# Clip Studio Paint vs Pixel Studio

Clip Studio Paint and Pixel Studio both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 94% of Pixel Studio's written reviews are positive against 46% of Clip Studio Paint's. Pixel Studio 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 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.89 per month and Pixel Studio sells 10 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. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15K 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's.

Clip Studio Paint ships an update every 3 weeks, Pixel Studio monthly. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Clip Studio Paint | Pixel Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clip-studio-paint/id1262985592/reviews) | **[4.7 (6.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-studio-pixel-art-editor/id1404203859/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | 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** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 583 MB | 144 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 (10)**

| 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 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

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

Create pixel art, animated sprites, and game assets with a comprehensive suite of drawing, animation, and color tools. Supports layers, frame-by-frame animation, and various export formats. Offers Apple Pencil support and a customizable workspace for efficient design.

**Highlights:** Layer-based pixel art drawing, Frame-by-frame sprite animation, Onion skinning for animation, Customizable brushes and tools, Palette creation and management, Export as GIF, MP4, and sprite sheets, Apple Pencil support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| 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 |
| 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 free?

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

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

Pixel Studio is rated higher. Clip Studio Paint averages 4.7 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Pixel Studio averages 4.7 from 6.1K ratings.

### Do Clip Studio Paint or Pixel Studio have ads?

Pixel Studio shows ads; Clip Studio Paint does not.

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

Clip Studio Paint ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pixel Studio monthly. Most recently, Clip Studio Paint was updated on November 6, 2026 and Pixel Studio on November 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.*