Comparison

Pixel Studio for pixel art vs Paint by Code

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pixel Studio for pixel art

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
Read full description

Pixel Studio is a new pixel art editor for artists and game developers. Simple, fast and portable. No matter whether you are a beginner or a professional. Create amazing pixel art anywhere and anytime! We support layers and animations and have a ton of useful tools - all you need to create cool projects. Add music to your animations and export videos to MP4. Use Google Drive to sync your work between different devices. Join Pixel Network™ - our new pixel art community! Don't doubt, just try it and make sure you've chosen the best pixel art tool ever! Over 5.000.000 downloads around the world, translated to 23 languages! Features: • It's super simple, intuitive and user friendly • Use it on mobile and desktop with Google Drive sync • Use layers for advanced pixel art • Create frame-by-frame animations • Save animations to GIF or sprite sheets • Extend animations with music and export videos to MP4 • Share arts with friends and Pixel Network community • Create custom palettes, use built-in or download palettes from Lospec • Advanced color picker with RGBA and HSV modes • Simple zoom and move with gestures and joysticks • Use Portrait mode for mobile and Landscape for tablets and PC • Customizable toolbar and a lot of other settings • We support Apple Pencil! • We support all popular formats: PNG, JPG, GIF, BMP, TGA, PSP (Pixel Studio Project), PSD (Adobe Photoshop), EXR • Autosave and backup - don't lose your work! • Discover a ton of other useful tools and features! More features: • Shape Tool for primitives • Gradient Tool • Built-in and custom brushes • Sprite Library for your image patterns • Tile Mode for brushes • Symmetry drawing (X, Y, X+Y) • Dot Pen for precise drawing with a cursor • Text Tool with different fonts • Dithering Pen for shadows and flares • Pixel art rotation with Fast RotSprite algorithm • Pixel art scaler (Scale2x/AdvMAME2x, Scale3x/AdvMAME3x) • Onion Skin for advanced animation • Apply palettes to images • Grab palettes from images • Mini-map and Pixel Perfect preview • Unlimited canvas size • Canvas resizing and rotation • Customizable background color • Customizable grid • Multithreaded image processing • JASC Palette (PAL) format support • Aseprite files support (import only) You can support us by purchasing PRO (it's one-time purchase): • No ads • Google Drive sync • Dark Theme • 256-color palettes • Tile mode for making seamless textures • Extended max project size • Extra formats support: AI, EPS, HEIC, PDF, SVG, WEBP (cloud read only) and PSD (cloud read/write) • Unlimited color adjustment (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) • Unlimited export to MP4 • Extended storage in Pixel Network System requirements: • 2GB+ of RAM for large projects and animations • Powerful CPU (AnTuTu score 100.000+) Sample images made by lorddkno, Redshrike, Calciumtrice, Buch, Tomoe Mami are used under CC BY 3.0 license. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period • Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable Privacy Policy: https://github.com/hippogamesunity/PixelStudioHub/wiki/Privacy-Policy Terms of Use: https://github.com/hippogamesunity/PixelStudioHub/wiki/EULA

About

Paint by Code

Features
Read full description

Paint by Code turns your favorite photos into beautiful paint-by-numbers canvases — ready to color in the app or print at home. HOW IT WORKS 1. Add a photo from your library or camera 2. Choose your style — 8 to 24 colors, detail level, and canvas format 3. Generate your numbered canvas with a matching color legend 4. Paint in the app with Apple Pencil, or export to print FEATURES • Smart region detection — clear, paintable areas • Numbered canvas with color legend matched to your palette • Paint mode with Apple Pencil support • Colored pencil matching — see which real pencil matches each color • Export & print — A4, Letter, or square format • Save canvases locally on your device PERFECT FOR • Creative relaxation and mindfulness • Personalized gifts from your own photos • Family projects and rainy-day activities • Artists who love paint-by-numbers Everything runs on your device. Your photos stay private — no account needed, no cloud required. Start with any photo. Finish with something you made.

Screenshots

Pixel Studio for pixel art4 screens
Paint by Code1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Pixel Studio for pixel art at Free against Paint by Code's $3.99. Pixel Studio for pixel art also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.2). Paint by Code's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Pixel Studio for pixel art is free to download; Paint by Code costs $3.99 up front. Pixel Studio for pixel art sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Paint by Code asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pixel Studio for pixel art ships an update every 4 weeks, Paint by Code every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Pixel Studio for pixel art versus Paint by Code: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPixel Studio for pixel artPaint by Code
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.7 (5.8K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews93.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings5.8K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 10 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size133 MB17 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperFarida YarullinaTom Paape

Bugs and requests

Pixel Studio for pixel art

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

7 requests
  • Add custom brush options
  • Improve layer management
  • Implement a color wheel
  • Add canvas resizing capabilities
  • Introduce mirroring/symmetry tools
Show 2 more
  • Enhance the animation workflow
  • Provide a more intuitive file management system

Paint by Code

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

11 purchases

Pixel Studio for pixel art

Subscriptions1
  • PREMIUM subscription$3.991 Month
One-time10
  • Sprite collection$0.99
  • PROMOTION IN PIXEL NETWORK$0.99
  • Disable Ads$1.99
Show 7 more
  • EXTRA STORAGE IN PIXEL NETWORK$3.99
  • PRO -50%!$5.99
  • PRO PROMO -50%$5.99
  • PRO CROSS -50%!$8.99
  • PRO CROSS GIFT -50%!$8.99
  • PRO$12.99
  • PRO CROSS$17.99
None

Paint by Code

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pixel Studio for pixel art free?
Pixel Studio for pixel art is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Paint by Code free?
Paint by Code costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Pixel Studio for pixel art or Paint by Code have ads?
Pixel Studio for pixel art shows ads; Paint by Code does not.
Which is updated more often, Pixel Studio for pixel art or Paint by Code?
Pixel Studio for pixel art ships an update every 4 weeks, and Paint by Code every 10 days. Most recently, Pixel Studio for pixel art was updated on October 15, 2026 and Paint by Code on September 28, 2026.

Other comparisons