Molecule World vs Chemistry Widget
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.
Chemistry Widget
Explore detailed profiles of every element on the periodic table, including their origins, uses, and scientific properties. This app offers interactive Home Screen widgets to discover new elements daily, making science accessible for students and enthusiasts.
- Detailed element profiles
- Origins and etymology
- Main uses and facts
- Home Screen widgets
- Filter by properties (radioactive, toxic)
- Filter by group block
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Meet the atoms that make up the universe! Chemistry Widget brings detailed element profiles with origins, etymology, main uses, and fascinating facts. Handy for students, teachers, or anyone curious about science and chemistry. Chemistry Widget keeps the Periodic Table of the Elements right in your pocket. Discover new elements every day with different types of Home Screen widgets. Learn the details of each element with etymology, uses, electron configuration, oxidation states, group and period, electronegativity, atomic radius, ionization energy, density, electron affinity, standard state, melting and boiling point, and the year it was discovered. Filter and highlight the elements by radioactive, toxic, explosive, or by group block: nonmetals, noble gases, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, metalloids, post transition metals, transition metals, halogens, lanthanides, and actinides. We have many exciting updates planned, so stay tuned!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Molecule World at Free against Chemistry Widget's $0.99. Molecule World also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1). Chemistry Widget's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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
Molecule World is free to download; Chemistry Widget costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Molecule World against 5.0 for Chemistry Widget. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Molecule World ships an update every 2 months, Chemistry Widget every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 7, 2026.
| Parameter | Molecule World | Chemistry Widget |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $0.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 — better | 18.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Digital World Biology LLC | Cecile Lebleu |
Customer experience
Molecule World
Chemistry Widget
In-app purchases
Molecule World
No in-app purchases
Chemistry Widget
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Molecule World free?
Is Chemistry Widget free?
Which has better reviews, Molecule World or Chemistry Widget?
Do Molecule World or Chemistry Widget have ads?
Which is updated more often, Molecule World or Chemistry Widget?
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