diff --git a/atompack-py/python/atompack/__init__.py b/atompack-py/python/atompack/__init__.py
index 34b97bb..3e83c7c 100644
--- a/atompack-py/python/atompack/__init__.py
+++ b/atompack-py/python/atompack/__init__.py
@@ -37,12 +37,35 @@
 `Database.open(path, mmap=False)` if you want to append molecules.
 """
 
+from typing import Any, Iterator
+
 from . import hub
 from ._atompack_rs import PyAtom as Atom
 from ._atompack_rs import PyAtomDatabase as Database
 from ._atompack_rs import PyMolecule as Molecule
 from .ase_bridge import add_ase_batch, from_ase, to_ase, to_ase_batch
 
+
+def _database_iter_batches(
+    database: Database,
+    batch_size: int,
+    *,
+    flat: bool = False,
+    drop_last: bool = False,
+) -> Iterator[list[Molecule] | dict[str, Any]]:
+    if batch_size <= 0:
+        raise ValueError("batch_size must be a positive integer")
+
+    getter = database.get_molecules_flat if flat else database.get_molecules
+    for start in range(0, len(database), batch_size):
+        stop = min(start + batch_size, len(database))
+        if drop_last and stop - start < batch_size:
+            break
+        yield getter(list(range(start, stop)))
+
+
+Database.iter_batches = _database_iter_batches
+
 __version__ = "0.2.1"
 __all__ = [
     "Atom",
diff --git a/atompack-py/python/atompack/__init__.pyi b/atompack-py/python/atompack/__init__.pyi
index a28c97e..f04243d 100644
--- a/atompack-py/python/atompack/__init__.pyi
+++ b/atompack-py/python/atompack/__init__.pyi
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 """Type stubs for atompack"""
 
-from typing import Any, Sequence, overload
+from typing import Any, Iterator, Sequence, overload
 
 import numpy as np
 import numpy.typing as npt
@@ -569,6 +569,20 @@ class Database:
         ``properties`` and ``atom_properties`` dictionaries when present.
         """
         ...
+    def iter_batches(
+        self,
+        batch_size: int,
+        *,
+        flat: bool = False,
+        drop_last: bool = False,
+    ) -> Iterator[list[Molecule] | dict[str, Any]]:
+        """
+        Yield contiguous batches from the database.
+
+        Set ``flat=True`` to yield ``get_molecules_flat`` payloads instead of
+        materialized Molecule objects.
+        """
+        ...
     def to_ase_batch(
         self,
         indices: list[int] | None = None,
diff --git a/atompack-py/tests/test_database.py b/atompack-py/tests/test_database.py
index 4d83dfd..d022035 100644
--- a/atompack-py/tests/test_database.py
+++ b/atompack-py/tests/test_database.py
@@ -324,6 +324,37 @@ def test_database_add_arrays_batch_promotes_to_float64_geometry_when_needed(
     assert flat["forces"].dtype == np.float64
 
 
+def test_database_iter_batches_supports_object_and_flat_batches(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    path = tmp_path / "iter_batches.atp"
+    db = atompack.Database(str(path))
+    db.add_molecules(
+        [
+            _make_molecule(-1.0),
+            _make_molecule(-2.0),
+            _make_molecule(-3.0),
+            _make_molecule(-4.0),
+            _make_molecule(-5.0),
+        ]
+    )
+    db.flush()
+
+    reopened = atompack.Database.open(str(path))
+    object_batches = list(reopened.iter_batches(2))
+    assert [[m.energy for m in batch] for batch in object_batches] == [
+        [-1.0, -2.0],
+        [-3.0, -4.0],
+        [-5.0],
+    ]
+
+    flat_batches = list(reopened.iter_batches(2, flat=True, drop_last=True))
+    assert len(flat_batches) == 2
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(flat_batches[0]["energy"], np.array([-1.0, -2.0]))
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(flat_batches[1]["energy"], np.array([-3.0, -4.0]))
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="positive"):
+        list(reopened.iter_batches(0))
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("mmap", [False, True])
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("compression", ["none", "lz4", "zstd"])
 def test_database_single_item_reads_are_view_compatible(
diff --git a/atompack-py/tests/test_stub_surface.py b/atompack-py/tests/test_stub_surface.py
index b883fcc..6cf572e 100644
--- a/atompack-py/tests/test_stub_surface.py
+++ b/atompack-py/tests/test_stub_surface.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ def test_private_stub_tracks_low_level_surface() -> None:
 
 def test_public_stub_exposes_flat_batch_reader() -> None:
     database_methods = _class_method_names(PUBLIC_STUB, "Database")
-    assert "get_molecules_flat" in database_methods
+    assert {"get_molecules_flat", "iter_batches"} <= database_methods
 
 
 def test_hub_stub_has_public_docstrings() -> None: