# Pixen vs Pixel Painter

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pixen at 67% against Pixel Painter's 0%. Pixen also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.5) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Pixel Painter's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and iOS requirement (14.1 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pixen sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Pixel Painter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pixen holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pixen has 180 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Pixen's written reviews are positive against 0% of Pixel Painter's.

Pixen ships an update monthly, Pixel Painter every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixen | Pixel Painter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (180 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixen-pixel-art-editor/id1161880215/reviews)** | [3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-painter/id1579334726/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **180** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 13 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **14.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Furnace Creek Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/321189453) | [光建 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/955099719) |

## What reviewers say

### Pixen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixen-pixel-art-editor/id1161880215)

This native pixel art editor offers a comprehensive suite of tools for creating low-resolution raster art and animations. It supports high zoom levels, custom color palettes, and seamless iCloud sync across iOS and macOS devices. Ideal for game sprites and retro art.

**Highlights:** Pixel art creation tools, Animation editing, Customizable color palettes, High zoom levels, iCloud sync, Multiple export formats, Apple Pencil support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro: One Time Purchase | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use for beginners
- 🚀 Great for pixel game art
- 💡 iCloud sync with Mac version
- ✨ No ads whatsoever
- 👍 Responsive developer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Little buggy
- 🐛 More tapping in menus than necessary
- 🐛 Low quality export
- 🐛 Hard to navigate for beginners
- 🐛 Too much extra work for frame duplication

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes
- Cannot make anything else after one image
- Cannot export
- App crashes when exporting
- Export as JPG without transparent background

**Requested features**

- Undo gestures
- Gallery for artworks
- Redo button
- Keep animation preview screen up while working
- Option to choose background color


### Pixel Painter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-painter/id1579334726)

Create pixel art with a variety of tools and export options. Customize your creations with different pixel styles and built-in color palettes. The app features a scrollable canvas for easy pattern creation and selection tools for precise editing.

**Highlights:** Basic drawing and editing tools, Apply various pixel export styles, Erase mode for clearing colors, Selection and cropping tools, Scrollable canvas for patterns, Customizable color palettes, Downsample/Upsample pixel resolution

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Size Limits Removal | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pixen free?

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

### Is Pixel Painter free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pixen or Pixel Painter?

Pixen is rated higher. Pixen averages 4.7 out of 5 from 180 ratings, while Pixel Painter averages 3.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do Pixen or Pixel Painter have ads?

Neither Pixen nor Pixel Painter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pixen or Pixel Painter?

Pixen ships an update monthly, and Pixel Painter every 4 days. Most recently, Pixen was updated on November 4, 2026 and Pixel Painter on November 3, 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.*