ChemDraw Alternatives for Linux

ChemDraw is not available for Linux but there are some alternatives that runs on Linux with similar functionality. The best Linux alternative is Chemaxon Marvin, which is free. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 10 alternatives to ChemDraw and nine of them are available for Linux so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Linux alternatives to ChemDraw are ChemDoodle, JChemPaint, XDrawChem and Molsketch.

filter to find the best alternatives

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.
More about ChemDraw
Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
ChemDraw alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. Chemaxon Marvin icon

    Chemaxon Marvin

     15 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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.
     
    |
    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. ChemDoodle icon

    ChemDoodle

     4 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    If you are looking for a chemical sketcher or an alternative to your current chemical drawing application, there is no better choice than ChemDoodle. ChemDoodle works on all operating systems (both 32 and 64 bit), has one of the largest feature sets in the industry, has the most...

    9 ChemDoodle alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    ChemDoodle screenshot 1
     
    |
    2
    17
    Comments about ChemDoodle as an Alternative to ChemDraw
    John Fastman
    Positive
    2

    Closest thing to ChemDraw functionality and, unlike ChemDraw, it works natively on Linux. Sadly, the author has chosen a frustrating atom-first drawing mechanic which is hugely counterintuitive. But if you can learn to accept it, ChemDoodle is a respectable ChemDraw alternative (unless you need to draw pi complexes).

    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Functionally equivalent and very similar in features. Very similar layout makes it very easy for chemists to switch

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

    • Most users think ChemDoodle is a great ChemDraw alternative.

    • ChemDoodle is the most popular Android, iPhone & iPad alternative to ChemDraw.

    • ChemDoodle is the most popular commercial alternative to ChemDraw.

    • ChemDoodle is Paid and ProprietaryChemDraw is also Paid and Proprietary
  4. JChemPaint icon

    JChemPaint

     3 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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
  5. XDrawChem icon

    XDrawChem

     1 like
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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
     
    |
    1
    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
  6. Molsketch icon

    Molsketch

     1 like
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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
     
  7. ChemCanvas icon

    ChemCanvas

     1 like
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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
     
  9. BKchem icon

    BKchem

     9 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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
     
    |
    2
    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
  10. Gnome Chemistry Utils icon

    Gnome Chemistry Utils

     4 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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
     
  11. MollyCule icon

    MollyCule

     2 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    MollyCule is a completely free Open Source Chemistry visualisation program for MacOS, Linux and Windows. MollyCule is designed to be a nice, easy to use program to help ordinary people who want to explore Chemistry.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Example visualisation of ATP.
     
9 of 9 ChemDraw alternatives