# BitCam vs PIXEL86

The clearest difference is ads: BitCam at none against PIXEL86's shown. BitCam also leads on device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). PIXEL86's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 73%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BitCam sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and PIXEL86 sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for BitCam against 4.7 for PIXEL86. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 92 and 40 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of BitCam's written reviews are positive against 100% of PIXEL86's.

BitCam ships an update every 2 weeks, PIXEL86 every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BitCam | PIXEL86 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (92 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitcam/id1114990619/reviews) | [4.7 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel86-retro-media-editor/id1641007991/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **92** | 40 |
| Positive reviews | 73.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Héliographe, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1784071997) | [Peter Tretyakov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1072835768) |

## What reviewers say

### BitCam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitcam/id1114990619)

Capture photos with a unique one-bit camera, producing images with only black and white pixels. Experience a retro interface with mechanical sounds and experiment with different pixel resolutions and an 8-color mode. Save your creations as clean PNG files for printing or digital projects.

**Highlights:** One-bit camera (black and white pixels), Retro interface with mechanical sounds, Multiple pixel resolutions, 8-color mode option, Clean PNG output, Atkinson dithering method

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full BitCam | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Average 8-bit camera
- 👍 Fun retro camera
- 👍 Simple and fun to use
- 👍 Stylish nostalgia
- 👍 Characteristic of Iconfactory apps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Color cost money
- 🐛 No zoom feature
- 🐛 Incorrect rotation attributes
- 🐛 Freezes after sharing
- 🐛 Doesn't save photos in FatBits mode

**Reported bugs**

- Color graphics not working
- Doesn't recognize camera access
- Saves photos in incorrect orientation

**Requested features**

- Ability to import/edit existing photos
- Video recording function
- Option to adjust brightness/exposure
- Ability to mute sounds
- Inverted mode


### PIXEL86

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel86-retro-media-editor/id1641007991)

Transform photos and videos with vintage pixel art aesthetics. Apply true black-and-white dithering, custom color palettes, and unique dithering styles to create retro media. Supports video editing and sharing your creations.

**Highlights:** True B/W dithering, Video editing support, Customizable color palettes, Three dithering styles (Natural, Pattern, Flat), Vintage-inspired aesthetics, Social media sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| License Discount | $9.99 | one-time |
| Perpetual License | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BitCam free?

BitCam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PIXEL86 free?

PIXEL86 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BitCam or PIXEL86?

BitCam and PIXEL86 are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 92 and 40 ratings respectively.

### Do BitCam or PIXEL86 have ads?

PIXEL86 shows ads; BitCam does not.

### Which is updated more often, BitCam or PIXEL86?

BitCam ships an update every 2 weeks, and PIXEL86 every 5 days. Most recently, BitCam was updated on September 27, 2026 and PIXEL86 on September 11, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*