# Molecules vs MoleculeSketch iP

The clearest difference is rating: MoleculeSketch iP at 4.5 against Molecules's 3.6. MoleculeSketch iP also leads on iOS requirement (13 vs 16.0). Molecules's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (166 vs 4). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MoleculeSketch iP sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Molecules asks for nothing beyond the download.

MoleculeSketch iP holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Molecules has 166 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 65% of Molecules's written reviews are positive against 50% of MoleculeSketch iP's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Molecules | MoleculeSketch iP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (166 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecules/id284943090/reviews) | **[4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/moleculesketch-ip/id1281284737/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **166** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **65.5% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sunset Lake Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/284943093) | [Stefan Dolder](https://appshunter.io/developer/942173209) |

## What reviewers say

### Molecules

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecules/id284943090)

Explore and interact with 3D molecular models on your device. Rotate, zoom, and pan structures using intuitive touch gestures. Visualize molecules in different modes and load custom structures from various sources.

**Highlights:** 3D molecule rendering, Finger-based manipulation (rotate, zoom, pan), Ball-and-stick visualization, Spacefilling visualization, Load custom molecular structures, File sharing and iCloud import

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Useful for visualizing molecules
- 👍 Great for teaching chemistry
- 👍 Excellent for biochemistry students

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes when downloading new molecules
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS devices
- 🐛 Limited functionality, missing key features
- 🔍 Difficult to find common molecules
- 💡 Needs more view options (ribbon, surface, etc.)

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when switching between views
- Molecules disappear after reopening the app
- Search function is unreliable and limited
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add ability to build and edit molecules
- Implement a color key for atom types
- Include more basic molecules (H2O, CO2, etc.)
- Allow sorting/organizing downloaded molecules
- Integrate with databases like PubChem and RCSB


### MoleculeSketch iP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/moleculesketch-ip/id1281284737)

Easily draw chemical formulas and reactions with this intuitive application. It offers features like adding atoms, bonds, and functional groups, with advanced options available through an in-app purchase. Share your creations or import existing structures.

**Highlights:** Draw atoms and bonds, Select various bond types, Add functional groups, Show missing hydrogen atoms, Calculate molecular mass, Import mol/sdf files, Copy, paste, and cut drawings

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full version | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Molecules free?

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

### Is MoleculeSketch iP free?

MoleculeSketch iP is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Molecules or MoleculeSketch iP?

MoleculeSketch iP is rated higher. Molecules averages 3.6 out of 5 from 166 ratings, while MoleculeSketch iP averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do Molecules or MoleculeSketch iP have ads?

Neither Molecules nor MoleculeSketch iP shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Molecules or MoleculeSketch iP?

Molecules ships an update every 2 months, and MoleculeSketch iP every 2 months. Most recently, Molecules was updated on October 15, 2026 and MoleculeSketch iP on September 25, 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.*