# Molecules vs Molecular Constructor

The clearest difference is update cadence: Molecules at every 2 months against Molecular Constructor's every 12 months. Molecules also leads on ratings volume (166 vs 52). Molecular Constructor's advantage is rating (3.9 vs 3.6) and review sentiment (75% vs 65%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Molecular Constructor holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 166 and 52 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Molecules's written reviews are positive against 75% of Molecular Constructor's.

Molecules ships an update every 2 months, Molecular Constructor every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on August 5, 2026 and August 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Molecules | Molecular Constructor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (166 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecules/id284943090/reviews) | **[3.9 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecular-constructor/id1299401504/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **166** | 52 |
| Positive reviews | 65.5% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sunset Lake Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/284943093) | [Alexander Teplukhin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1299401503) |

## 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


### Molecular Constructor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/molecular-constructor/id1299401504)

Create and optimize 3D molecular models. This free software allows users to design molecules and refine their geometry simultaneously. A more advanced desktop version is also available.

**Highlights:** Build molecules in 3D, Design molecular structures, Optimize geometry, Free software, Desktop version available

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Molecules free?

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

### Is Molecular Constructor free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Molecules or Molecular Constructor?

Molecular Constructor is rated higher. Molecules averages 3.6 out of 5 from 166 ratings, while Molecular Constructor averages 3.9 from 52 ratings.

### Do Molecules or Molecular Constructor have ads?

Neither Molecules nor Molecular Constructor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Molecules or Molecular Constructor?

Molecules ships an update every 2 months, and Molecular Constructor every 12 months. Most recently, Molecules was updated on August 5, 2026 and Molecular Constructor on August 29, 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.*