# Pixen vs Pixel Edit Lite

The clearest difference is price: Pixen at Free against Pixel Edit Lite's $2.99. Pixen also leads on ratings volume (180 vs 6). Pixel Edit Lite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Pixen is free to download; Pixel Edit Lite costs $2.99 up front. Pixen sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pixel Edit Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pixel Edit Lite holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pixen has 180 ratings behind it against 6, 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 100% of Pixel Edit Lite's.

Pixen ships an update monthly, Pixel Edit Lite every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixen | Pixel Edit Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (180 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixen-pixel-art-editor/id1161880215/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-edit-lite/id1665723146/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **180** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 13 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Furnace Creek Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/321189453) | [Apurva Mehta](https://appshunter.io/developer/1500712236) |

## What reviewers say

### Pixen

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

Create detailed pixel art and animations with a comprehensive suite of tools. Manage projects, import/export various file formats, and utilize Apple Pencil features for precise drawing. Supports layers, color palettes, and pattern creation for advanced designs.

**Highlights:** Pixel art and animation creation, Extensive toolset (Pencil, Eraser, Fill, etc.), Apple Pencil support with gestures, Color palette management, Animation frame editing, Import/export various file formats, iCloud sync for macOS users

**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 Edit Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-edit-lite/id1665723146)

Create detailed pixel art on a 16x16 canvas with a minimalist interface. This tool focuses on a clean design to help you craft beautiful retro sprites and artwork.

**Highlights:** 16x16 canvas, Minimalist interface, Retro sprite creation, Pixel art design, Clean editor

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pixen free?

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

### Is Pixel Edit Lite free?

Pixel Edit Lite costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pixen or Pixel Edit Lite?

Pixel Edit Lite is rated higher. Pixen averages 4.7 out of 5 from 180 ratings, while Pixel Edit Lite averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Pixen or Pixel Edit Lite have ads?

Neither Pixen nor Pixel Edit Lite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pixen or Pixel Edit Lite?

Pixen ships an update monthly, and Pixel Edit Lite every 5 days. Most recently, Pixen was updated on November 9, 2026 and Pixel Edit Lite on November 7, 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.*