# Chemistry By Design vs iORA

The clearest difference is update cadence: iORA at every 2 months against Chemistry By Design's every 16 months. iORA also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 81%). Chemistry By Design's advantage is iOS requirement (6.0 vs 14.3). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Chemistry By Design against 5.0 for iORA. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 12 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of Chemistry By Design's written reviews are positive against 100% of iORA's.

Chemistry By Design ships an update every 16 months, iORA every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chemistry By Design | iORA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chemistry-by-design-target-synthesis-database/id451791347/reviews) | [5.0 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iora-reaction-visualizer/id1609524913/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 80.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 23 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 14.3 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [University of Arizona](https://appshunter.io/developer/437682109) | [Daniel Ess](https://appshunter.io/developer/1609524915) |

## What reviewers say

### Chemistry By Design

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chemistry-by-design-target-synthesis-database/id451791347)

This interactive virtual flashcard app helps students practice chemistry synthesis skills. It displays reagents, starting materials, and products for each step in constructing natural products or pharmaceuticals. Various browsing options are available for self-testing.

**Highlights:** Interactive virtual flashcards, Practice synthetic sequences, Display reagents, starting materials, and products, Natural product and pharmaceutical synthesis, Multiple browsing options for testing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### iORA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iora-reaction-visualizer/id1609524913)

Visualize chemical reactions in 3D using quantum-mechanical simulations. This free, interactive application makes complex chemistry concepts accessible and engaging for learners.

**Highlights:** 3D chemical reaction visualization, Quantum-mechanical simulations, Interactive learning, Easy to use interface, Educational tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chemistry By Design free?

Chemistry By Design is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is iORA free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chemistry By Design or iORA?

Chemistry By Design and iORA are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 14 and 12 ratings respectively.

### Do Chemistry By Design or iORA have ads?

Neither Chemistry By Design nor iORA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chemistry By Design or iORA?

Chemistry By Design ships an update every 16 months, and iORA every 2 months. Most recently, Chemistry By Design was updated on November 4, 2026 and iORA on November 3, 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.*