# Pixel Studio vs Clip Studio Paint for iPhone

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pixel Studio at 94% against Clip Studio Paint for iPhone's 36%. Pixel Studio also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and device support (3 vs 1). Clip Studio Paint for iPhone's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#103 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pixel Studio sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Clip Studio Paint for iPhone sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pixel Studio holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.1K and 1.8K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of Pixel Studio's written reviews are positive against 36% of Clip Studio Paint for iPhone's.

Pixel Studio ships an update monthly, Clip Studio Paint for iPhone every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixel Studio | Clip Studio Paint for iPhone |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (6.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-studio-pixel-art-editor/id1404203859/reviews)** | [4.4 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clip-studio-paint-for-iphone/id1483037022/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.1K** | 1.8K |
| Positive reviews | **93.7% of reviews** | 35.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#103** |
| Size | 144 MB | 561 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Farida Yarullina](https://appshunter.io/developer/846630437) | [CELSYS,Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/291038364) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Clip Studio Paint for iPhone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clip-studio-paint-for-iphone/id1483037022)

**Currently charting:** #103 Top Free · Graphics & Design, #184 Top Grossing · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

Create professional-quality digital art, comics, and animations with a vast array of brushes, materials, and editing tools. Offers features for beginners and pros, including 3D models for reference and advanced layer management.

**Highlights:** Unlimited brushes with realistic textures, Vast library of artist-made materials, Advanced coloring tools with Shading Assist, 3D models for anatomy and perspective reference, Comprehensive comic creation tools, Professional animation features, Non-destructive editing and layer management

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO Monthly Smartphone Plan | $0.99 | per month |
| EX Monthly Smartphone Plan | $2.49 | 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 |
| PRO Monthly Dual-Device Plan | $7.99 | 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 |
| EX Monthly Dual-Device Plan | $13.49 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Great for digital art
- 👍 Smooth drawing experience
- 💡 Useful 3D model integration
- 🎨 Powerful drawing tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Restrictive time limit for free users
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🤔 Confusing user interface
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- Login and account issues
- Unresponsive brushes and tools
- Inability to access purchased content
- Drawings not saving properly

**Requested features**

- Ability to save and continue drawings across sessions
- More free brushes and tools
- Improved mobile optimization
- Perpetual license option for mobile


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pixel Studio free?

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

### Is Clip Studio Paint for iPhone free?

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

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

Pixel Studio is rated higher. Pixel Studio averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.1K ratings, while Clip Studio Paint for iPhone averages 4.4 from 1.8K ratings.

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

Pixel Studio shows ads; Clip Studio Paint for iPhone does not.

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

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