# Sprite Pencil vs Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sprite Pencil at none against Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography's 1. Sprite Pencil also leads on device support (4 vs 1). Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 5 weeks). On price and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Sprite Pencil ships an update every 5 weeks, Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sprite Pencil | Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (61 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sprite-pencil/id1437835952/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **61** | — |
| Positive reviews | 69.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 12 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | 27.0 | **26.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [256 Arts](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437835951) | [Rafael Guimarães](https://appshunter.io/developer/1790532160) |

## 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


### Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ampersand-explore-typography/id6795253024)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ampersand Deluxe | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sprite Pencil free?

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

### Is Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography free?

Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Sprite Pencil or Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography have ads?

Sprite Pencil shows ads; Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sprite Pencil or Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography?

Sprite Pencil ships an update every 5 weeks, and Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography every 3 days. Most recently, Sprite Pencil was updated on November 2, 2026 and Ampersand ∙ Explore Typography on October 31, 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.*