Comparison

Protein Purification for iPad vs CellWalk

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

Head to head
About

Protein Purification for iPad

This educational app simulates protein separation techniques, allowing users to experiment with purification protocols. It models both success and failure, requiring users to apply theoretical knowledge to design effective purification strategies. Ideal for students and researchers needing practical experience.

Highlights
  • Protein separation technique simulation
  • Design and test purification protocols
  • Experiment with gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography
  • Models success and failure scenarios
  • Educational tool for students and researchers
Features
Read full description

Lectures and textbooks can cover the theoretical aspects of protein purification and laboratory classes can teach the practical techniques, but there are other topics which are difficult to learn by conventional methods. In order to purify any protein you need to know which separation techniques are likely to be most effective under the circumstances and, probably more important, which techniques are not. This knowledge cannot be picked up by following a fixed recipe for a class practical. It requires some thought and usually comes with experience, generally during postgraduate research. This is the iPad version of the award-winning program that has been widely used in schools, colleges and universities since 1983. Protein Purification's associated tutorial aims to guide you through a simulation of some of the more commonly-used protein separation techniques and to let you experiment with the simulation. It starts off by letting you examine how a simple mixture of proteins behaves during gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography and then goes on to allow the design and testing of full purification protocols using more complex mixtures of proteins. It is assumed that you are familiar with the theoretical background to the most common separation techniques, enzyme assays etc. and that you understand the concept of the isoelectric point of proteins. The app will model failure as accurately as success - so be careful!

About

CellWalk

Explore a living cell in 3D, from whole organisms down to atoms. An AI tutor guides your learning with interactive lessons and detailed explanations of molecular structures. Features augmented reality for an immersive educational experience.

Highlights
  • 3D cell exploration
  • Molecular-level detail
  • AI-powered tutor (Ako)
  • Augmented reality visualization
  • Interactive learning paths
  • Guided tours
  • Siri integration
Features
Read full description

CellWalk puts a living cell in your hands and on your desk. Zoom from a whole cell down to the atoms in DNA. Explore a cell modeled protein by protein from real structures discovered by scientists. Start your journey with Ako, an AI tutor that helps you understand what you see. Built for students, teachers and anyone curious about how life works at the molecular scale. 2025 Apple Design Award finalist. EXPLORE A REAL CELL Zoom from a whole Mycoplasma cell down to single atoms. Thousands of proteins, DNA and RNA, ribosomes and membranes, rendered from published scientific data. Tap any molecule to learn what it is and what it does. Tap any term for an explanation at your level, written on your device with Apple Intelligence. Place molecular scenes in your space with augmented reality on compatible iPhone and iPad devices. LEARN WITH AKO Ako helps you build understanding through questions. It brings molecular structures into view, invites you to look closer and explain what you notice, then builds on your answers to help you make connections. Socratic learning, one discovery at a time. Type or dictate. Ask anything about what’s on screen or in your space. Your Ako lessons, your progress in them and what Ako has learned about you stay with you: on your device and, if you use iCloud, in your own iCloud. Get more of Ako with CellWalk Pro. GUIDED TOURS Start your journey with The Molecular Design of Life, a complete tour of the Mycoplasma cell made with Dr. David Goodsell. Each tour includes a guided narration, free explore mode and Ako practice lessons to test your understanding. CellWalk Pro adds more guided tours and lessons with an expanded library of cells and organisms. Explore the incredible molecular machines that power neurons and thought, or dive into the architecture of a virus like HIV. LEARN BY DOING Step into the Central Dogma of Biology with a hands-on interactive lesson on the all new Learning Path. Learn how the instructions in DNA are read and translated into the proteins that build and sustain your cells. WHAT’S FREE Explore The Molecular Design of Life tour and its accompanying Ako lesson and explore modes, and try the “What is a Protein?” interactive lesson on the Learning Path. You can also ask Ako in-depth questions with a free daily allowance. CELLWALK PRO Unlock all other guided tours and their accompanying Ako lessons, a larger daily question allowance and longer answers from Ako. Choose a monthly or annual auto-renewing subscription. One subscription covers iPhone, iPad and Mac. ASK FROM ANYWHERE Say “Ask CellWalk a biology question” and Siri answers from CellWalk’s own content without opening the app. “Continue my lesson in CellWalk” picks up where you left off. On iPhone and iPad, use Visual Intelligence on a textbook diagram, choose Search CellWalk with an Image, and tap a match to open that tour, lesson or molecule. HOW THE AI WORKS Ako is built with the Foundation Models framework. Where Apple Intelligence is available, it answers on Private Cloud Compute, and the on-device model explains the terms you tap. OpenAI, a third-party AI service, plans lessons and answers when Apple Intelligence isn’t available on your device or in your region. The app asks your permission before sending your first question. You can change that permission under Account → Privacy. CellWalk doesn’t require a separate CellWalk account, and AI requests aren’t tied to your name. Find details under Account → Privacy → About CellWalk & AI. Apple Intelligence features require iPhone 15 Pro or later, an iPad with M1 or A17 Pro or later, or a Mac with Apple silicon. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of Service: https://cellwalk.ca/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://cellwalk.ca/privacy

Screenshots

CellWalk4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Protein Purification for iPad at none against CellWalk's 3. Protein Purification for iPad also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 92%) and iOS requirement (6.0 vs 27.0). CellWalk's advantage is ratings volume (72 vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating and ads 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. CellWalk sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Protein Purification for iPad asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Protein Purification for iPad against 4.9 for CellWalk. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CellWalk has 72 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Protein Purification for iPad's written reviews are positive against 92% of CellWalk's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Protein Purification for iPad ships an update every 2 months, CellWalk every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Protein Purification for iPad versus CellWalk: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterProtein Purification for iPadCellWalk
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.9 (72 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better91.7% of reviews
Number of ratings172 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS6.0 — better27.0
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB555 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperSimon BoothAko Biotica Inc.

Customer experience

Protein Purification for iPad

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

CellWalk

All ratings72 ratings
Positive95.8%
Neutral2.8%
Negative1.4%
Written reviews60 reviews
Positive91.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.3%

Bugs and requests

Protein Purification for iPad

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

CellWalk

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • ATP synthase described backwards
  • Renderer noise causes nausea
  • Buggy and low framerate
  • Renderer not responsive to head movements

Requested features

10 requests
  • More cells to explore (eukaryotic, mammalian, computer cells)
  • More content and depth
  • Expand on descriptions with an 'expand on' feature
  • Add tutorials for new users
  • Add color to highlighted text for easy reference
Show 5 more
  • Depict a minimal eukaryotic cell
  • Depict a cell undergoing mitosis
  • Make cell models free-floating instead of behind windows
  • Option to purchase additional content
  • Update renderer for responsiveness to head movements

In-app purchases

None

Protein Purification for iPad

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

CellWalk

Subscriptions2
  • CellWalk Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
  • CellWalk Pro Annual$79.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lessons$39.99

Questions

Is Protein Purification for iPad free?
Protein Purification for iPad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CellWalk free?
CellWalk is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Protein Purification for iPad or CellWalk?
Protein Purification for iPad is rated higher. Protein Purification for iPad averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while CellWalk averages 4.9 from 72 ratings.
Do Protein Purification for iPad or CellWalk have ads?
Neither Protein Purification for iPad nor CellWalk shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Protein Purification for iPad or CellWalk?
Protein Purification for iPad ships an update every 2 months, and CellWalk every 2 weeks. Most recently, Protein Purification for iPad was updated on October 29, 2026 and CellWalk on October 30, 2026.

Other comparisons