Comparison

Periodic Table Watch vs Open Access Helper

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

Head to head
About

Periodic Table Watch

Features
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Two different Periodic Table clocks displays:  The simple clock display shows the Atomic Number and either Atomic Weight or Name. Colors indicate Phase: Solid, Liquid, or Gas. Tap to toggle seconds on or off; long-press to switch between Atomic Weight and Element Name. The Complete clock display shows all available information about each element. There's also a scrollable reference view that shows all of the elements, which can be set up as flashcards to test your knowledge.

About

Open Access Helper

Easily find legal, free versions of paywalled scientific articles using trusted APIs. Seamlessly connect to university library proxies like EZProxy and OpenAthens. This open-source tool respects your privacy and makes research more accessible.

Highlights
  • Find legal, free scholarly articles
  • Access paywalled research
  • Integrates with unpaywall.org and core.ac.uk
  • Seamless EZProxy/OpenAthens connection
  • Indicates version type (Published, Accepted, Submitted)
  • Open-source and privacy-respecting
Features
Read full description

Open Access Helper: Effortless Access to Scholarly Articles Unlock Open Access Easily find legal, free-to-read versions of paywalled scientific articles. Open Access Helper uses the trusted APIs from unpaywall.org and other sources to locate open access copies, making research more accessible for students, researchers, and curious minds. How It Works When you view a research article, the extension detects its DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and checks for an available open access version. Simply click the Open Access Helper badge to access the document! As you hover over the badge, it will indicate whether you’ll be accessing the “Published Version,” “Accepted Version,” or “Submitted Version.” EZProxy or OpenAthens Made Simple If your university library uses EZProxy or OpenAthens for off-campus access, this extension makes it seamless to connect. Just set your institution’s domain (e.g., harvard.edu), and with one click, you can proxy the current page through your library’s server. 100% Legal and Privacy-Respecting Every link provided leads to officially open-access or legally archived copies of research articles. Plus, Open Access Helper doesn’t collect personal data—just anonymous usage stats to improve functionality. Open Source & Developer-Friendly This is a passion project—check out the code, share feedback, or report bugs. Your contributions and ideas are always welcome! Get started today—make research easier and more accessible with Open Access Helper!

Screenshots

Open Access Helper3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Open Access Helper at Free against Periodic Table Watch's $0.99. Open Access Helper also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 9 months) and iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Open Access Helper is free to download; Periodic Table Watch costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Periodic Table Watch ships an update every 9 months, Open Access Helper monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Periodic Table Watch versus Open Access Helper: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPeriodic Table WatchOpen Access Helper
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating—4.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS26.017.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB11 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperJim HaungsClaus Wolf

In-app purchases

None

Periodic Table Watch

No in-app purchases

None

Open Access Helper

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Periodic Table Watch free?
Periodic Table Watch costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Open Access Helper free?
Open Access Helper is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Periodic Table Watch or Open Access Helper have ads?
Neither Periodic Table Watch nor Open Access Helper shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Periodic Table Watch or Open Access Helper?
Periodic Table Watch ships an update every 9 months, and Open Access Helper monthly. Most recently, Periodic Table Watch was updated on October 23, 2026 and Open Access Helper on October 19, 2026.

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