# Pixen vs Pixel Network

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pixel Network at none against Pixen's 1. Pixel Network also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 67%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). Pixen's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 42 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pixen sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pixel Network asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pixen holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 172 and 41 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Pixen's written reviews are positive against 79% of Pixel Network's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Pixen ships an update monthly, Pixel Network every 42 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixen | Pixel Network |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixen-pixel-art-editor/id1161880215/reviews)** | [4.5 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-network/id1669320797/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **172** | 41 |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **78.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 42 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 9 MB | 115 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Furnace Creek Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/321189453) | [Farida Yarullina](https://appshunter.io/developer/846630437) |

## What reviewers say

### Pixen

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

Create and animate pixel art with a comprehensive set of tools. Manage projects, import/export various file formats, and utilize advanced features like layers and custom patterns. Optimized for Apple Pencil on iOS and macOS.

**Highlights:** Pixel art and animation editing, High zoom levels, Color palettes, Animation frame editing, Import/export various file formats, Apple Pencil support, Layers and blend modes

**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 Network

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-network/id1669320797)

Connect with a vibrant pixel art community. Share your creations, discover inspiring artwork and animations, or simply relax and enjoy the visual content. This platform welcomes artists using any pixel art software.

**Highlights:** Pixel art community, Share creations, Discover artwork, Watch animations, Supports all pixel art software

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pixen free?

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

### Is Pixel Network free?

Pixel Network is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Pixen is rated higher. Pixen averages 4.7 out of 5 from 172 ratings, while Pixel Network averages 4.5 from 41 ratings.

### Do Pixen or Pixel Network have ads?

Neither Pixen nor Pixel Network shows ads.

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

Pixen ships an update monthly, and Pixel Network every 42 months. Most recently, Pixen was updated on October 17, 2026 and Pixel Network on October 15, 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.*