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.
Periodic Table Watch
Read full descriptionHide full description
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.
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.
- 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
Read full descriptionHide 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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
| Parameter | Periodic Table Watch | Open Access Helper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | — | 4.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 17.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 11 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Jim Haungs | Claus Wolf |
In-app purchases
Periodic Table Watch
No in-app purchases
Open Access Helper
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Periodic Table Watch free?
Is Open Access Helper free?
Do Periodic Table Watch or Open Access Helper have ads?
Which is updated more often, Periodic Table Watch or Open Access Helper?
Other comparisons















