IRAKU vs PDB Viewer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
IRAKU
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IRAKU is an educational app that lets you learn genetics, DNA and evolution through moving simulations. Every mode unfolds in 4 steps and ends with a real example from research or observation. Every part of each picture is labeled, so you can connect the formulas with what you see. Developer: Fuji Bit Inc. IRAKU is the genetics edition of the "-raku" series of educational apps. It turns genetics from high school biology to introductory university courses into moving pictures, not just formulas and terms. 11 simulations in 4 categories: - DNA and gene expression - DNA Double Helix: Watch nucleotides gather, form A=T (2 hydrogen bonds) and Gā”C (3 hydrogen bonds) base pairs, and wind as two antiparallel strands into a right-handed helix in 3D. Spin the finished helix with your finger. Human DNA has about 3 billion base pairs; stretched out, the DNA in one cell is about 2 m long. - Central Dogma: Using the human insulin gene, follow transcription initiation, mRNA synthesis, splicing and export from the nucleus, and translation on the ribosome. - Codon Translation: Read mRNA three bases at a time from the start codon AUG to a stop codon, with tRNAs bringing amino acids and a codon table highlighting each codon. Switch to examples of a synonymous substitution and a nonsense mutation. - How inheritance works - Mendel's Crosses: Cross round and wrinkled peas through F1 and F2. Check the 3:1 ratio (9:3:3:1 with two genes) in a Punnett square and compare it with Mendel's own counts of 5474 : 1850. - Meiosis & Crossing Over (new): Follow DNA replication, pairing of homologous chromosomes and crossing over, then meiosis I and II until four gametes form. Tell parental and recombinant gametes apart, and turn crossing over on or off. - Karyotype: Stain 46 chromosomes with G-banding and arrange them by size and centromere position into pairs 1-22 and the sex chromosomes to complete the karyotype 46,XX or 46,XY. - Populations and evolution - Mutation & Evolution: Using industrial melanism in the peppered moth, see mutation, environmental change and natural selection spread the dark form generation by generation. - Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium: See allele frequencies p and q give genotypes p², 2pq and q², and stay the same generation after generation. Change p with a slider. - Phylogenetic Tree: Build a tree with the UPGMA method from DNA differences between humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and gibbons. - Biotechnology - PCR Amplification (new): Watch DNA double in three steps - denaturation (95 °C), annealing (about 58 °C) and extension (72 °C) - and grow about a billion-fold in 30 cycles, with a temperature graph. - CRISPR: See a guide RNA and Cas9 find a PAM sequence (NGG), cut both strands, and the break being repaired by NHEJ (deletions and insertions) or HDR (rewriting). Switch between the two repair pathways. Features: - Clean, modern design with dark and light themes - Home screen organized by category - Every mode advances in 4 steps and ends with a real example (step back and forth with ā ā¶ and change the speed) - Labels on every part of each picture - An explanation sheet with formulas for every simulation - In landscape, the canvas and controls sit side by side - Supports larger text sizes - Available in 73 languages, including English and Japanese (follows your device language) - No sign-in; start exploring right away Price and purchases: - Price: Free - In-app purchases: None - Subscriptions: None - Ads: Banner ads by Pangle at the bottom of the screen The "-raku" series of educational apps (selection): - SUUGAKU - Mathematics - BUTURAKU - Mechanics - DENRAKU - Electromagnetism - HARAKU - Waves - CHIRAKU - Earth Science - IRAKU - Genetics
PDB Viewer
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PDB Viewer turns your phone into a molecular microscope. Search the entire Protein Data Bank and over 200 million AlphaFold predictions, then explore any protein, virus, drug, or DNA structure in interactive 3D ā free, with no account, no ads, and no sign-up. WHERE THE MOLECULES COME FROM ⢠RCSB Protein Data Bank ā 200,000+ experimentally determined structures ⢠AlphaFold ā 200M+ AI-predicted protein models ⢠SWISS-MODEL ā template-based homology models ⢠PubChem and ChEMBL ā millions of drugs and compounds ⢠Crystallography Open Database ā small-molecule crystals ⢠NCI/CADD resolver ā type a chemical name and get a 3D model Every source is free and needs no API key. You can also open your own .pdb and .cif files. WAYS TO SEE IT ⢠Five representations: wireframe, ball-and-stick, space-filling (CPK), cartoon/ribbon, and a smooth molecular surface ⢠Color by element, chain, secondary structure, rainbow, or AlphaFold confidence (pLDDT) ⢠Biological assemblies: rebuild an entire icosahedral virus capsid from a few deposited chains ⢠NMR ensembles: overlay every model in the bundle to watch a protein flex ⢠Automatic secondary-structure detection MADE FOR TOUCH ⢠Rotate, pinch-zoom, and pan with smooth native rendering ⢠Tap any atom to see its element, residue, and chain ⢠Recently viewed structures are cached, so they reopen instantly and work offline For students, researchers, teachers, and the simply curious. PDB Viewer makes structural biology beautiful and accessible. Structures are provided by their respective databases. PDB Viewer is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the RCSB PDB, EMBL-EBI, or AlphaFold.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: IRAKU at none against PDB Viewer's 1. PDB Viewer's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. PDB Viewer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. IRAKU asks for nothing beyond the download.
IRAKU ships an update every 5 months, PDB Viewer monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | IRAKU | PDB Viewer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Monthly ā better |
| Ads | Yes | No ā better |
| In-app purchases | No ā better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod ā better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 ā better | 16.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 30 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Fuji Bit Inc. | Qvyshift LLC |
In-app purchases
IRAKU
No in-app purchases
PDB Viewer
- PDB Viewer Pro$9.99
Questions
Is IRAKU free?
Is PDB Viewer free?
Do IRAKU or PDB Viewer have ads?
Which is updated more often, IRAKU or PDB Viewer?
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