# IPA Phonetic Keyboard vs Molecule Simulator

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Molecule Simulator at none against IPA Phonetic Keyboard's 3. Molecule Simulator also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 92%). IPA Phonetic Keyboard's advantage is ratings volume (172 vs 24). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IPA Phonetic Keyboard sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Molecule Simulator asks for nothing beyond the download.

IPA Phonetic Keyboard holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IPA Phonetic Keyboard has 172 ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 92% of IPA Phonetic Keyboard's written reviews are positive against 100% of Molecule Simulator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IPA Phonetic Keyboard | Molecule Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipa-phonetic-keyboard/id1440241497/reviews)** | [4.3 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecule-simulator/id1538249996/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **172** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | 92.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 2 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vincent Cai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453621798) | [仕清 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1531464103) |

## What reviewers say

### IPA Phonetic Keyboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipa-phonetic-keyboard/id1440241497)

This free keyboard provides easy access to all IPA and extended IPA symbols. Its intuitive layout mirrors the IPA chart, making symbol input fluid and efficient for linguists, language learners, and enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Full IPA chart (2020) symbols, ExtIPA chart (2016) symbols, Organized symbol sections, Intuitive symbol layout, Convenient input for common characters, Completely free, no ads

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Donation: Buy me a drink | $2.99 | one-time |
| Obsolete/Non-Standard Symbols | $5.99 | one-time |
| Donation: Buy me a meal | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient IPA keyboard
- 💡 Extensive IPA symbol coverage
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 🤩 Great for linguistics and conlanging
- 🎨 Visually appealing design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paid access for some symbols
- 🔍 Keyboard layout could be more customizable
- 🐛 Occasional keyboard switching issues
- 🔇 Keyboard clicking sounds can't be disabled

**Reported bugs**

- Vowel [ʁ] displays incorrectly
- Keyboard disappears after switching, requiring settings access to re-enable

**Requested features**

- Add angle brackets and parentheses for orthographic notation
- Implement a 'frequently used' section for common symbols
- Allow users to rearrange the keyboard layout
- Add support for laryngeal notation in Proto-Indo-European


### Molecule Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecule-simulator/id1538249996)

Visualize the 3D structures of molecules using data from PubChem and Protein Data Bank. Explore molecules in various viewing modes and download an extensive library of compounds.

**Highlights:** 3D molecular visualization, Space filling mode, Ball-and-stick mode, Data from PubChem, Data from Protein Data Bank, Downloadable molecule library

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IPA Phonetic Keyboard free?

IPA Phonetic Keyboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Molecule Simulator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Molecule Simulator?

IPA Phonetic Keyboard is rated higher. IPA Phonetic Keyboard averages 4.5 out of 5 from 172 ratings, while Molecule Simulator averages 4.3 from 24 ratings.

### Do IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Molecule Simulator have ads?

Neither IPA Phonetic Keyboard nor Molecule Simulator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Molecule Simulator?

IPA Phonetic Keyboard ships an update every 4 months, and Molecule Simulator every 4 months. Most recently, IPA Phonetic Keyboard was updated on September 17, 2026 and Molecule Simulator on September 21, 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.*