BLS vs CPR — which one do you need?
BLS is the healthcare-provider course; Heartsaver CPR/AED is the layperson course. Booking the wrong one is the most common and most expensive mistake.
This guide has not yet been reviewed by a certified instructor. It is written from published course materials — confirm requirements with your employer or school.
"CPR certification" is not one thing. The two courses people mean by it are aimed at different audiences, and an employer asking for one will rarely accept the other.
The distinction in one line
- BLS (Basic Life Support) — the healthcare-provider course. For clinicians, students in clinical programs, and first responders.
- Heartsaver CPR/AED — the layperson course. For workplace responders, teachers, coaches, childcare staff and the general public.
What BLS covers that the layperson course does not
Both teach chest compressions, rescue breaths, AED use and choking relief for adults, children and infants. BLS goes further:
- Bag-mask ventilation, including two-rescuer technique.
- Team resuscitation — working in a defined role during a code rather than acting alone.
- Pulse checks and rhythm-appropriate response.
- A higher assessment standard, on the assumption you will do this as part of your job.
BLS is also usually the prerequisite for ACLS and PALS.
How to tell which one you need
Read the exact words in the request:
| If the requirement says | Book |
|---|---|
| "BLS", "BLS Provider", "BLS for Healthcare Providers" | BLS |
| "Healthcare provider CPR" | BLS |
| "CPR/AED", "Heartsaver", "layperson CPR" | Heartsaver CPR/AED |
| "CPR and First Aid" for a workplace | Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED |
| Just "CPR certification", in a clinical setting | Ask — it almost always means BLS |
| Just "CPR certification", for a non-clinical job | Ask — Heartsaver is usually enough |
If the request is ambiguous and you cannot ask, BLS is the safer purchase: it is accepted in place of a layperson card far more often than the reverse.
Cost and length
BLS is typically the longer and more expensive of the two, because of the additional skills and the assessment standard. Renewal courses for either are shorter and cheaper than an initial certification. Prices vary by provider and region — the class listings on this site show what local providers currently charge.
Both expire
Certification of either kind is typically valid for two years. Renew before the card lapses rather than after; some employers treat a lapsed card as no card, and a renewal course may not be available to you once it has expired.
Before you book
Confirm with your employer or school:
- The exact course name they require.
- Which issuing organizations they accept.
- Whether a blended course with an in-person skills session is acceptable.
Requirements vary by role, employer and state. Confirm before booking rather than after.