# HESSENBOX vs Plasmids X

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HESSENBOX at none against Plasmids X's 14. HESSENBOX also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). Plasmids X's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Plasmids X sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. HESSENBOX asks for nothing beyond the download.

HESSENBOX ships an update every 2 months, Plasmids X monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HESSENBOX | Plasmids X |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plasmids-x/id1524584676/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **7** |
| Positive reviews | — | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 35 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PowerFolder](https://appshunter.io/developer/536214934) | [Amin Mahpour](https://appshunter.io/developer/1524584678) |

## What reviewers say

### HESSENBOX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hessenbox/id1470075781)

**In-app purchases:** none


### Plasmids X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plasmids-x/id1524584676)

Design, create, and analyze custom DNA plasmids with this intuitive molecular genetics tool. Supports importing, editing, and sharing plasmids, with powerful in silico analysis features for researchers and students.

**Highlights:** Create plasmids from sequences, Import from .dna and Genbank files, Edit plasmids by adding features, In silico analysis (sequence alignment, PCR, digestion), Share and collaborate on plasmids

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| A cup of coffee! | $1.99 | one-time |
| Split View Support | $1.99 | one-time |
| Manual Cloning | $3.99 | one-time |
| In-silico PCR Support | $3.99 | one-time |
| NCBI Entrez Support | $3.99 | one-time |
| Local Alignment Support | $3.99 | one-time |
| A box of joe! | $4.99 | one-time |
| BLAST Support | $4.99 | one-time |
| ApE File Support | $4.99 | one-time |
| Genbank Support | $4.99 | one-time |
| dna File Support | $5.99 | one-time |
| All Features | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HESSENBOX free?

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

### Is Plasmids X free?

Plasmids X is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do HESSENBOX or Plasmids X have ads?

Neither HESSENBOX nor Plasmids X shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HESSENBOX or Plasmids X?

HESSENBOX ships an update every 2 months, and Plasmids X monthly. Most recently, HESSENBOX was updated on October 1, 2026 and Plasmids X on October 9, 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.*