Comparison

CycleChem vs NextStep

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

CycleChem

Features
Read full description

Whether you are a student or a young professional, CycleChem allows you to memorize chemical structures and names while having fun. CycleChem has three sections for you to explore: QuickLearn: Feel free to swipe through the list of heterocycles on the go, to quickly learn. You can choose to hide the structure or the name to test yourself. Games: Choose between no less than six games and challenge your knowledge. Change the number of questions and collect rewards. List: Scroll through the list of heterocyclic compounds and filter them according to multiple criteria.

About

NextStep

This app helps pre-med students organize their academic and extracurricular activities. It allows users to log hours, track progress towards goals, and manage application milestones efficiently. Designed by former students, it aims to reduce stress in the med school application process.

Highlights
  • Experience logging for various activities
  • Hour tracking and statistical visualization
  • Customizable goals and reminders
  • Offline functionality
  • AI-powered insights (coming soon)
  • Built by pre-med students
Features
Read full description

Ready for med school? NextStep helps pre-med students log hours, track experiences, and hit application milestones—without the stress. Whether you're shadowing, volunteering, doing research, or prepping for the MCAT, NextStep keeps you organized and on track. Key Features: • Experience Tracker – Log clinical, research, volunteer, and extracurricular activities • Hour Tracking & Stats – Visualize your time, find your gaps, stay balanced • Guided AI Insights – Coming soon! • Custom Goals & Reminders – Set targets, get notified, stay accountable • Offline First – Works without Wi-Fi, syncs when you're back online • Built for Pre-Meds – Created by students who’ve been there Stop guessing. Start progressing. Download NextStep and take control of your med school journey today.

Screenshots

CycleChem4 screens
NextStep3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NextStep at none against CycleChem's 1. NextStep also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months). CycleChem's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. CycleChem sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. NextStep asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CycleChem ships an update every 6 months, NextStep fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 6, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
CycleChem versus NextStep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCycleChemNextStep
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.615.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB73 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEric ORDONNEAUJosh Hoffman

In-app purchases

1 purchases

CycleChem

One-time1
  • Unlock all games$0.99
None

NextStep

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CycleChem free?
CycleChem is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is NextStep free?
NextStep is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do CycleChem or NextStep have ads?
NextStep shows ads; CycleChem does not.
Which is updated more often, CycleChem or NextStep?
CycleChem ships an update every 6 months, and NextStep fortnightly. Most recently, CycleChem was updated on September 6, 2026 and NextStep on June 10, 2026.

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