Periodic table app that works offline: what to look for
Short answer: pick an app that has all 118 elements and their details built in, so it opens in class, on a bus or during an exam review without Wi-Fi. Then check that the details are not behind a paywall and that the table is readable on a phone in portrait.
Checklist
- Works in airplane mode. Install, switch on airplane mode, open ten random elements.
- Full details for every element. At least atomic number, atomic weight, group, period, block, category, electron configuration, melting and boiling point, density and electronegativity.
- No paywall on the basics. Element data is public knowledge; you should not need a subscription to see it.
- Readable in portrait. All 18 groups should fit the width, with zoom for small screens, and the tile you tap should be the one that opens.
- Group and period labels and family colors. These make the table readable instead of a grid of letters.
- A way to practice. Looking things up is half of it; a quiz with a mistake list is how you remember.
- Clear data sources. Atomic weights should follow IUPAC; borderline classifications such as some metalloids should be labeled.
About ads
Free apps often show ads. What matters is where: an ad between a quiz round and the next is fine; a full-screen ad every time you tap an element makes the table hard to use.
Elemora
Elemora keeps all 118 elements and their details inside the app, shows the whole table in portrait with zoom, colors each family, and adds five quiz modes with a mistake list. It shows ads to stay free, and nothing is locked behind a subscription.
FAQ
Why do some periodic table apps need internet?
Some apps download element pages or photos from the web each time you open them, so the details do not show without a connection.
Is a subscription normal for a periodic table app?
Element data is public scientific knowledge. Some apps still lock details behind a subscription; others, like Elemora, keep everything available and show ads instead.
How can I check if an app works offline?
Turn on airplane mode after installing it and open a few element details. If they all load, the data is built in.