PEPTIDE REPORT RANKINGS

Best Peptide Reference Databases 2026

Need structural data, sequence info, or pharmacology on peptides? These databases actually have it. We checked which ones are live, maintained, and useful for peptide researchers.

How we evaluated: This page records the public sources reviewed for each entry and states the limits of those records.

#1

PubChem

pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Chemical database

NIH database of 123M chemical molecules including peptide structures. The big one.

Confirmed live with 123M compounds. Last updated July 2, 2026. Actively maintained.

Chemical structures, properties, bioactivity data, and safety information. Searchable by compound name, CID, or structure.

Standard reference for chemical lookups. Reddit users cite PubChem CID numbers when discussing compound identity.

  • 123M compounds
  • Free and public
  • Actively maintained
  • Structural data and properties
  • Searchable by structure
  • Not peptide-specific: covers all chemistry
  • Can be overwhelming for beginners
  • No pharmacology data

The starting point for any compound lookup. If you need to verify what a peptide actually is, start with PubChem.

#2

UniProt

www.uniprot.org
Protein database

Comprehensive protein sequence and annotation data. Has a dedicated peptide search.

Confirmed live, Release 2026_02. Has a dedicated 'Peptide search' feature for sequence-based queries.

Protein sequence database with functional annotation, structural cross-references, and peptide-specific search tools.

Used by researchers for sequence verification and protein context. Less commonly referenced in casual community discussions: more of a serious research tool.

  • Dedicated peptide search feature
  • Comprehensive protein annotation
  • Actively maintained
  • Free for academic use
  • Protein-focused, not peptide-focused
  • Complex interface
  • Overkill for most community use cases

If you need to verify a peptide's protein context or find the parent protein, UniProt is the answer. Not for casual lookups.

#3

DBAASP

dbaasp.org
Peptide-specific database

24,397 antimicrobial peptides. Actively developed. Hidden gem.

Confirmed live with 24,397 antimicrobial peptide entries. Actively developed: cyclic peptide infrastructure recently added.

Antimicrobial peptide database with structural data, activity profiles, and target organism data. Cyclic peptide support recently added.

Largely unknown in the biohacker community. Researchers in antimicrobial peptides know it well. Excellent for LL-37, thymosin, and KPV research.

  • 24K+ antimicrobial peptides
  • Peptide-specific (not general chemistry)
  • Actively developed
  • Free
  • Cyclic peptide support
  • Limited to antimicrobial peptides
  • Not well-known in community
  • Interface is academic

Hidden gem. If you're researching antimicrobial peptides like LL-37 or KPV, this is your database. Most people don't know it exists.

#4

THPdb2

webs.iiitd.edu.in/raghava/thpdb2
Peptide-specific database

FDA-approved therapeutic peptide database with pharmacology data. Another hidden gem.

Confirmed live. Contains FDA-approved therapeutic peptides with pharmacology data including half-life and PK data.

Therapeutic peptide database with pharmacology data (half-life, PK, administration route), FDA approval status, and clinical data.

Virtually unknown in biohacker communities. Valuable for finding pharmacokinetic data on approved peptide drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide.

  • FDA-approved peptides
  • Pharmacokinetic data (half-life, PK)
  • Administration route data
  • Free
  • Limited to FDA-approved peptides
  • Doesn't cover research peptides
  • Academic interface

If you need real PK data on approved peptides (semaglutide, tirzepatide), this is where to find it. Useless for research peptides that aren't FDA-approved.

#5

DrugBank

go.drugbank.com
Drug database

Comprehensive drug database including approved and investigational peptides.

Could not verify directly due to Cloudflare bot protection. Well-known comprehensive drug database.

Drug data including mechanisms, interactions, approvals, and investigational status. Covers both approved drugs and investigational compounds.

Referenced in research discussions for drug interaction checking and mechanism data. Well-regarded but requires access for full data.

  • Comprehensive drug data
  • Covers investigational compounds
  • Mechanism and interaction data
  • Behind access wall for full data
  • Not peptide-specific
  • Cloudflare blocks automated access

Good for drug interaction and mechanism data on approved peptides. Limited usefulness for research peptides that aren't approved drugs.

#6

ChEMBL

www.ebi.ac.uk/chembl
Bioactivity database

Best for bioactivity data. Actively maintained: updated same day we checked.

Confirmed actively maintained: blog post dated July 9, 2026 (same day as visit). Bioactivity-focused database.

Bioactivity database with drug-target interactions, IC50 values, and assay data. Covers peptides and small molecules.

Known in pharmacology research circles. Useful for finding actual bioactivity data: not just structure, but what the compound does to targets.

  • Bioactivity data (IC50, Ki values)
  • Actively maintained
  • Free
  • Covers peptides and small molecules
  • Drug-target interactions
  • Complex interface
  • Not peptide-specific
  • Academic-focused

If you need actual bioactivity numbers: not just 'this compound does X' but at what concentration: ChEMBL is the database. Actively maintained, which matters.

#7

APD6

aps.unmc.edu
Peptide-specific database

Original antimicrobial peptide database since 2003. 6,309 peptides with 3D structures.

Confirmed live since 2003. Contains 6,309 peptides with 3D structures and search tools.

Antimicrobial peptide database with 3D structural data, search tools, and classification systems.

Less known than DBAASP but has been around longer. Good for structural data on antimicrobial peptides.

  • 6,309 peptides with 3D structures
  • Running since 2003
  • Free
  • Structural data
  • Smaller than DBAASP
  • Less actively maintained
  • Older interface

Use alongside DBAASP for antimicrobial peptide research. Smaller but has 3D structure data that DBAASP may lack.

#8

Cochrane Library

www.cochranelibrary.com
Systematic review

Systematic reviews. Almost zero peptide coverage. Skip for peptides.

Could not verify directly due to Cloudflare protection. Known to have minimal peptide coverage.

Gold-standard systematic reviews with rigorous methodology.

Almost never mentioned in peptide communities. Coverage of research peptides is essentially nonexistent.

  • Gold-standard methodology when they do cover something
  • Rigorous evidence grading
  • Almost zero peptide coverage
  • Behind paywall
  • Not practical for peptide researchers

Respect the brand, but for peptides specifically, Cochrane is useless. They don't cover the compounds you need.