BioViewer vs PDB Viewer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BioViewer
Visualize 3D molecular structures from .pdb files on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Features smooth rendering, drag-and-drop support, and publication-quality photo exports for detailed analysis.
- 3D molecular structure visualization
- Supports .pdb and .xyz files
- Drag and drop functionality
- Photo Mode with high-quality exports
- Multi-model PDB support
- Optimized for ProMotion displays
Read full descriptionHide full description
A .pdb protein visualizer for iOS, iPadOS and macOS. View the 3D representation of any molecular structure from a .pdb file, using our custom Metal-based rendering engine based to allow for a smooth experience even in the biggest proteins. - Full drag and drop support for .pdb and .xyz files. - Photo Mode with publication-quality exports. - Support for multi-model PDBs. - Support for high refresh rate ProMotion displays.
PDB Viewer
Read full descriptionHide full description
PDB Viewer turns your phone into a molecular microscope. Search the entire Protein Data Bank and over 200 million AlphaFold predictions, then explore any protein, virus, drug, or DNA structure in interactive 3D — free, with no account, no ads, and no sign-up. WHERE THE MOLECULES COME FROM • RCSB Protein Data Bank — 200,000+ experimentally determined structures • AlphaFold — 200M+ AI-predicted protein models • SWISS-MODEL — template-based homology models • PubChem and ChEMBL — millions of drugs and compounds • Crystallography Open Database — small-molecule crystals • NCI/CADD resolver — type a chemical name and get a 3D model Every source is free and needs no API key. You can also open your own .pdb and .cif files. WAYS TO SEE IT • Five representations: wireframe, ball-and-stick, space-filling (CPK), cartoon/ribbon, and a smooth molecular surface • Color by element, chain, secondary structure, rainbow, or AlphaFold confidence (pLDDT) • Biological assemblies: rebuild an entire icosahedral virus capsid from a few deposited chains • NMR ensembles: overlay every model in the bundle to watch a protein flex • Automatic secondary-structure detection MADE FOR TOUCH • Rotate, pinch-zoom, and pan with smooth native rendering • Tap any atom to see its element, residue, and chain • Recently viewed structures are cached, so they reopen instantly and work offline For students, researchers, teachers, and the simply curious. PDB Viewer makes structural biology beautiful and accessible. Structures are provided by their respective databases. PDB Viewer is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the RCSB PDB, EMBL-EBI, or AlphaFold.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BioViewer at none against PDB Viewer's 1. BioViewer also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. PDB Viewer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BioViewer asks for nothing beyond the download.
BioViewer ships an update every 9 days, PDB Viewer monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BioViewer | PDB Viewer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Raul Monton Pinillos | Qvyshift LLC |
In-app purchases
BioViewer
No in-app purchases
PDB Viewer
- PDB Viewer Pro$9.99
