# Clip Studio Paint vs Pixel Studio for pixel art

Clip Studio Paint and Pixel Studio for pixel art both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 94% of Pixel Studio for pixel art's written reviews are positive against 46% of Clip Studio Paint's. Pixel Studio for pixel art also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Clip Studio Paint's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Clip Studio Paint sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.89 per month and Pixel Studio for pixel art sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. 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 Clip Studio Paint against 4.7 for Pixel Studio for pixel art. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 6.1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of Clip Studio Paint's written reviews are positive against 94% of Pixel Studio for pixel art's.

Clip Studio Paint ships an update every 3 weeks, Pixel Studio for pixel art every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Clip Studio Paint | Pixel Studio for pixel art |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clip-studio-paint/id1262985592/reviews) | **[4.7 (6.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-studio-for-pixel-art/id1404203859/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 6.1K |
| Positive reviews | 45.8% of reviews | **93.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 583 MB | 133 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [CELSYS,Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/291038364) | [Farida Yarullina](https://appshunter.io/developer/846630437) |

## What reviewers say

### Clip Studio Paint

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clip-studio-paint/id1262985592)

Create digital art with a vast array of brushes, textures, and colors. This app offers tools for drawing, painting, comic creation, and animation, with features like 3D models for reference and advanced layer options. It provides a free trial and subscription plans for full access.

**Highlights:** Unlimited custom brushes, Realistic color mixing, Artist-made materials, 3D model references, Comic creation tools, Animation features, Advanced layer editing

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO Monthly | $4.89 | per month |
| PRO Monthly Single-Device Plan | $4.89 | per month |
| PRO Monthly Single-Device Plan | $4.89 | per month |
| PRO Monthly Dual-Device Plan | $7.99 | per month |
| EX Monthly | $9.69 | per month |
| EX Monthly Single-Device Plan | $9.69 | per month |
| EX Monthly Single-Device Plan | $9.69 | per month |
| EX Monthly Dual-Device Plan | $13.49 | per month |
| PRO Annual | $28.90 | per year |
| PRO Annual Single-Device Plan | $28.90 | per year |
| PRO Annual Single-Device Plan | $28.90 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best drawing software for iPad
- 🎨 Powerful features like vector layers
- 💻 Seamless transition from desktop to iPad
- 👍 Great for comics and illustrations
- 🎨 Diverse brushes and materials

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔍 Confusing interface for beginners
- 🔒 Requires internet connection to save
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 💻 Lacks full desktop feature parity

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to save work without subscription
- Laggy performance with large files
- Unreliable auto-save and recovery
- Issues with brush and tool responsiveness

**Requested features**

- One-time purchase option
- Improved file management and cloud integration
- Simplified interface for casual users
- More animation and 3D tools


### Pixel Studio for pixel art

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-studio-for-pixel-art/id1404203859)

This app is a powerful yet simple pixel art editor designed for artists and game developers. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools for creating detailed pixel art, including layers, animations, and advanced color manipulation. Sync your work across devices and share it with a vibrant community.

**Highlights:** Layers for advanced pixel art, Frame-by-frame animations, Export animations to GIF, MP4, or sprite sheets, Google Drive sync for cross-device use, Customizable palettes and color picker, Support for various popular image formats, Pixel art scaling and rotation tools

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PREMIUM subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Sprite collection | $0.99 | one-time |
| PROMOTION IN PIXEL NETWORK | $0.99 | one-time |
| Disable Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| EXTRA STORAGE IN PIXEL NETWORK | $3.99 | one-time |
| PRO -50%! | $5.99 | one-time |
| PRO PROMO -50% | $5.99 | one-time |
| PRO CROSS -50%! | $8.99 | one-time |
| PRO CROSS GIFT -50%! | $8.99 | one-time |
| PRO | $12.99 | one-time |
| PRO CROSS | $17.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Great tools for pixel art
- 💡 Helpful tutorials
- 🔍 Detailed features
- 🌟 High-quality app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🔀 Confusing navigation
- 🔍 Difficult to find certain features
- 🖌️ Brush size issues
- 🎨 Limited color palette options

**Reported bugs**

- Exporting animations not working as expected
- Unexpected behavior when merging layers
- Inconsistent performance on larger canvases
- Glitches with the reference image feature

**Requested features**

- Add custom brush options
- Improve layer management
- Implement a color wheel
- Add canvas resizing capabilities
- Introduce mirroring/symmetry tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Clip Studio Paint free?

Clip Studio Paint is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pixel Studio for pixel art free?

Pixel Studio for pixel art is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Clip Studio Paint or Pixel Studio for pixel art?

Pixel Studio for pixel art is rated higher. Clip Studio Paint averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Pixel Studio for pixel art averages 4.7 from 6.1K ratings.

### Do Clip Studio Paint or Pixel Studio for pixel art have ads?

Pixel Studio for pixel art shows ads; Clip Studio Paint does not.

### Which is updated more often, Clip Studio Paint or Pixel Studio for pixel art?

Clip Studio Paint ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pixel Studio for pixel art every 4 weeks. Most recently, Clip Studio Paint was updated on November 1, 2026 and Pixel Studio for pixel art on November 1, 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.*