A molecular modeling task can change quickly: one project may call for an extension you have never used, while another may require a different set of tools. The practical challenge is not only finding an extension—it is understanding how to add it, try it, or manage it without losing track of what is already available in your SAMSON installation.
SAMSON Connect’s Marketplace provides a place to review extensions and their availability. A little planning before you add one can make the process clearer and help you avoid surprises about plans, subscriptions, or when changes take effect.
Start with the extension’s details
Open an extension’s page before adding it. Its description, authors, supported operating systems, extension versions, and compatible SAMSON versions can help you check whether it fits your setup and your current work. This is especially useful when you are choosing between several extensions or working across different computers.
Know which access route applies
Extensions may be included with your current plan, freely available to add, or available through a subscription. Because the functionality available in SAMSON can depend on your plan, check the extension page and your account settings if an option is not available as expected. SAMSON has a Free (Starter) plan, though some functionality and the number of free extensions may be limited.
- Free extension: Sign in to SAMSON Connect and select Add. The extension is marked as Added.
- Subscription extension: If a trial is offered, choose Request trial. The documentation notes that a trial request does not require credit card information. Otherwise, you can choose a monthly or yearly subscription; an academic plan is available if you have academic status.
Plan for the restart
Adding an extension on the website does not mean it is installed in the running application immediately. Once you restart SAMSON, it downloads and installs the extension automatically. If you are in the middle of a modeling session, it can be helpful to review the extensions you need beforehand and add them together, then restart when it suits your workflow.
The Marketplace shows whether an extension is Added, Trying, or Subscribed. These labels give you a quick way to distinguish an extension you have added from one in a trial period or covered by a subscription.
Remove or manage access when your needs change
If you no longer need a free extension, sign in and open its page in the Marketplace, or find it through Account > Settings > View my extensions. Hover over the Added button to reveal Remove, then select it. The extension is removed from your installation after SAMSON is restarted. The extension remains listed in your account’s extensions, so you can add it again later if you wish.
Subscriptions are managed separately: go to Account > Settings > View my subscriptions. This opens My Subscriptions, where you can manage them. As with removing a free extension, restart SAMSON for a removed extension to be taken out of the installation.
A useful routine is to check compatibility first, confirm how the extension is provided, add or request access, and schedule the restart. When a project changes, review your extensions and subscriptions rather than assuming every tool must stay installed or active. For the complete SAMSON Connect overview, see the SAMSON Connect documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.