# PIXIO® vs smART pixelator

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PIXIO® at 83% against smART pixelator's 40%. PIXIO® also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.2) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). smART pixelator's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 14.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

PIXIO® holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PIXIO® has 270 ratings behind it against 48, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of PIXIO®'s written reviews are positive against 40% of smART pixelator's.

PIXIO® ships an update monthly, smART pixelator every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PIXIO® | smART pixelator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (270 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixio/id1251460891/reviews)** | [3.2 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pixelator/id1441516412/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **270** | 48 |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 185 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jutiful](https://appshunter.io/developer/582966637) | [FlyCatcher Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/841991396) |

## What reviewers say

### PIXIO®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixio/id1251460891)

Design and build 3D pixel art digitally or with magnetic blocks. Explore a community of artists, share your creations, and get inspired by thousands of designs. Bring your digital art to life in the real world.

**Highlights:** Create 3D pixel art digitally, Build physical art with magnetic blocks, Interactive 3D building guides, Share creations and get community feedback, Augmented reality (AR) features, Explore and remix art from other users, Color palette inspiration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 🎨 Creative freedom and imagination
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 💡 Layer-by-layer instructions
- 🚀 Efficient and intuitive app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent errors and pop-ups
- 🐛 Cannot build or log back in
- 🐛 Sign-in issues
- 🐛 "Select favorite category" doesn't let user pass
- 🐛 Cannot see comments

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent errors and pop-ups
- Cannot build or log back in
- Sign-in issues
- "Select favorite category" doesn't let user pass
- Cannot see comments

**Requested features**

- More color options
- Add REBUS game updates
- Improve profile picture moderation
- Add different environment settings for builds (under the sea, ancient monsters, town, forest)
- Remove app blocks


### smART pixelator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pixelator/id1441516412)

This app uses light technology and step-by-step instructions to guide users through creating 2D and 3D pixelated projects. It works with a physical device and offers endless craft possibilities for all ages.

**Highlights:** Pixelate any design with light technology, Step-by-step instructions for 2D and 3D projects, Use with beads, sequins, or pegs, Create custom designs from photos, Bluetooth connectivity, Includes 50 pre-loaded activities

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PIXIO® free?

PIXIO® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is smART pixelator free?

smART pixelator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PIXIO® or smART pixelator?

PIXIO® is rated higher. PIXIO® averages 4.7 out of 5 from 270 ratings, while smART pixelator averages 3.2 from 48 ratings.

### Do PIXIO® or smART pixelator have ads?

Neither PIXIO® nor smART pixelator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PIXIO® or smART pixelator?

PIXIO® ships an update monthly, and smART pixelator every 3 months. Most recently, PIXIO® was updated on October 17, 2026 and smART pixelator on October 6, 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.*