Free ChemDraw Alternatives

The best free alternative to ChemDraw is Chemaxon Marvin. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 10 alternatives to ChemDraw and 15 is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to ChemDraw are ACD/ChemSketch, MedChem Designer, JChemPaint and KingDraw.

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ChemDraw alternatives are mainly Vector Graphic Apps Other popular filters include Free, Linux, Open Source and Mac. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to ChemDraw.
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Alternatives list

  1. Chemaxon Marvin icon

    Chemaxon Marvin

     15 likes
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    Marvin suite is a chemically intelligent desktop toolkit built to help you draw, edit, publish, render, import and export your chemical structures and as well as allowing you to convert between various chemical and graphical file formats.

    18 Chemaxon Marvin alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    The co-factor NAD in 2D format in Marvin.
     
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    1
    39
    Comments about Chemaxon Marvin as an Alternative to ChemDraw
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Simple structures are needed.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    ChemDraw Icon
    Chemaxon Marvin icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Chemaxon Marvin is a great ChemDraw alternative.

    • Chemaxon Marvin is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to ChemDraw.

    • Chemaxon Marvin is the most popular free alternative to ChemDraw.

    • Chemaxon Marvin is Free and ProprietaryChemDraw is Paid and Proprietary
  2. ACD/ChemSketch icon

    ACD/ChemSketch

     6 likes
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    ACD/ChemSketch is a chemically intelligent drawing interface that allows you to draw almost any chemical structure including organics, organometallics, polymers, and Markush structures. Use it to produce professional looking structures and diagrams for reports and publications.

    16 ACD/ChemSketch alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Wine
    ACD/ChemSketch screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Comments about ACD/ChemSketch as an Alternative to ChemDraw
    John Fastman
    Positive
    1

    A good alternative to ChemDraw in very limited circumstances: 1) you need it on Windows only, 2) You don't have to collaborate with ChemDraw users, 3) You don't mind looking at a confusing, dated interface. Otherwise, fine.

    ChemDraw Icon
    ACD/ChemSketch icon

    • Some users think ACD/ChemSketch is a great ChemDraw alternative, some don't.

    • ACD/ChemSketch is Free Personal and ProprietaryChemDraw is Paid and Proprietary
  4. MedChem Designer icon

    MedChem Designer

     Like
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    "MedChem Designer 3.0 is a free chemical structure drawing program. MedChem Designer can open SMILES, SDF, MOL, CSK, and RXN file types. Up to 32 compounds can be displayed in one window. Images can be exported in SMILES, SD, MOL, CQF, bitmap, JPG, or PNG formats.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    MedChem Designer screenshot 1
     
  5. JChemPaint icon

    JChemPaint

     3 likes
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    JChemPaint (or JCP for short here) is the editor and viewer for 2D chemical structures developed using the Chemistry Development Kit (CDK).

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    JChemPaint screenshot 1
     

    • JChemPaint is the most popular Open Source alternative to ChemDraw.

    • JChemPaint is Free and Open SourceChemDraw is Paid and Proprietary
  6. KingDraw icon

    KingDraw

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    KingDraw App is a free chemical drawing editor that allows users to sketch molecules and reactions, as well as organic chemistry objects and pathways.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    KingDraw screenshot 1
     

    • KingDraw is the most popular Android Tablet alternative to ChemDraw.

    • KingDraw is Freemium and ProprietaryChemDraw is Paid and Proprietary
  7. XDrawChem icon

    XDrawChem

     1 like
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    XDrawChem is a free software program for drawing chemical structural formulas, available for Unix and Mac OS. It is distributed under the GNU GPL. In Microsoft Windows this program is called WinDrawChem.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
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    7
    Comments about XDrawChem as an Alternative to ChemDraw
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    More simply for use in class

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    ChemDraw Icon
    XDrawChem icon

    • Most users think XDrawChem is a great ChemDraw alternative.

    • XDrawChem is Free and Open SourceChemDraw is Paid and Proprietary
  9. Molsketch icon

    Molsketch

     1 like
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    A 2D molecular editing tool for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Windows. Its goal is to help you draw molecules quick and easily. Of course your creations can be exported afterwards in high quality in a number of vector and bitmap formats.

    11 Molsketch alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Molsketch screenshot 1
     
  10. ChemCanvas icon

    ChemCanvas

     1 like
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    A very intuitive, new 2D chemical drawing tool (Qt-based).

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Windows
    • Python
    ChemCanvas screenshot 1
     
  11. MolView icon

    MolView

     4 likes
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    MolView is an intuitive, Open-Source web-application to make science and education more awesome!

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Online
     

    • MolView is the most popular Web-based alternative to ChemDraw.

    • MolView is Freemium and ProprietaryChemDraw is Paid and Proprietary
  12. BKchem icon

    BKchem

     9 likes
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    BKChem is a free (as in free software :o) chemical drawing program. It was conceived and written by Beda Kosata and is currently maintained by Reinis Danne.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    BKchem screenshot 1
     
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    10
    Comments about BKchem as an Alternative to ChemDraw
    John Fastman
    Negative
    3

    BKchem is an old attempt at replacing some of ChemDraw's functionality. It succeeded partially in providing some of ChemDraw's very core chemical structure drawing features. Unfortunately, BKchem has seen no new development since 2010, leaving it in limbo.

    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Very usefull software. You can paste images created with BKChem in a text processor or another open source graphical software like InkScape.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    ChemDraw Icon
    BKchem icon

    • Most users think BKchem is a great ChemDraw alternative.

    • BKchem is Free and Open SourceChemDraw is Paid and Proprietary
  13. Gnome Chemistry Utils icon

    Gnome Chemistry Utils

     4 likes
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    The Gnome Chemistry Utils include six chemistry related programs:

    • GChemPaint, a 2D chemical formula editor.
    • a chemical calculator (computes raw formule, molar weight, mass composition and isotopic pattern).
    • a molecule 3d viewer using OpenGL to display molecular models. .

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Gnome Chemistry Utils screenshot 1
     
  14. Chemik icon

    Chemik

     Like
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    Cool Chemistry Tool - educational app for Students. Chemist will help you in chemical tasks! Use the Periodic Table just like a computer keyboard. With the Chemist you will learn everything you need to know about the elements, compounds and chemical reactions.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Chemik screenshot 1
     
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    3
    Comments about Chemik as an Alternative to ChemDraw
    John Fastman
    Negative
    -1

    ChemDraw is specifically intended for drawing chemical structures to include in documents, presentations and beyond. Chemik is specifically not intended for that and therefore can't be a replacement. (Also, the Chemik website has an explainer Youtube video which is blocked in Denmark on copyright grounds - very useful!)

    Guest
    Negative
    0

    because chemdraw is intended for drawing chemical structures, while chemik isn't

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    It is not possible to draw chemical structures

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    ChemDraw Icon
    Chemik icon

    • This alternative is disputed. Chemik is a legitimate ChemDraw alternative, but it might have issues that some users think are important.

    • Chemik is Freemium and ProprietaryChemDraw is Paid and Proprietary
12 of 15 ChemDraw alternatives