# Sprite Pencil vs IconForge

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sprite Pencil at none against IconForge's 1. Sprite Pencil also leads on ratings volume (61 vs 1). IconForge's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 69%). On price, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IconForge sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sprite Pencil asks for nothing beyond the download.

IconForge holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sprite Pencil has 61 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Sprite Pencil's written reviews are positive against 100% of IconForge's.

Sprite Pencil ships an update every 5 weeks, IconForge weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sprite Pencil | IconForge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (61 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sprite-pencil/id1437835952/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iconforge-ai-app-icon-maker/id6745053878/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **61** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 69.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 12 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 27.0 | **26.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [256 Arts](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437835951) | [Mahanti Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1677427784) |

## What reviewers say

### Sprite Pencil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sprite-pencil/id1437835952)

Create pixel art for games and icons with a focused set of tools. Features automatic shading brushes, symmetry mode, and easy palette management. Save and share your creations as crisp PNG files.

**Highlights:** Pencil, eraser, and fill tools, Automatic highlight and shadow brushes, Symmetry mode for mirrored strokes, Dithering for classic patterns, Handpicked and importable color palettes, Save as crisp PNG files

**Features:** iMessage stickers, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none


### IconForge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iconforge-ai-app-icon-maker/id6745053878)

Generate professional app icons in seconds using AI. Describe your app, choose a style, and get unique concepts. Preview your icon on all Apple devices before saving in HD.

**Highlights:** AI-generated icon concepts, Multiple professional styles, HD 1024x1024 output, Multi-device previews, Fast generation (under 60 seconds), No design skills needed

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Image Processing | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sprite Pencil free?

Sprite Pencil is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is IconForge free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sprite Pencil or IconForge?

IconForge is rated higher. Sprite Pencil averages 4.6 out of 5 from 61 ratings, while IconForge averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Sprite Pencil or IconForge have ads?

Sprite Pencil shows ads; IconForge does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sprite Pencil or IconForge?

Sprite Pencil ships an update every 5 weeks, and IconForge weekly. Most recently, Sprite Pencil was updated on November 2, 2026 and IconForge on October 24, 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.*