HudsonAlpha iCell vs DAC App
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
HudsonAlpha iCell
Explore the inner workings of animal, plant, and bacteria cells in a 3D interactive environment. Tap on cellular components to learn their names and functions. Rotate and zoom to get a comprehensive understanding of cellular biology.
- 3D interactive cell models
- Animal, plant, and bacteria cell examples
- Tap to select and learn organelle functions
- Rotate and zoom functionality
- Adjustable text size and description levels
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***Updated 3.6.1*** iCell now works even better on the iPhone. We have added larger text for all descriptions and included the ability to change text description levels for the iPhone as well as the iPad. iCell gives students, teachers, and anyone interested in biology a 3D view inside a cell. Included are examples of three types of cells: animal, plant, and bacteria. Learn about the various parts of the cell, which biologists, biochemists, and DNA researchers at the HudsonAlpha Institute study and use to advance the limits of biotechnology. You can use your finger to tap on parts of the cell to select and zoom in on that particular organelle. Each organelle comes with a name and a short description of its function in the cell. For a better view of each cell, hold down one finger on the screen, and drag to rotate around the cell or selected organelle. You can zoom in and out by pinching or flaring with two fingers at once. We hope you enjoy!
DAC App
This free application simplifies the recording of student audio responses for specific AP exams. It streamlines the process for both students and proctors, and automatically uploads audio files for school staff. Designed for use on school-issued iPads.
- Record audio responses for AP exams
- Simplify recording process
- Intuitive interface for students
- Streamline post-exam tasks
- Direct upload of audio files
- Designed for school-owned iPads
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The Digital Audio Capture (DAC) app is a free app developed by College Board and ETS to use for recording students’ audio responses for the AP Music Theory Exam and AP French, German, Italian, and Spanish Language and Culture Exams. This app has been developed to simplify the recording process for students and proctors, utilizing current technology that is intuitive to most students. It streamlines post-exam tasks for school staff by directly uploading student audio files after recording. School staff will follow the instructions in the 2025-26 AP Exam Instructions book to administer an exam using the DAC app. NOTE: The DAC app is limited for use on school-owned and -controlled iPad tablets (iOS 15.0 and above). Schools must update to the 2026 version of the DAC app; previous versions of the app will not work in 2026.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: HudsonAlpha iCell at 70% against DAC App's 20%. HudsonAlpha iCell also leads on rating (3.0 vs 1.8) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 12 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
HudsonAlpha iCell holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HudsonAlpha iCell has 296 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of HudsonAlpha iCell's written reviews are positive against 20% of DAC App's.
HudsonAlpha iCell ships an update every 4 weeks, DAC App every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | HudsonAlpha iCell | DAC App |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (296 ratings) — better | 1.8 (16 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 69.8% of reviews — better | 20.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 296 — better | 16 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks — better | Every 12 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 83 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology | Educational Testing Service |
Customer experience
HudsonAlpha iCell
DAC App
Bugs and requests
HudsonAlpha iCell
Reported bugs
3 issues- Frequent crashes and app instability
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Missing or incorrectly labeled organelles
Requested features
4 requests- Add more cell types (e.g. fungi, virus)
- Provide quizzing and assessment features
- Improve level of detail and explanations
- Allow users to explore cell structures in more depth
DAC App
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
HudsonAlpha iCell
No in-app purchases
DAC App
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is HudsonAlpha iCell free?
Is DAC App free?
Which has better reviews, HudsonAlpha iCell or DAC App?
Do HudsonAlpha iCell or DAC App have ads?
Which is updated more often, HudsonAlpha iCell or DAC App?
Other comparisons
