The problem of dynamic stability is substantially more complex than the buckling analysis of a shell subjected to static loads. Even at this date suitable criteria for dynamic buckling of shells, which are both logically sound and practically applicable, are not easily available. Thus, a variety of analyses are available to the user, encompassing various degrees of complexity, and involving a range of simplifying assumptions. The purpose of this paper is to compare and evaluate some of these solutions by applying them to a specific problem. A shallow spherical cap, subjected to an axisymmetric, uniform-pressure, step loading, is used as the structural example. The predictions, by various methods, of the dynamic buckling of this shell into unsymmetric modes, are then investigated and compared. The approximate methods used by Akkas are compared to the more rigorous and general solutions of the KSHEL, STARS, DYNASOR, and SATANS computer programs, and the various simplifying assumptions utilized are evaluated. Also included in the comparisons, are the predictions of the relatively simple “dynamic buckling model” approach of Budiansky and Hutchinson. The approaches utilized by the more complex programs [KSHEL (spatial integration, modal superposition, perturbation approach), DYNASOR (finite elements, time integration of non-linear dynamic equilibrium equations), SATANS (finite differences, pseudo load method, time integration), STARS (spatial and time integration, non-linear equilibrium or perturbation approaches)] will in turn be compared in terms of accuracy, idealization complexity, ease of use, and user expertise and experience required for analysis. The comparisons show that the more approximate methods underpredict the dynamic buckling loads for this problem. In addition, some basic assumptions of the simpler solutions are found to be invalid.