# Pixelable vs Sandbox

The clearest difference is monetization model: Pixelable at free with in-app purchases against Sandbox's subscription. Pixelable also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). Sandbox's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pixelable sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sandbox sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. 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 Pixelable against 4.7 for Sandbox. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sandbox has 977K ratings behind it against 3.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Pixelable's written reviews are positive against 74% of Sandbox's.

Pixelable ships an update every 5 weeks, Sandbox every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixelable | Sandbox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (3.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelable-pixel-art-editor/id1185772796/reviews) | [4.7 (977K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-pixel-art-coloring/id1237405816/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3.4K | **977K** |
| Positive reviews | **77.9% of reviews** | 74.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 7 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yosuke Seki](https://appshunter.io/developer/824851972) | [Alexey Grigorkin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1023358977) |

## What reviewers say

### Pixelable

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelable-pixel-art-editor/id1185772796)

Create pixel art with intuitive tools and advanced features like layer editing and color customization. Export your creations as animated GIFs or PNG files. Save multiple projects and adjust canvas sizes for detailed artwork.

**Highlights:** Layer editing, Color making, Basic drawing tools, Undo/redo functionality, Animated GIF export, Pinch-to-zoom canvas, Multiple project saving

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Lots of tools and features
- 👍 Good for pixel art and animation
- 👍 Helpful tutorials
- 👍 Unlimited color options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🐛 Issues with saving and auto-saving
- 🐛 Bugs with certain features like mirroring and resizing
- 🔍 Ads can be intrusive
- 🔍 Limited canvas size

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to save or create new projects
- Issues with layers not working as expected
- Color picker and eyedropper tool not functioning properly
- Mirroring tool not aligning pixels correctly
- Resizing canvas causes loss of work

**Requested features**

- Add ability to import/trace images
- Increase canvas size limit
- Add more layer management options
- Improve color palette management
- Add animation timeline and better animation tools


### Sandbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-pixel-art-coloring/id1237405816)

Engage in a pixel art coloring experience with a vast library of images. This app offers a fun and educational activity for children and families, promoting creativity and skill development. Turn your own photos into pixel art or explore a free drawing mode.

**Highlights:** Pixel art coloring by number, Photo to pixel art conversion, Free drawing mode, Searchable art library, Magic Round Button for similar art, Art collections, Hints for interesting art

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gorgeous Sandbox | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Sandbox. | $3.49 | per month |
| Pandy's Sandbox | $7.99 | per month |
| Annual Sandbox. | $19.49 | per year |
| Handsome Sandbox | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Relaxing and addictive
- 👍 Wide variety of pictures
- 👍 No ads
- 👍 Animated pictures
- 👍 Ability to create own drawings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many good pictures locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Issues with color palette not showing completed colors
- 🐛 Glitches with zooming and panning
- 🔋 Battery drain

**Reported bugs**

- Palette not showing completed colors correctly
- Zooming and panning issues
- Offline mode issues

**Requested features**

- Add search bar to find specific pictures
- Separate completed pictures from unfinished ones
- Ability to import and color own photos
- Progressive difficulty levels
- Collaborative coloring with friends


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pixelable free?

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

### Is Sandbox free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pixelable or Sandbox?

Pixelable and Sandbox are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3.4K and 977K ratings respectively.

### Do Pixelable or Sandbox have ads?

Pixelable shows ads; Sandbox does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pixelable or Sandbox?

Pixelable ships an update every 5 weeks, and Sandbox every 4 days. Most recently, Pixelable was updated on September 23, 2026 and Sandbox on September 24, 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.*