Comparison

3D Molecules View&Edit Lite vs Search PubChem

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

Head to head
About

3D Molecules View&Edit Lite

This application allows users to build and view 3D molecular models. It supports various bond types and visualization styles, and can load molecules from SDF and PDB file formats. Ideal for students, educators, and researchers.

Highlights
  • Build molecule models
  • Support for single, double, and triple bonds
  • Multiple visualization styles (Wireframe, Stick, Ball and Stick, Spacefill)
  • Load molecules from SDF and PDB files
  • View chemical element information
  • Open files from email attachments
  • Interactive 'Test yourself' mode
Read full description

"3D Molecules View&Edit Lite": is a free 3D molecule builder and viewer. for students, educators, and researchers. "3D Molecules View&Edit Lite" allows users to open and view molecules in SDF format files, for example, from NCBI's PubChem (http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), a public database of compounds or from RCSB Protein Data Bank (http://www.rcsb.org/pdb). FEATURES: • Building molecule model • Support of single, double and triple bonds. • Visualization of Wireframe style, Stick style, Ball and Stick, Spacefill (CPK) models. • T-shaped and «seesaw» molecular geometries. • Bond-angle optimization • Loading molecule in SDF file format • Loading molecule in PDB file format. • Availability of information about chemical element symbols in the molecule • Opening the molecule file directly from email attachments. • “Test yourself” mode to build some inorganic chemical compounds. The app includes tutorial how to create and delete models. The free version is a limited version of "3D Molecules Edit & Test"

About

Search PubChem

Access and manage chemical compound data from the PubChem database. Search for over 111 million compounds, view molecular formulas, weights, and structures, and create and track custom solutions with detailed composition information.

Highlights
  • Search PubChem database
  • View molecular formula, weight, and structure
  • Store compound information
  • Create and manage custom solutions
  • Track solution composition in grams and moles
  • Display 3D compound structures
  • Share solution data via CSV
Read full description

The app allows to search compounds through PubChem and helps to keep information on solutions made of those compounds. I. Compounds Tab Search the open chemistry database 'PubChem' at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for chemical compounds. The app helps to find a compound by name from the collection of more than 111 million compounds. It downloads and stores the molecular formula, weight, and structure. Compounds 1. Selecting the "Compounds" tab will present a list of compounds. - If there are any solutions made of a compound, a droplet will appear next to the compound's name. 2. When a compound is selected, a view with the detailed information will appear. Follow the instruction in "Details for a compound". 3. When the "+" button is selected, a view for search will appear. Follow the instruction in "Search for a compound". Details for a compound 1. Click "Compounds" to return back to the table of compounds. 2. Click the magnifier icon to open the compound's PubChem page in the user's default web browser. 3. Click the trashcan icon to delete the compound. This function may not be available if there is a solution made of the compound. 4. Click one of the solutions made of the compound to display the information. See "Details for a solution" below. 5. Click "3D" to display a 3D structure. Use pan and pinch gestures to rotate and zoom the scene. Search for a compound 1. Select "Compound Name" ("CID") and type a compound name (PubChem CID). 2. Click "Search" to connect to PubChem. An activity indicator will appear until the search is finished. - If the search succeeds, the downloaded information will appear. - If the search fails, an alert will appear. 3. Click "Save" to store the information about a compound. 4. Click "Cancel" to dismiss the scene. II. Solutions Tab Choose compounds downloaded from PubChem and make a solution. The app allows to record a list of compounds with amounts dissolved in a solution. For the saved solutions, the app displays their compositions in gram and mol. Solutions 1. Selecting the "Solutions" tab will present a list of solutions. 2. When a solution is selected, a view with the detailed information will appear. Follow the instruction in "Details for a solution". 3. When the "+" button is selected, a view for search will appear. Follow the instruction in "Making a solution". Details for a solution 1. Click "Solutions" to return back to the table of compounds. 2. Click the 'action' icon to share a csv file containig the information about the solution. 3. Click the trashcan icon to delete the solution. 5. Choose the unit among gram, mg, mol, and mM. 6. Select one of compounds to display its structure and formula. See "Mini details for a compound" below. Making a solution 1. Click "Add Compounds" to bring a collection of compounds. See "Compounds collection" below. 2. The names of the compounds selected from "Compounds collection" will be displayed as “Solution Label”. A user can edit “Solution Label”. 3. The unit for the amount can be chosen among gram, mg, mol, and mM. 4. The amount may be entered. 5. Click "Save" to create and add a new solution. 6. Click "Cancel" to dismiss the scene. Compounds collection 1. Select or deselect compounds by clicking the images of compounds. 2. Selected compounds will be displayed. 3. Click "Done" to return back to "Making a solution". 5. Click "Cancel" to dismiss the scene.

Screenshots

3D Molecules View&Edit Lite4 screens
Search PubChem4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Search PubChem at 5.0 against 3D Molecules View&Edit Lite's 3.8. 3D Molecules View&Edit Lite's advantage is review sentiment (91% vs 75%) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 9 months). On price, ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Search PubChem holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 5 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 91% of 3D Molecules View&Edit Lite's written reviews are positive against 75% of Search PubChem's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

3D Molecules View&Edit Lite ships an update every 4 months, Search PubChem every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
3D Molecules View&Edit Lite versus Search PubChem: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter3D Molecules View&Edit LiteSearch PubChem
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (10 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews91.3% of reviews — better75.0% of reviews
Number of ratings10 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 9 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS5.1.1 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB9 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperVirtual Space OOOJae-Seung Lee

Customer experience

3D Molecules View&Edit Lite

All ratings10 ratings
Positive70.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative30.0%
Written reviews46 reviews
Positive91.3%
Neutral4.3%
Negative4.3%

Search PubChem

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

3D Molecules View&Edit Lite

No in-app purchases

None

Search PubChem

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 3D Molecules View&Edit Lite free?
3D Molecules View&Edit Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Search PubChem free?
Search PubChem is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, 3D Molecules View&Edit Lite or Search PubChem?
Search PubChem is rated higher. 3D Molecules View&Edit Lite averages 3.8 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Search PubChem averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do 3D Molecules View&Edit Lite or Search PubChem have ads?
Neither 3D Molecules View&Edit Lite nor Search PubChem shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 3D Molecules View&Edit Lite or Search PubChem?
3D Molecules View&Edit Lite ships an update every 4 months, and Search PubChem every 9 months. Most recently, 3D Molecules View&Edit Lite was updated on November 1, 2026 and Search PubChem on November 2, 2026.

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