Molecule World vs Amino Acids 3D
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
Read full descriptionHide full description
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.
Amino Acids 3D
Read full descriptionHide full description
Learn the 20 standard amino acids the way you actually need to know them: their 3D shapes, their structural formulas, their chemical properties, and the real history behind their discovery — not just a list of names to memorize. FLASHCARDS Flip through all 20 amino acids with a rotatable, interactive 3D ball-and-stick model on the front. Drag to rotate, and toggle between the zwitterion (physiological pH) and neutral forms to see exactly how the charge changes. Flip the card for full details: category, charge, side chain formula, molecular weight, isoelectric point, essential/nonessential status, and a 2D structural formula with the side chain highlighted. Filter by structural category (nonpolar, aromatic, polar uncharged, acidic, basic) to focus your review. QUIZ — 7 MODES - Identify the Model: name the amino acid from its rotating 3D structure - Identify the Skeleton: name it from its 2D structural formula instead - Codes: match names to their one- and three-letter codes - Properties: charge, category, essential status - Structure: side chains, molecular weight, isoelectric point - History: who discovered it, when, and from what source - Mixed Review: a random mix across every category Every quiz round covers all 20 amino acids exactly once, in a random order, with immediate correct/incorrect feedback. DRAW & LABEL Two hands-on modes: tap the blanks on an amino acid's atom-and-backbone diagram and choose the correct labels, or build a full skeletal structure yourself, atom by atom, and check your work against the real molecule. PROGRESS Track quizzes taken, your average score, and which amino acids you've reviewed, so you know exactly where to focus next. REAL DISCOVERY HISTORY Every amino acid's discovery story — who found it, the year, the source material it was isolated from, and a citation to the original publication — has been individually fact-checked against primary sources, not just copied from a summary. Browse the full 129-year timeline (1806–1935) in one sortable list, or read the story on the back of each flashcard. Built for biochemistry, organic chemistry, MCAT, nursing, and molecular biology students who want to understand the amino acids beyond recognizing their names. No account, no ads, no tracking. Your quiz progress is stored only on your device.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Amino Acids 3D at none against Molecule World's 1. 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
Both are free to download. Molecule World sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Amino Acids 3D asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Molecule World | Amino Acids 3D |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Digital World Biology LLC | EMMA RACHEL JABLONSKI |
In-app purchases
Molecule World
- Molecule World Pro$29.99
Amino Acids 3D
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Molecule World free?
Is Amino Acids 3D free?
Do Molecule World or Amino Acids 3D have ads?
Other comparisons















