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ChemSketch alternatives: 2 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll molecular visualization and chemistry software

Top picks

  • Avogadro logo

    Best overall

    Avogadro

    Open source

  • Jmol logo

    Best free option

    Jmol

    Open source

  • Jmol logo

    Best open source

    Jmol

    Open source

Common reasons people leave ChemSketch: freeware discontinued; no new downloads, and windows only. We ranked 2 alternatives by how directly each one replaces ChemSketch, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Avogadro currently ranks first.

ChemSketch has been discontinued. ChemSketch Freeware is discontinued after ACD/Labs was acquired by Revvity Signals in January 2026, according to the ACD/Labs website.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Avogadro logoAvogadroOpen source—NoWindows, macOS, Linux5 of 561.8
2Jmol logoJmolOpen source—YesWindows, macOS, Linux +14 of 451.2
  1. Avogadro logo

    1. AvogadroTop pick

    Best for: Chemistry students and computational chemists who build molecules and prepare calculation inputs

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from ChemSketch

    Free and open source, strongest for building and viewing molecules in 3D.

    Pros

    • Free and open source under the BSD 3-clause licence
    • Builds and optimises molecules, not just displays them
    • Reads output from GAMESS, Gaussian, ORCA, NWChem and others

    Cons

    • Less suited to large proteins and cryo-EM maps
    • No web or mobile version
    • Windows on ARM is not supported yet
    Visit Avogadro Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Avogadro a good ChemSketch alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    BSD 3-clause
    Checked Nov 8, 2026avogadro.cc(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, Linux, macOS
    Checked Nov 8, 2026avogadro.cc(opens source in a new tab)
    Plugins
    Python
    Checked Nov 8, 2026avogadro.cc(opens source in a new tab)
    Calculation output parsing
    GAMESS, Gaussian, ORCA and more
    Checked Nov 8, 2026avogadro.cc(opens source in a new tab)
    Latest version
    2.1
    Checked Nov 8, 2026avogadro.cc(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Jmol logo

    2. Jmol

    Best for: Teachers, students and web developers who need a free structure viewer

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Web

    51.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from ChemSketch

    Free, open-source viewer for rotating 3D molecules, a stand-in for ChemSketch's 3D viewing on any OS.

    Pros

    • Free and open source under the LGPL
    • JSmol embeds interactive 3D structures in web pages without Java
    • Reads a very wide range of chemistry file formats
    • Translated into many languages

    Cons

    • Desktop app needs Java installed
    • Dated look compared with PyMOL or ChimeraX
    • Not built for cryo-EM maps or very large trajectories
    Visit Jmol Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.341
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Jmol a good ChemSketch alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GNU LGPL
    Checked Nov 8, 2026jmol.sourceforge.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Nov 8, 2026jmol.sourceforge.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Web version
    JSmol, no Java needed
    Checked Nov 8, 2026jmol.sourceforge.net(opens source in a new tab)
    Requirements
    Desktop app needs Java
    Checked Nov 8, 2026jmol.sourceforge.net(opens source in a new tab)

The best ChemSketch alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Avogadro logo

Best ChemSketch alternative for most people

Avogadro

Free and open source, strongest for building and viewing molecules in 3D.

Jmol logo

Best ChemSketch alternative for a free option

Jmol

Free, open-source viewer for rotating 3D molecules, a stand-in for ChemSketch's 3D viewing on any OS.

Jmol logo

Best ChemSketch alternative for open source

Jmol

Free, open-source viewer for rotating 3D molecules, a stand-in for ChemSketch's 3D viewing on any OS.

Avogadro logo

Best ChemSketch alternative for Mac

Avogadro

Free and open source, strongest for building and viewing molecules in 3D.

Avogadro logo

Best ChemSketch alternative for Windows

Avogadro

Free and open source, strongest for building and viewing molecules in 3D.

Avogadro logo

Best ChemSketch alternative for Linux

Avogadro

Free and open source, strongest for building and viewing molecules in 3D.

Jmol logo

Best ChemSketch alternative for working in the browser

Jmol

Free, open-source viewer for rotating 3D molecules, a stand-in for ChemSketch's 3D viewing on any OS.

ChemSketch alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to ChemSketch?

Avogadro ranks first right now. Free and open source, strongest for building and viewing molecules in 3D.

ChemSketch vs Avogadro: what's the difference?

ChemSketch is free to use; Avogadro is free and open source. Only Avogadro runs on macOS and Linux.

Is ChemSketch free?

ChemSketch is free to use.

Is there a free alternative to ChemSketch?

Yes. Avogadro (open source) and Jmol (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to ChemSketch?

Yes: Jmol.

Which ChemSketch alternatives work on Linux?

Avogadro and Jmol run on Linux.

Why do people switch from ChemSketch?

The complaints we hear most: freeware discontinued; no new downloads; windows only; no future updates or fixes for the free edition.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces ChemSketch, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.