Beyond Labz vs MoluCAD

Beyond Labz provides virtual science lab simulations for open-ended and guided activities in chemistry, organic chemistry, biology and physics. Its pricing page lists more than 650 lab activities aligned with textbooks. Students can make decisions, observe results and repeat experiments in a risk-free setting; auto-graded assessments provide immediate feedback. Lab Cam records and timestamps each student step to give instructors a procedure log. Lab procedures integrate with LTI 1.0, 1.1 and 1.3 compliant learning management systems, including Canvas, Blackboard and Moodle, so students can receive, complete and submit assignments within their LMS. The instructor plan is free for teaching, previewing and building assignments. Chemistry, Physics and Biology each cost $31.95 as a one-time purchase for 20-week access; All Subjects costs $41.95, paid once for one-year access. Web labs support desktop systems and tablets, but not smartphones. Downloaded desktop versions require macOS Yosemite or later or 64-bit Windows 8 or later, 4 GB RAM and 3 GB free disk space.

MoluCAD is a free Windows desktop application for molecular modeling and visualization, designed for chemistry students and originally conceived for organic chemistry study. Users can construct molecular structures in true 3D and inspect them from any viewpoint. The software creates reaction animations and includes more than 170 sample structures and animations that can be opened, viewed, and modified. Built-in MM2 energy minimization supports the modeling workflow, alongside an interactive periodic table and HTML-based help. MoluCAD imports and exports PDB, ENT, MOL, and MM3 files, and generates BMP, JPEG, and AVI files. New River Kinematics offers it as a free download through a Windows executable. The product originated in a three-year National Institutes of Health biomedical technology research project intended to produce low-cost chemistry education software. New River Kinematics, founded in 1994 and based in Williamsburg, Virginia, describes itself as an engineering company developing and supporting portable metrology software solutions.