# Molecule World — See the molecules of life > Interactive 3D molecular modeling and visualization educational app. (iPhone/iPad app by Digital World Biology LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecule-world/id863565223 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Digital World Biology LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/863565226) - Category: Education, Medical - Price: Free (on sale, was $10.99) - Rating: 5.00/5 from 4 App Store ratings · 3 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.6 · 8 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2014-04-29 - Data updated: 2026-08-07 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecule-world/id863565223/reviews.md ## What is Molecule World? Molecule World A modern molecular visualization app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Molecule World is back — completely redesigned for Apple's modern ecosystem. Developed, in part, with funding from the National Science Foundation* and recognized for its contributions to science education, Molecule World has been rebuilt from the ground up as a single, unified app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac (via Mac Catalyst). The new version pairs high-quality molecular visualization with a streamlined experience that follows you across every device. Explore Molecular Structures in 3D Students, educators, and researchers can interactively explore proteins, DNA, RNA, and small molecules in a fully three-dimensional environment. Rotate, zoom, and pan through structures with smooth, high-quality rendering built for clarity and scientific understanding. Bring In Structures From the Major Databases Open files you already have, or fetch structures right inside the app — search the Protein Data Bank, PubChem, and NCBI by ID or keyword and have them download and open in seconds. Connect Sequences to Structure and Function on iPad and Mac The sequence viewer (iPad & Mac) makes it easy to see the number and kind of sequences in a structure — protein, DNA, and RNA — along with its heterogens: modified amino acids and nucleotides within a sequence, and external organic and inorganic molecules such as ligands and ions. Each sequence is colored to match your current view. Powerful Visualization Tools - Smooth, interactive 3D — rotate, zoom, and pan - Multiple representation styles: ball-and-stick, space-filling, tubes, ribbon/cartoon, molecular surfaces, and wire mesh - Focused selections — show just proteins, nucleic acids, ligands, backbones, or alpha-carbon traces - Scientific color schemes — by element, chain, residue, secondary structure, charge, hydrophobicity, and B-factor - Clear, context-aware legends that explain exactly what you're looking at Designed for Education and Discovery Molecule World is used in classrooms and laboratories to support teaching in structural biology, chemistry, and molecular science. Educators can illustrate key concepts — protein folding, molecular interactions, and the structure of DNA and RNA — with visuals students manipulate themselves. Built for the Apple Ecosystem One app runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Optional iCloud support keeps your library of structures — and your place in them — in sync across all your devices. Built for What's Next This release lays the foundation for upcoming features, including enhanced analysis tools, richer educational workflows, and professional research capabilities. *NSF awards IIP 1315426 and DUE 2055036 Molecule World is developed by Digital World Biology LLC. ## Key features - Interactive 3D molecule manipulation - Experiment with drawing and coloring styles - View and control molecular sequences (protein, DNA, RNA) - Identify elements and investigate molecular properties - Capture images of molecular structures - Explore themed collections of molecules ## Recent user reviews (3 of 3) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecule-world/id863565223/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Wonderful App and Support *2018-03-27* I need to evaluate HLA molecules. This requires downloading Rasmol script files. Sandra at Molecule World helped me to set this up. Great app with great support! ### 5/5 — Molecular World *2016-03-31* What a great app! Much better than previous versions I've had. My students love all the color options and rotation axes. Clearly highlights secondary structures, user friendly, educational and fun! ### 5/5 — vantheman *2015-11-30* this app is one of the best of many similar ones. I use a number of sequencer programs, and this gives me a remarkable insight into the structures of these sequences ## Frequently asked questions about Molecule World ### What is Molecule World? Molecule World is an educational app designed for learning about molecules and their properties through interactive 3D modeling and visualization. It is suitable for students and educators across various age groups. ### What kind of molecules can I explore in Molecule World? You can explore a wide range of molecules, including chemicals, proteins, and DNA/RNA sequences. The app also features themed collections of molecules, such as those related to immunology or biofuels. ### Can I use Molecule World for school assignments? Yes, Molecule World is perfect for school assignments. You can capture images of molecular structures to use in homework or presentations, and the app's features are designed to aid in understanding complex scientific concepts. ### Is Molecule World suitable for younger students? Molecule World is appropriate for students of all ages, from middle school to graduate school and beyond. Its user-friendly interface and intuitive controls make it accessible for learners at different levels. ### What devices does Molecule World support? Molecule World is currently supported on iPads. It was developed with funding from the National Science Foundation and an Innovation Award from Shoreline Community College. ### How much does Molecule World cost? Molecule World is a paid application, priced at $10.99. This one-time purchase provides access to all its features for learning and exploration. ### How often is Molecule World updated? The latest version of Molecule World is 3.10, last updated on October 17, 2020. While updates may not be frequent, the app is a stable and comprehensive tool for molecular education. ### Does Molecule World have ads? No, Molecule World does not contain advertisements. As a paid application, it offers an uninterrupted learning experience without any in-app ads. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 4.6 — 2026-08-02 Crystallographic waters can now be displayed with the new "All + water" option under Show. It's off by default and available whenever a structure includes water. Conserved domains for every format. Domain coloring used to require an MMDB or Cn3D file. It now works with PDB, mmCIF, and BinaryCIF structures too, with domain names looked up from NCBI's Conserved Domain Database. Lookups on large assemblies are much faster with full domain names. This release also includes improvements in how metal ions and other atoms are displayed in the color key, secondary coloring in very large structures, residue displays in nucleic acids ribbons, and other fixes. ### 4.5.1 — 2026-07-19 New in 4.5: - New layout on Mac and iPad to support sequence viewing. - Sequence view (iPad & Mac) — Tap Sequence at the bottom of the screen to see each chain's protein, DNA/RNA sequences, and heterogens, colored to match your current view. Scroll with the arrow keys, mouse drag, or scroll wheel. - Better keyboard support — Move through your file list with the arrow keys, and open a structure with Shift (Mac) or Return (iPad) — works with search results too. - Search that sticks — Your search term now stays put while you browse, just like folders already do, and clears when you quit and relaunch. - Visual polish and an updated in-app Help and other improvements. This version also includes everything from previous releases: - Full 3D visualization — rotate, zoom, and pan through proteins, DNA, RNA, and small molecules - Multiple representation styles — ball-and-stick, space-filling, tubes, ribbon/cartoon, molecular surfaces, and wire mesh - Focused selections — show just proteins, nucleic acids, ligands, backbones, or alpha-carbon traces - Scientific color schemes — by element, chain, residue, secondary structure, charge, hydrophobicity, domain, and B-factor - Fetch structures directly from the Protein Data Bank, PubChem, and NCBI by ID or keyword - iCloud sync keeps your library — and your place in it — consistent across iPhone, iPad, and Mac - Clear, context-aware legends that explain exactly what you're looking at This version is a cosmetic app store fix that resolves an issue where a portrait orientation screen capture broke the iPad display. ### 4.5 — 2026-07-17 New in 4.5: - New layout on Mac and iPad to support sequence viewing. - Sequence view (iPad & Mac) — Tap Sequence at the bottom of the screen to see each chain's protein, DNA/RNA sequences, and heterogens, colored to match your current view. Scroll with the arrow keys, mouse drag, or scroll wheel. - Better keyboard support — Move through your file list with the arrow keys, and open a structure with Shift (Mac) or Return (iPad) — works with search results too. - Search that sticks — Your search term now stays put while you browse, just like folders already do, and clears when you quit and relaunch. - Visual polish and an updated in-app Help and other improvements. This version also includes everything from previous releases: - Full 3D visualization — rotate, zoom, and pan through proteins, DNA, RNA, and small molecules - Multiple representation styles — ball-and-stick, space-filling, tubes, ribbon/cartoon, molecular surfaces, and wire mesh - Focused selections — show just proteins, nucleic acids, ligands, backbones, or alpha-carbon traces - Scientific color schemes — by element, chain, residue, secondary structure, charge, hydrophobicity, domain, and B-factor - Fetch structures directly from the Protein Data Bank, PubChem, and NCBI by ID or keyword - iCloud sync keeps your library — and your place in it — consistent across iPhone, iPad, and Mac - Clear, context-aware legends that explain exactly what you're looking at ### 4.2 — 2026-07-13 This update brings faster ways to open and explore structures, especially on Mac. Keyboard controls — On Mac and iPad with a keyboard, use the arrow keys to rotate, Option+arrows to pan, and ⌘+ / ⌘− to zoom. Hold a key for continuous motion. Drag and drop (Mac) — Drag a structure file from Finder straight onto the 3D view to open it. Works with PDB, CIF, BCIF, MMDB JSON, CN3, and SDF files, including gzipped and zipped. Windows and tabs (Mac) — Right-click a structure to open it in a new window or tab, so you can compare structures side by side. Folder counts — Folders now show how many structures they contain, and the count updates as you browse and filter. Better PubChem search — Search by compound name, molecular formula, or SMILES, with support for wildcards and multi-term queries. Plus refinements to in-app Help and various fixes. ### 4.1 — 2026-07-06 MoleculeWorld 4.1 Mac support, new visualization options, and a faster app. Now available on Mac — your library and Pro unlock carry over automatically via iCloud. New Wire Surface mode — the molecular surface as a wireframe mesh, so you can see structure detail through the surface shape. New B-factor coloring — a blue-white-red gradient that highlights areas of higher atomic motion or uncertainty, scaled to each structure. Faster loading for large structures, especially big assemblies. Bug fixes and stability improvements. This release builds on : - iCloud sync to keep your structures on all your devices - Smoother, higher-quality ribbon and surface rendering - Domain-based coloring that reveals how a structure is organized - Sugar (glycan) residues colored by standard SNFG conventions - Clearer annotations for modified nucleotides ## Apps similar to Molecule World | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Perse Visualizer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/perse-visualizer/id1476999836) | 5.0 (7) | Free | Education | | [ODYSSEY Chemical Elements](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/odyssey-chemical-elements/id929232249) | 5.0 (1) | $3.99 | Education | | [ODYSSEY States of Matter](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/odyssey-states-of-matter/id1070030126) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Education | | [iMolview](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imolview/id431002306) | 3.6 (13) | $0.99 | Education | | [ODYSSEY Atomic Orbitals](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/odyssey-atomic-orbitals/id830980902) | 3.0 (2) | $3.99 | Education | | [ChemCalc](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chemcalc/id499955745) | 2.0 (4) | $0.99 | Education | ## Related topics [molecule world](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/molecule-world) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-07.*