# Pixel Studio for pixel art vs Paint by Code

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixel Studio for pixel art | Paint by Code |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-studio-for-pixel-art/id1404203859/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **5.8K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 93.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 133 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Farida Yarullina](https://appshunter.io/developer/846630437) | [Tom Paape](https://appshunter.io/developer/1868007411) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Paint by Code

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paint-by-code/id6791082042)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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.

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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.*