# Molecular Constructor vs Search PubChem

The clearest difference is rating: Search PubChem at 5.0 against Molecular Constructor's 3.9. Molecular Constructor's advantage is ratings volume (52 vs 5) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Search PubChem holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Molecular Constructor has 52 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 75% and 75% positive.

Molecular Constructor ships an update every 12 months, Search PubChem every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on August 29, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Molecular Constructor | Search PubChem |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecular-constructor/id1299401504/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/search-pubchem/id1369742632/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **52** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 9 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 10 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Teplukhin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1299401503) | [Jae-Seung Lee](https://appshunter.io/developer/1146296876) |

## What reviewers say

### Molecular Constructor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecular-constructor/id1299401504)

Create and optimize 3D molecular models. This free software allows users to design molecules and refine their geometry simultaneously. A more advanced desktop version is also available.

**Highlights:** Build molecules in 3D, Design molecular structures, Optimize geometry, Free software, Desktop version available

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Search PubChem

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/search-pubchem/id1369742632)

Access and manage chemical compound data from the PubChem database. Search for over 111 million compounds, view molecular formulas, weights, and structures, and create and track custom solutions with detailed composition information.

**Highlights:** Search PubChem database, View molecular formula, weight, and structure, Store compound information, Create and manage custom solutions, Track solution composition in grams and moles, Display 3D compound structures, Share solution data via CSV

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Molecular Constructor free?

Molecular Constructor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Search PubChem free?

Search PubChem is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Molecular Constructor or Search PubChem?

Search PubChem is rated higher. Molecular Constructor averages 3.9 out of 5 from 52 ratings, while Search PubChem averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Molecular Constructor or Search PubChem have ads?

Neither Molecular Constructor nor Search PubChem shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Molecular Constructor or Search PubChem?

Molecular Constructor ships an update every 12 months, and Search PubChem every 9 months. Most recently, Molecular Constructor was updated on August 29, 2026 and Search PubChem on June 1, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*