Molecule World vs BioViewer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Molecule World
Explore interactive 3D models of molecules, proteins, and DNA. This educational tool allows users to manipulate structures, experiment with visualization styles, and learn about chemical properties. Ideal for students and science enthusiasts of all ages.
- Interactive 3D molecule manipulation
- Experiment with drawing and coloring styles
- View and control molecular sequences (protein, DNA, RNA)
- Identify elements and investigate molecular properties
- Capture images of molecular structures
- Explore themed collections of molecules
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A modern 3D molecular workspace that makes exploring the connections between sequence, structure, and function accessible to a new generation of scientists, educators, and students. Molecule World 5.0 is built for how molecular structures are explored and designed today. View, compare, align, and explore experimental structures and computationally generated models together. Compare normal and mutant proteins, investigate structural differences, and connect sequence changes to their 3D consequences. Explore proteins, DNA, RNA, and small molecules on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Rotate, zoom, and pan through structures with high-quality interactive 3D visualization. Molecule World brings structure viewing, sequence analysis, molecular comparison, and educational tools together in one app. EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONAL STRUCTURES Open structures from X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, and NMR alongside computationally generated models. Search RCSB PDB, NCBI MMDB, and PubChem by ID or keyword and download structures directly into your library. SEQUENCE AND STRUCTURE The sequence viewer on iPad and Mac shows every chain as a row of residues colored to match the 3D view. Copies of a molecule line up in shared columns, while superimposed models read down the same columns. See sequence differences in context and investigate their structural consequences. POWERFUL VISUALIZATION Choose Spacefill, Ball & Stick, Tubes, Ribbon, Surface, or Wire Surface representations. Color by element, secondary structure, chain, sequence, assembly, conserved domain, residue type, charge, hydrophobicity, or B-factor. Show proteins, nucleic acids, or chemical components alone, or reduce chains to their backbone or Cα trace. A color key shows what is on screen, while the Info card reports what a structure is, how it was determined, and what it contains. YOUR LIBRARY Keep structures in folders, synced through iCloud Drive or stored on the device. Filter your library by atoms, chains, resolution, confidence values, file type, source database, models, or scenes. MOLECULE WORLD PRO Pro adds tools for creating and saving molecular content. Selections: select residues in the sequence, search by variant, range, or motif, select residue neighbors, then style, color, hide, and lock them. Scenes: save named views, including selections, styles, and camera position, inside the structure file. Step through scenes to guide an exploration or create a presentation. Model sets: superimpose structures and compare how closely they align. Compare experimental structures, predicted models, variants, or alternative conformations, and save the model set and its comparison data for sharing. Collections: package structures, models, scenes, and descriptions into a single file. Hide selected structures for exercises and optionally lock the collection for distribution. Pro also includes undo and redo and high-resolution image capture. It is a single in-app purchase with no subscription and can be shared with Family Sharing. TEACH SEQUENCE, STRUCTURE, AND FUNCTION Build collections around a biological question. Give students related structures, variants, or predicted models and let them investigate the differences themselves. Use scenes to guide an exploration, hide structures for unknown-structure exercises, and move between aligned sequence and 3D structure to connect sequence changes with their structural consequences. Everything created with Pro opens in the free Molecule World viewer on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Students and colleagues can explore collections, step through scenes and model sets, change views, and save images for assignments and presentations. BUILT FOR THE APPLE ECOSYSTEM Molecule World runs as a unified app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Optional iCloud support keeps your library available across devices. Molecule World is developed by Digital World Biology LLC, with support from National Science Foundation awards IIP 1315426 and DUE 2055036.
BioViewer
Visualize 3D molecular structures from .pdb files on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Features smooth rendering, drag-and-drop support, and publication-quality photo exports for detailed analysis.
- 3D molecular structure visualization
- Supports .pdb and .xyz files
- Drag and drop functionality
- Photo Mode with high-quality exports
- Multi-model PDB support
- Optimized for ProMotion displays
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A .pdb protein visualizer for iOS, iPadOS and macOS. View the 3D representation of any molecular structure from a .pdb file, using our custom Metal-based rendering engine based to allow for a smooth experience even in the biggest proteins. - Full drag and drop support for .pdb and .xyz files. - Photo Mode with publication-quality exports. - Support for multi-model PDBs. - Support for high refresh rate ProMotion displays.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Molecule World at 100% against BioViewer's 33%. Molecule World also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (4 vs 1). BioViewer's advantage is monetization model (free vs paid) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Molecule World holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Molecule World's written reviews are positive against 33% of BioViewer's.
Molecule World ships an update every 2 months, BioViewer every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Molecule World | BioViewer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Digital World Biology LLC | Raul Monton Pinillos |
Customer experience
Molecule World
BioViewer
In-app purchases
Molecule World
No in-app purchases
BioViewer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Molecule World free?
Is BioViewer free?
Which has better reviews, Molecule World or BioViewer?
Do Molecule World or BioViewer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Molecule World or BioViewer?
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