Comparison

Bacterial ID Virtual Lab vs NWHSU DC Methods

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bacterial ID Virtual Lab

Explore the science and methods for identifying bacteria using DNA sequences. This interactive virtual lab simulates modern techniques applicable in research and forensics. It's designed for high school biology students and science enthusiasts.

Highlights
  • Learn DNA sequencing techniques
  • Identify different bacteria types
  • Simulates real-world lab methods
  • Applicable to research and forensics
  • Interactive virtual lab environment
Features
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Learn about the science and techniques used to identify different types of bacteria based on their DNA sequences. Not long ago, DNA sequencing was a time-consuming, tedious process. With readily available commercial equipment and kits, it is now routine. The techniques used in this lab are applicable in a wide variety of settings, including scientific research and forensic labs. This app is geared for high school biology students and anyone interested in the biological sciences. The Bacterial ID Virtual Lab was first released in 2000 as a browser-based interactive lab. Since its inception, it and the other HHMI Virtual Labs have won several awards, including the Pirelli INTERNETional Award's top prize in 2002. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is a nonprofit medical research organization that ranks as one of the nation’s largest philanthropies. HHMI plays a powerful role in advancing biomedical research and science education. HHMI brings the latest biomedical research into the classroom with the award-winning BioInteractive website and the Holiday Lectures on Science. BioInteractive features free resources for science education, including animations, videos, interactive features, and classroom materials. The Holiday Lectures on Science feature world-class scientists who bring their leading-edge research to the classroom.

About

NWHSU DC Methods

Features
Read full description

DC students and faculty/TAs can access their Methods curriculum portal through this dedicated app. This app is intended for current students and faculty/TAs and requires an existing account to use. Student can see assessment information from lab and see aggregated reports based on their data. Faculty/TAs complete assessments on students and Faculty can see aggregated data for cohorts/courses.

Screenshots

NWHSU DC Methods1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: NWHSU DC Methods at 3 against Bacterial ID Virtual Lab's 1. Bacterial ID Virtual Lab's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bacterial ID Virtual Lab ships an update every 14 months, NWHSU DC Methods every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Bacterial ID Virtual Lab versus NWHSU DC Methods: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBacterial ID Virtual LabNWHSU DC Methods
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (9 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings9 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 14 months — betterEvery 15 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB63 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHoward Hughes Medical InstituteNORTHWESTERN HEALTH SCIENCES UNIVERSITY

In-app purchases

None

Bacterial ID Virtual Lab

No in-app purchases

None

NWHSU DC Methods

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bacterial ID Virtual Lab free?
Bacterial ID Virtual Lab is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NWHSU DC Methods free?
NWHSU DC Methods is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Bacterial ID Virtual Lab or NWHSU DC Methods have ads?
Neither Bacterial ID Virtual Lab nor NWHSU DC Methods shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bacterial ID Virtual Lab or NWHSU DC Methods?
Bacterial ID Virtual Lab ships an update every 14 months, and NWHSU DC Methods every 15 months. Most recently, Bacterial ID Virtual Lab was updated on June 4, 2026 and NWHSU DC Methods on September 25, 2026.

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