# Pixel Painter vs PixelPencil

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PixelPencil at 79% against Pixel Painter's 0%. PixelPencil also leads on ratings volume (110 vs 3) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). Pixel Painter's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pixel Painter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and PixelPencil sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PixelPencil holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PixelPencil has 110 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Pixel Painter's written reviews are positive against 79% of PixelPencil's.

Pixel Painter ships an update every 4 days, PixelPencil every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixel Painter | PixelPencil |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-painter/id1579334726/reviews) | **[4.6 (110 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelpencil-pixel-art-editor/id1584616836/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **110** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **78.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.1** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [光建 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/955099719) | [Yosuke Seki](https://appshunter.io/developer/824851972) |

## What reviewers say

### Pixel Painter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-painter/id1579334726)

Create pixel art with a variety of tools and export options. Customize your creations with different pixel styles and built-in color palettes. The app features a scrollable canvas for easy pattern creation and selection tools for precise editing.

**Highlights:** Basic drawing and editing tools, Apply various pixel export styles, Erase mode for clearing colors, Selection and cropping tools, Scrollable canvas for patterns, Customizable color palettes, Downsample/Upsample pixel resolution

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Size Limits Removal | $1.99 | one-time |


### PixelPencil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelpencil-pixel-art-editor/id1584616836)

Create pixel art with a robust set of tools, including layers, blend modes, and various brushes. Easily zoom, rotate, and manage multiple projects. Export your creations as animated GIFs.

**Highlights:** Layer editing with grouping and blend modes, Comprehensive set of drawing tools, Undo/Redo functionality, Animated GIF export, Color creation tools, Pinch-to-zoom and canvas rotation, Save multiple works with iCloud support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pixel Painter free?

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

### Is PixelPencil free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pixel Painter or PixelPencil?

PixelPencil is rated higher. Pixel Painter averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while PixelPencil averages 4.6 from 110 ratings.

### Do Pixel Painter or PixelPencil have ads?

PixelPencil shows ads; Pixel Painter does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pixel Painter or PixelPencil?

Pixel Painter ships an update every 4 days, and PixelPencil every 2 weeks. Most recently, Pixel Painter was updated on June 4, 2026 and PixelPencil on September 1, 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.*