Magpie vs Gemology Notes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Magpie
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Magpie is a free molecular visualisation and scientific post-processing app for iPhone and iPad, designed for computational chemistry research, teaching and learning. KEY FEATURES ⢠Open and inspect computational chemistry outputs, molecular coordinates, trajectories and volumetric data. ⢠Explore interactive 3D structures, vibrational modes, reaction paths, spectra and potential-energy surfaces. ⢠Export high-resolution PNG images with transparent backgrounds in standard mode or black backgrounds in red/blue 3D mode, ready for figures, presentations and teaching materials. ⢠Export molecular structures and surfaces as GLB or USDZ 3D models, and trajectories, molecular vibrations and model rotation as USDZ animations. Save images and models to Files or share them through the system share menu. ⢠Edit atoms, bonds and geometries, then optimise structures with UFF or MMFF94s force fields. ⢠Generate quantum-chemistry input files, including ab initio molecular dynamics workflows, plus XYZ, MOL2, CIF and PDB files. ⢠Play XYZ and DCD trajectories, inspect changing molecular structures and measurements, and visualise dynamic bonds and hydrogen bonds. ⢠Visualise molecular orbitals with fast on-device GPU calculation, and explore signed CUBE scalar fields. Connect to a remote server running Multiwfn for additional wavefunction analysis. ⢠Organise files locally, import from other apps, or connect to your SSH/SFTP server for remote file browsing and terminal work.
Gemology Notes
An offline reference app for gemology students and professionals. Explore gemstone properties, crystal structures with interactive 3D models, and detailed identification points. Study gemology anywhere without an internet connection.
- Gemstone Browser
- 3D Crystal Models
- Detailed Gemstone Notes
- Offline Access
- Systematic Classification
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Systematic Gemology Notes An offline reference app dedicated to gemology learning, covering the fundamental properties, crystal structures, and systematic classification of common gemstones. KEY FEATURES ⢠Gemstone Browser ā Reference material organized by crystal system and gemstone species ⢠3D Crystal Models ā Interactive displays of each gemstone's crystal structure; rotate and zoom to examine every angle ⢠Detailed Notes ā Systematic knowledge covering physical properties, optical characteristics, and key identification points ⢠Fully Offline ā No internet connection required; study anywhere, anytime Ideal for gemology students, professional gemologists and appraisers, jewelers, and collectors.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Gemology Notes at 17.0 against Magpie's 26.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Magpie ships an update every 5 days, Gemology Notes every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Magpie | Gemology Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | ā | 100.0% of reviews |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | Every 4 days ā better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | ā | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 17.0 ā better |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 23 MB | 31 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yuchen Zhou | é é |
In-app purchases
Magpie
No in-app purchases
Gemology Notes
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Magpie free?
Is Gemology Notes free?
Do Magpie or Gemology Notes have ads?
Which is updated more often, Magpie or Gemology Notes?
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