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PyMOL vs Coot: catalog facts
PyMOL	Coot
Freemium The open-source build is free; Schrödinger's PyMOL bundles require a purchased license.	Free Free and open source under GPL and LGPL licences.
Windows, macOS, Linux	macOS, Linux
Long-established molecular visualization tool Raytraced rendering of molecular structures	Broad set of model building and refinement tools Works with both X-ray and cryo-EM data
Official installer bundles need a paid license Aimed at scientific users rather than casual learners	Prebuilt binaries for the 1.x series cover few platforms Specialist tool that assumes crystallography knowledge
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: Python-2.0	License: GPL-2.0-or-later, GPL-3.0-or-later and LGPL-3.0-or-later
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

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