Atkinson vs Pixellate Camera
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Atkinson
This app processes photos using the Atkinson dithering algorithm, originally used for black and white displays on old Macintosh computers. It creates small file-sized images with options for square cropping, rounded corners, and white borders, offering a real-time preview of the effect.
- Atkinson dithering algorithm processing
- Square photo output
- Toggleable rounded corners
- White border option
- Real-time preview
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Transform your photos with the iconic Atkinson dithering algorithm — the same technique used on the original Macintosh by Bill Atkinson. Create stunning retro-style images with a single tap. # What is Atkinson Dithering? Atkinson dithering was the algorithm behind the classic 1-bit graphics of early Macintosh computers. It converts photos i nto beautiful two-tone pixel patterns, producing images with a distinctive vintage charm and remarkably small file sizes. # Features - Real-time Atkinson dithering preview through your camera - 7 retro-tech color palettes: Terminal Green, Amber Monitor, Original Macintosh, Game Boy, Apple II Green, White Phospho r, and classic black & white - 5 iconic frames inspired by computing history: MacPaint, Classic Mac window, Terminal, White Frame, and frameless - Adjustable brightness control - Rounded corner option - Square photo output optimized for social media - Lightweight PNG output with tiny file sizes # Color Palettes Go beyond black and white. Choose from color palettes inspired by legendary displays — the green glow of VT100 terminals, the warm amber of IBM monitors, the creamy screen of the original Macintosh, and more. # Retro Frames Wrap your dithered photos in frames inspired by classic software. The MacPaint frame features pixel-perfect tool palettes and menu bars, just like Bill Atkinson's legendary paint program. The Classic Mac frame recreates the iconic window chrome of early Macintosh. # Perfect for - Retro and vintage photo enthusiasts - Pixel art lovers - Social media posts with a unique aesthetic - Anyone who appreciates the beauty of 1-bit graphics
Pixellate Camera
Capture photos with a retro, 4-color dithered aesthetic. Adjust camera settings in real-time or import existing images to apply unique color schemes and advanced metadata.
- Retro 4-color dithered aesthetic
- Adjust zoom, sharpness, contrast, brightness
- Import and filter existing photos
- Create custom color schemes
- Advanced metadata with geotagging
- 4x upscaled or pixel-perfect saves
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Shoot in four colors. Pixellate is a live camera with the eye of a 1998 handheld. Every frame in the viewfinder is dithered down to four colors you can choose. Pick a palette, dial in brightness, contrast and dither, and shoot. Zoom in and out, flip to the front camera, and capture Live Photos and video in the same four colors as your stills. • Live four-color viewfinder for stills, Live Photos and video • 25 built-in palettes, or mix your own from any four colors • Brightness, contrast, dither and zoom controls • Import any photo, crop it, and pixellate it • Save upscaled copies for your library, or pixel-perfect 160 x 144 originals for homebrew projects • Optional geotagging and full capture metadata • Open the camera from Control Center, the Lock Screen or the Action button
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Pixellate Camera at 5.0 against Atkinson's 3.3. Pixellate Camera also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). Atkinson's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume and 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
Both are free to download. Atkinson sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Pixellate Camera asks for nothing beyond the download.
Pixellate Camera holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Atkinson's written reviews are positive against 100% of Pixellate Camera's.
Atkinson ships an update monthly, Pixellate Camera every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 4, 2026.
| Parameter | Atkinson | Pixellate Camera |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (6 ratings) | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 71.4% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6 | 7 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | koyachi | Zachary Coleman |
Customer experience
Atkinson
Pixellate Camera
In-app purchases
Atkinson
- Standard Month$0.991 Month
- Standard Year$9.991 Year
Pixellate Camera
No in-app purchases
