Best First Aid Apps 2026: Free, Offline & Trusted (iPhone & Android)

A first aid app is only useful if it opens in three seconds and works where you are. That might be a kitchen with Wi-Fi, but it might also be a trailhead with no signal, a car on a closed highway, or a house that lost power and cell service in a storm.

So we compared the most popular first aid apps on the things that matter in the moment: does it work offline, is the advice from a trusted source, and can you find the right steps fast?

Quick answer: For free, trusted, step-by-step first aid, install your national Red Cross First Aid app. For CPR, add PulsePoint if your area uses it. If you want first aid plus medical reference books and an AI assistant you can ask about your exact situation, all with no internet, add HAVEN. And always call your local emergency number first in a serious emergency.

Best first aid apps compared (2026)

How we compared first aid apps

We installed each app, then switched the phone to Airplane Mode and looked up the same five situations: severe bleeding, burns, choking, a suspected broken bone and someone who is unresponsive. We scored apps on:

• Offline access: does the guidance load with no signal?
• Source: is the content from a recognized first aid organization or medical reference?
• Speed: how many taps from opening the app to the right steps?
• Depth: does it go beyond basics for when help is hours away?
• Cost: what's free, and what's behind a paywall?

1. HAVEN: Best offline first aid app for emergencies and remote areas

Platform: iPhone and Android

Price: Free core app · Pro $29.99 one-time · Pro Family $49.99 one-time

Works offline: Yes. Everything runs on your phone.

Most first aid apps assume help is minutes away. HAVEN is built for the times it isn't: a disaster that overwhelms emergency services, a long power outage, or a backcountry trip where the nearest road is a day's walk.

• Ask about your exact situation: HAVEN's AI assistant runs on your phone, so you can ask "how do I clean a deep cut with no clean water" or "signs of hypothermia in a child" and get step-by-step answers with no signal. You download the AI model once on Wi-Fi.
• Medical reference library: Where There Is No Doctor is free on every plan. Pro adds the full library, including wilderness medicine and dental references, searchable offline.
• Emergency scenarios: first aid inside full plans for earthquakes, floods, pandemics, infrastructure collapse and more.
• Supplies tracker: log your first aid kit with expiry dates so medicines and dressings are in date when you need them.
• Free printable first aid guide: keep a paper copy too, with HAVEN's free first aid PDF (US Letter) or A4 version.

Limitations: HAVEN is guidance, not a medical device or a replacement for emergency services or training. Use it alongside a first aid course, not instead of one.

Best for: families, travelers, hikers and anyone preparing for emergencies where calling for help might not work. Download HAVEN free.

2. American Red Cross First Aid: Best free first aid app (US)

Platform: iPhone and Android

Price: Free

Works offline: Yes. Content is stored on the phone.

The most trusted free option in the US. Clear step-by-step instructions for common emergencies like bleeding, burns, choking, seizures and heart attack, with short videos and quizzes to help you learn before you need it. It also links to calling 911 from inside the app.

Limitations: It covers common situations well, but it doesn't go deep on what to do when help is delayed for hours, and you can't ask it a question about your specific situation.

Best for: a reliable first aid reference on every family phone.

3. British Red Cross and Canadian Red Cross First Aid: Best for the UK and Canada

Platform: iPhone and Android

Price: Free

Works offline: Yes, for the core first aid content.

First aid advice differs slightly between countries, for example in emergency numbers and some recommendations. If you live in the UK or Canada, your own Red Cross app gives you advice that matches local guidance and training courses.

Best for: people in the UK and Canada who want locally accurate advice.

4. IFRC First Aid: Best for other countries

Platform: iPhone and Android

Price: Free

Works offline: Varies by country version.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies supports first aid apps run by national societies in many countries, in local languages. Search your app store for your country's Red Cross or Red Crescent first aid app.

Best for: anyone outside the US, UK and Canada.

5. PulsePoint Respond: Best for CPR-trained people

Platform: iPhone and Android

Price: Free

Works offline: No. Alerts need a data connection.

If you know CPR, PulsePoint can alert you when someone nearby is in cardiac arrest in a public place, so you can start CPR before the ambulance arrives. Its sister app, PulsePoint AED, helps map public defibrillators.

Limitations: It only works in areas where the local emergency services take part, and it needs data. It's not a first aid guide.

Best for: CPR-trained people who want to help in their community.

6. Offline Survival Manual: Best free wilderness reference (Android)

Platform: Android only

Price: Free

Works offline: Yes.

An open-source survival manual with a first aid section, stored entirely on your phone. Good as a free backup for hikers and campers.

Limitations: Text only, wilderness-focused, not a dedicated first aid app, and not available on iPhone. See our best offline survival apps for more options.

Set up your phone's built-in medical features too

Before you need any app, set these up. They are free and help first responders help you.

• iPhone Medical ID: in the Health app, add allergies, conditions, medicines, blood type and emergency contacts. Turn on "Show When Locked".
• Android Emergency information: add medical details and emergency contacts in the Safety app or under Settings, Safety and emergency, so they show on the lock screen.
• Emergency SOS: learn the button press for your phone so you can call for help without unlocking it.

What to look for in a first aid app

• Works with no signal. Test it in Airplane Mode. Many emergencies happen where signal is weak or networks are overloaded.
• Trusted source. Look for content from a recognized first aid organization, and check when it was last updated.
• Fast to use. You want the steps for bleeding or choking in two or three taps, not behind a login.
• Local advice. Emergency numbers and some guidance vary by country.
• Goes deeper when help is far away. Basic apps assume an ambulance is coming. If you hike, travel or live rurally, you need guidance for longer waits.

An app is not a substitute for training

The best first aid app is the one you have already practiced with. Take a first aid and CPR course from your local Red Cross, Red Crescent or St John Ambulance, then use an app as your reminder in the moment. Our first aid basics every family should know is a good place to start, and our off-grid medical preparedness guide covers what to stock when help is far away.

Our pick

Install your national Red Cross First Aid app for trusted basics. Then add HAVEN for the times when there's no signal and no ambulance on the way: it gives you an offline AI you can ask about your exact situation, a medical reference library, emergency plans and a first aid kit tracker in one app.

Download HAVEN free on iPhone and Android. The free plan includes the AI assistant (15 messages a day), Where There Is No Doctor, and core emergency features. HAVEN Pro unlocks the full medical library and unlimited AI for a one-time $29.99, with a 7-day free trial.

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HAVEN and the apps on this list provide general first aid information and are not a substitute for professional medical care or certified training. In an emergency, call your local emergency number. Third-party app features can change, so check the app store listing.

FAQ

Q: What is the best first aid app?

A: For free, trusted basics, your national Red Cross First Aid app. For first aid that works fully offline with an AI assistant you can ask about your specific situation plus a medical reference library, HAVEN.

Q: What is the best free first aid app?

A: The American Red Cross First Aid app is free and works offline in the US. The British and Canadian Red Cross have free versions for their countries. HAVEN also has a free plan with offline first aid guidance and Where There Is No Doctor.

Q: Which first aid apps work offline?

A: HAVEN, the American Red Cross First Aid app, the British and Canadian Red Cross First Aid apps and Offline Survival Manual all work without signal for their core content. PulsePoint needs a data connection.

Q: What is the best first aid app for iPhone?

A: Set up Medical ID in the Health app first. Then install your Red Cross First Aid app for basics and HAVEN for offline AI guidance and a medical library that work with no signal.

Q: What is the best first aid app for Android?

A: Set up Emergency information in your Safety settings first. Then install your Red Cross First Aid app and HAVEN, which runs its AI and medical references fully offline.

Q: Can a first aid app replace a first aid course?

A: No. An app is a reminder in the moment. Take a first aid and CPR course from your local Red Cross, Red Crescent or St John Ambulance, and use the app to back up what you learned.