# Pixel Designer vs Pixel Art Maker

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pixel Designer at none against Pixel Art Maker's 2. Pixel Designer also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). Pixel Art Maker's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 16 months). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pixel Art Maker sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Pixel Designer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pixel Designer ships an update every 16 months, Pixel Art Maker every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on May 16, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixel Designer | Pixel Art Maker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jonatan Yde](https://appshunter.io/developer/586362992) | [Kai Chi Tsao](https://appshunter.io/developer/1299477756) |

## What reviewers say

### Pixel Designer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-designer/id1546483994)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pixel Art Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-art-maker-pixel-canvas/id1614581856)

Create original pixel art from scratch or transform photos into pixelated images. Offers tools for drawing, editing, and customizing canvas size and colors. Save your creations directly to your device.

**Highlights:** Create pixel art from scratch, Import photos for pixel effect, Adjust pixel density, Customizable canvas size and colors, Eraser tool, Save artwork to Photos

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium 1 year | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pixel Designer free?

Pixel Designer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pixel Art Maker free?

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

### Do Pixel Designer or Pixel Art Maker have ads?

Neither Pixel Designer nor Pixel Art Maker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pixel Designer or Pixel Art Maker?

Pixel Designer ships an update every 16 months, and Pixel Art Maker every 11 days. Most recently, Pixel Designer was updated on May 16, 2026 and Pixel Art Maker on September 20, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*