, start here.
ResusMonitor
A simple, free web monitor built by an emergency physician. It shows HR, RR, SpO2, blood pressure and EtCO2 with waveforms and is controlled from a second device with a session ID. No login. A good fit when you want the basics with as little setup as possible.
SIMPL Patient Monitor
A native app where one device controls and the other displays. The listing mentions 15 ECG rhythms, arterial pressure, SpO2 and capnography, and it is aimed at courses like ALS and ATLS. The free version works; a premium upgrade unlocks more.
SimMon
One of the oldest monitor apps and still around. You pay once. It pairs two devices over Bluetooth or a local network, so it is happiest with both devices in the same room.
Sim Vitals
An iPad app for in situ simulation with very low prices for the paid tiers. Any device can be either the controller or the monitor.
TruMonitor
Laerdal's monitor app, sold as a subscription and often bundled with their monitor hardware. It covers 40+ rhythms, defibrillation, a 12-lead ECG and CPR feedback with Laerdal manikins. Powerful and priced for simulation centres with a budget.
Medical Rescue Sim Clinic
A paid app with 30 rhythms and defibrillator functions, controlled from a separate remote app. A one-off price rather than a subscription.
Monitor Simulator
Ours. It runs in any browser, pairs with a six-digit code over the internet, and is free with no account. What we focused on is how the monitor behaves, more than how many things it can show:
- An anaesthesiologist reviewed every waveform. The pleth fades with low blood pressure, not with low saturation, and PEA keeps its heart rate on the screen because that is what makes it hard to recognise.
- Values glide to new levels, the heart rate faster than the pressure, and trends can run for up to 30 minutes.
- Real eFAST ultrasound loops, normal and pathological, shown on the monitor.
- A pulse tone that drops in pitch as the saturation falls.
- Ten languages, and EtCO2 in kPa or mmHg depending on the language.
What it does not have: no defibrillator, no pacing controls and no 12-lead. It shows paced rhythms with and without capture, but you cannot pace from the screen. If that matters for your course, one of the tools above will serve you better.
Questions
What is the best free patient monitor simulator?
It depends on the course. For EMS and ACLS with defibrillation on the screen, TrainingMonitor.App. For in-hospital and anaesthesia scenarios where realistic physiology and ultrasound matter, Monitor Simulator. For the simplest possible setup, ResusMonitor. All three are free and run in the browser.
Which patient monitor simulators work without installing anything?
Monitor Simulator, TrainingMonitor.App and ResusMonitor run in a web browser. SIMPL, SimMon, Sim Vitals, TruMonitor and Medical Rescue Sim Clinic are apps you install from the App Store or Google Play.
Do the two devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi?
Not with the browser-based tools or SIMPL, which connect over the internet. Apps that pair over Bluetooth or a local network, like SimMon, work best with both devices in the same room and on the same network.
Which simulator apps have a defibrillator?
TrainingMonitor.App (free), TruMonitor (subscription) and Medical Rescue Sim Clinic (paid). Monitor Simulator does not.