CrysView vs cella
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CrysView
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CrysView is an interactive 3D unit cell visualization tool designed specifically for chemistry learners. You can start your journey to the world of crystals as soon as you open it. · Full Range of Crystal Models It comes with hundreds of standard unit cells including simple cubic, body-centered cubic, face-centered cubic, hexagonal close-packed, diamond, NaCl, perovskite, rutile, and more. · Free Gesture Interaction Rotate freely, adjust the view precisely with X/Y/Z sliders. · Quick Crystal Search Supports fuzzy searches with chemical formulas, substance names, and lattice types to quickly locate the unit cell you need. · Atom Visualization and Differentiation Atoms of different elements use unique colors, with real-time legends to distinguish cations, anions, metals, and nonmetals clearly.
cella
Explore crystal structures in interactive 3D. Visualize atomic arrangements, view different molecular models, and access a curated atlas of common materials. Supports CIF file import and export with a one-time purchase.
- Interactive 3D crystal exploration
- Fifteen visual Cell Notes
- Curated structure atlas
- Multiple view modes (ball-and-stick, space-filling)
- Unit cell and (hkl) plane visualization
- CIF file import and export (Pro)
- No ads, tracking, or analytics
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Open a supported CIF file and explore its structure in interactive 3D. cella brings crystal data, fifteen visual Cell Notes, and a curated structure atlas into one focused workspace for iPhone and iPad. READ THE STRUCTURE Fifteen Cell Notes connect familiar materials to the lattice beneath them. Follow salts, metals, carbon structures, and semiconductors through concise visual stories, then open the related crystal in 3D to inspect the model yourself. EXPLORE IN 3D • Rotate, zoom, and pan • Tap atoms to read element names, sites, and fractional coordinates • Switch between ball-and-stick, space-filling, and coordination-polyhedra views • Show the unit cell and (hkl) planes • Build a×b×c supercells USE THE BUILT-IN ATLAS Start with 20 free structures. The collection covers rock salt, diamond, graphite, fluorite, perovskites, common metals, and other teaching examples. Pro unlocks all 58 built-in structures. IMPORT AND EXPORT WITH PRO A one-time purchase unlocks supported CIF import, the full atlas, and high-resolution transparent PNG export. There is no subscription. CIF compatibility depends on file content. Unsupported or malformed files are reported in the app. Review labels and geometry before using exported images in research or publication. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account, ads, tracking, or analytics. CIF files are processed on your device and never uploaded. Apple StoreKit may use an internet connection to load Pro availability, process purchases, or restore entitlements.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CrysView at none against cella's 1. cella's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. cella sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. CrysView asks for nothing beyond the download.
CrysView ships an update every 2 weeks, cella every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CrysView | cella |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 71 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 凌云 马 | 武汉回到未来科技有限公司 |
In-app purchases
CrysView
No in-app purchases
cella
- cella Pro$5.99








