Comparison

WebMO Molecule Editor vs DetectAR

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

Head to head
About

WebMO Molecule Editor

Create and explore 3D molecular structures, visualize chemical properties, and access extensive chemical databases. This tool is ideal for students and educators needing on-the-go access to molecular information and computational chemistry resources.

Highlights
  • 3D molecular editor
  • Structure optimization
  • Orbital and symmetry visualization
  • Chemical database lookup
  • Spectra visualization
  • High-resolution image capture
  • Computational chemistry program integration
Features
Read full description

WebMO allows users to build and view molecules in 3-D, visualize orbitals and symmetry elements, lookup chemical information and properties from external databases, and access state-of-the-art computational chemistry programs. WebMO is recommended for students and faculty in high school, college, and graduate school who desire mobile access to molecular structures, information, and calculations. WebMO capabilities include: - Build molecules by drawing atoms and bonds in a 3-D molecular editor, or by speaking the name (e.g., “aspirin”) - Optimize structures using VSEPR theory or molecular mechanics - View Huckel molecular orbitals, electron density, and electrostatic potential - View molecular vibrations - View point group and symmetry elements of molecules - Lookup basic molecular information, including IUPAC and common names, stoichiometry, molar mass - Lookup chemical data from PubChem and ChemSpider - Lookup experimental and predicted molecular properties from external databases (NIST, Sigma-Aldrich) - Lookup IR, UV-VIS, NMR, and mass spectra from external databases (NIST, SDBS) - Capture high-resolution molecular images - Save and recall molecular structures locally - Export and import structures via email WebMO is also a front-end to WebMO servers (version 14 and higher): - Supports Gaussian, GAMESS, Molpro, MOPAC, NWChem, ORCA, PQS, PSI, Quantum Espresso, VASP, Q-Chem, and Tinker computational chemistry programs - Submit, monitor, and view calculations - View formatted tabular data extracted from output files, as well as raw output - Visualize geometry, partial charges, dipole moment, normal vibrational modes, molecular orbitals, and NMR/IR/UV-VIS spectra

About

DetectAR

This app uses augmented reality to identify objects in your surroundings. It translates their names and allows you to place virtual stickers in real-world space. Simply hover your device over an object to see suggestions and add a sticker.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality object recognition
  • Object name translation
  • Virtual sticker placement
  • ARKit and MLKit integration
  • Real-time object suggestions
Read full description

DetectAR uses ARKit, CoreML, and MLKit to recognize objects, translate their names, and place "stickers" in space. Hover your iPhone on the object, find it in the list of suggestions and tap on it to add a sticker.

Screenshots

WebMO Molecule Editor4 screens
DetectAR4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: DetectAR at 5.0 against WebMO Molecule Editor's 4.0. DetectAR also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). WebMO Molecule Editor's advantage is ratings volume (40 vs 1). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. WebMO Molecule Editor sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. DetectAR asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DetectAR holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WebMO Molecule Editor has 40 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 3, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
WebMO Molecule Editor versus DetectAR: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWebMO Molecule EditorDetectAR
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (40 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings40 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.012.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB161 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWebMO, LLCVladyslav Vdovychenko

Customer experience

WebMO Molecule Editor

All ratings40 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive60.4%
Neutral9.4%
Negative30.2%

DetectAR

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

WebMO Molecule Editor

One-time2
  • WebMO Premium for paid usersFree
  • WebMO Premium$4.99
None

DetectAR

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WebMO Molecule Editor free?
WebMO Molecule Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DetectAR free?
DetectAR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WebMO Molecule Editor or DetectAR?
DetectAR is rated higher. WebMO Molecule Editor averages 4.0 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while DetectAR averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do WebMO Molecule Editor or DetectAR have ads?
Neither WebMO Molecule Editor nor DetectAR shows ads.
Which is updated more often, WebMO Molecule Editor or DetectAR?
WebMO Molecule Editor ships an update every 3 months, and DetectAR every 3 months. Most recently, WebMO Molecule Editor was updated on September 3, 2026 and DetectAR on September 15, 2026.

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