Compare software

ChemCanvas vs ChemDoodle 2D: catalog facts
ChemCanvas	ChemDoodle 2D
Free Free and open source under GPL-3.0-or-later.	Paid Commercial software that the developer describes as affordable.
Windows, Linux	macOS
Reads and writes SMILES, Molfile, MRV and CDXML Exports to PDF, PNG and editable SVG	Built specifically for drawing chemical structures Publishing and cheminformatics features in one app
No macOS build Supports fewer file formats than commercial chemistry suites	Commercial license Specialised for chemistry rather than general drawing
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Closed source
License: GPL-3.0-or-later	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.