# Search PubChem vs Molecule Lab

The clearest difference is rating: Search PubChem at 5.0 against Molecule Lab's 4.3. Search PubChem also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 50%) and update cadence (every 9 months vs every 24 months). Molecule Lab's advantage is ratings volume (25 vs 5) and iOS requirement (13.2 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Molecule Lab has 25 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Search PubChem's written reviews are positive against 50% of Molecule Lab's.

Search PubChem ships an update every 9 months, Molecule Lab every 24 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Search PubChem | Molecule Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/search-pubchem/id1369742632/reviews)** | [4.3 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecule-lab/id1434237899/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **25** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 months** | Every 24 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 9 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **13.2** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jae-Seung Lee](https://appshunter.io/developer/1146296876) | [Maxamix](https://appshunter.io/developer/667167982) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Molecule Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecule-lab/id1434237899)

Create and view 3D molecular models with an intuitive editor. Supports various elements, bond types, and conformations, with undo/redo functionality. Share your creations easily via messaging and email.

**Highlights:** Build molecules in 3D, Supports oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine, carbon, hydrogen, Double and triple bond creation, Branching and rotation conformations, Undo, redo, and delete controls, Save and edit molecules, Share via text, email, and other services

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Search PubChem free?

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

### Is Molecule Lab free?

Molecule Lab is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Search PubChem or Molecule Lab?

Search PubChem is rated higher. Search PubChem averages 5.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Molecule Lab averages 4.3 from 25 ratings.

### Do Search PubChem or Molecule Lab have ads?

Neither Search PubChem nor Molecule Lab shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Search PubChem or Molecule Lab?

Search PubChem ships an update every 9 months, and Molecule Lab every 24 months. Most recently, Search PubChem was updated on October 7, 2026 and Molecule Lab on October 24, 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.*