Protein Purification for iPad vs CellWalk
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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!
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.
- 3D cell exploration
- Molecular-level detail
- AI-powered tutor (Ako)
- Augmented reality visualization
- Interactive learning paths
- Guided tours
- Siri integration
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Protein Purification for iPad | CellWalk |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.9 (72 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 91.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 72 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better |
| Requires iOS | 6.0 — better | 27.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 46 MB | 555 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Simon Booth | Ako Biotica Inc. |
Customer experience
Protein Purification for iPad
CellWalk
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
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- 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
Protein Purification for iPad
No in-app purchases
CellWalk
- CellWalk Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
- CellWalk Pro Annual$79.991 Year
- Pro Lessons$39.99
Questions
Is Protein Purification for iPad free?
Is CellWalk free?
Which has better reviews, Protein Purification for iPad or CellWalk?
Do Protein Purification for iPad or CellWalk have ads?
Which is updated more often, Protein Purification for iPad or CellWalk?
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