Comparison

Molecule World vs PDB Viewer

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Read full description

Molecule World A modern molecular visualization app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Molecule World is back — completely redesigned for Apple's modern ecosystem. Developed, in part, with funding from the National Science Foundation* and recognized for its contributions to science education, Molecule World has been rebuilt from the ground up as a single, unified app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac (via Mac Catalyst). The new version pairs high-quality molecular visualization with a streamlined experience that follows you across every device. Explore Molecular Structures in 3D Students, educators, and researchers can interactively explore proteins, DNA, RNA, and small molecules in a fully three-dimensional environment. Rotate, zoom, and pan through structures with smooth, high-quality rendering built for clarity and scientific understanding. Bring In Structures From the Major Databases Open files you already have, or fetch structures right inside the app — search the Protein Data Bank, PubChem, and NCBI by ID or keyword and have them download and open in seconds. Connect Sequences to Structure and Function on iPad and Mac The sequence viewer (iPad & Mac) makes it easy to see the number and kind of sequences in a structure — protein, DNA, and RNA — along with its heterogens: modified amino acids and nucleotides within a sequence, and external organic and inorganic molecules such as ligands and ions. Each sequence is colored to match your current view. Powerful Visualization Tools - Smooth, interactive 3D — rotate, zoom, and pan - Multiple representation styles: ball-and-stick, space-filling, tubes, ribbon/cartoon, molecular surfaces, and wire mesh - Focused selections — show just proteins, nucleic acids, ligands, backbones, or alpha-carbon traces - Scientific color schemes — by element, chain, residue, secondary structure, charge, hydrophobicity, and B-factor - Clear, context-aware legends that explain exactly what you're looking at Designed for Education and Discovery Molecule World is used in classrooms and laboratories to support teaching in structural biology, chemistry, and molecular science. Educators can illustrate key concepts — protein folding, molecular interactions, and the structure of DNA and RNA — with visuals students manipulate themselves. Built for the Apple Ecosystem One app runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Optional iCloud support keeps your library of structures — and your place in them — in sync across all your devices. Built for What's Next This release lays the foundation for upcoming features, including enhanced analysis tools, richer educational workflows, and professional research capabilities. *NSF awards IIP 1315426 and DUE 2055036 Molecule World is developed by Digital World Biology LLC.

About

PDB Viewer

Features
Read full description

PDB Viewer turns your phone into a molecular microscope. Search the entire Protein Data Bank and over 200 million AlphaFold predictions, then explore any protein, virus, drug, or DNA structure in interactive 3D — free, with no account, no ads, and no sign-up. WHERE THE MOLECULES COME FROM • RCSB Protein Data Bank — 200,000+ experimentally determined structures • AlphaFold — 200M+ AI-predicted protein models • SWISS-MODEL — template-based homology models • PubChem and ChEMBL — millions of drugs and compounds • Crystallography Open Database — small-molecule crystals • NCI/CADD resolver — type a chemical name and get a 3D model Every source is free and needs no API key. You can also open your own .pdb and .cif files. WAYS TO SEE IT • Five representations: wireframe, ball-and-stick, space-filling (CPK), cartoon/ribbon, and a smooth molecular surface • Color by element, chain, secondary structure, rainbow, or AlphaFold confidence (pLDDT) • Biological assemblies: rebuild an entire icosahedral virus capsid from a few deposited chains • NMR ensembles: overlay every model in the bundle to watch a protein flex • Automatic secondary-structure detection MADE FOR TOUCH • Rotate, pinch-zoom, and pan with smooth native rendering • Tap any atom to see its element, residue, and chain • Recently viewed structures are cached, so they reopen instantly and work offline For students, researchers, teachers, and the simply curious. PDB Viewer makes structural biology beautiful and accessible. Structures are provided by their respective databases. PDB Viewer is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the RCSB PDB, EMBL-EBI, or AlphaFold.

Screenshots

Molecule World4 screens
PDB Viewer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Molecule World at none against PDB Viewer's 1. PDB Viewer's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. PDB Viewer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Molecule World asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Molecule World ships an update every 2 months, PDB Viewer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Molecule World versus PDB Viewer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMolecule WorldPDB Viewer
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.616.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDigital World Biology LLCQvyshift LLC

In-app purchases

None

Molecule World

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

PDB Viewer

One-time1
  • PDB Viewer Pro$9.99

Questions

Is Molecule World free?
Molecule World is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PDB Viewer free?
PDB Viewer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Molecule World or PDB Viewer have ads?
Neither Molecule World nor PDB Viewer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Molecule World or PDB Viewer?
Molecule World ships an update every 2 months, and PDB Viewer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Molecule World was updated on September 20, 2026 and PDB Viewer on September 29, 2026.

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