Comparison

PixelPencil vs DotMaker Studio

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PixelPencil

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
Read full description

PixelPencil is an app that was created to comfortably draw pixel art. In addition to the layer function, there are also functions such as layer grouping and blend mode. You can pinch in and out to zoom in and out, and you can rotate the canvas for intuitive operation. The main functions are as follows. ・ Layer editing Add, delete, duplicate, show / hide, sort, transparent, blend, group There are abundant functions such as. ・ Various tools Pen, eyedropper, eraser, fill, move, selection, flip, rotate, scale, shape We have all the basic tools. ・ UndoRedo Of course you can also undo redo. ・ Animated GIF export function Each layer becomes one frame and you can create an animation. ・ Color creation You can easily create your own favorite color. ・ Pinch in / out You can zoom in and out and rotate by pinching in and out. ・ Saving multiple works Since it uses a file system, you can save multiple projects. You can also save it on iCloud. ・ Canvas size setting You can set any size from 5 * 5 to 512 * 512.

About

DotMaker Studio

Features
Read full description

DotMaker is a touch-first pixel art editor built for mobile. Features • Canvas sizes from 16x16 up to 512x512 • Pen, eraser, fill, and eyedropper tools • Selection, copy, paste, move, rotate, and flip tools • Project saving and gallery management • PNG export and save to the Photos app • Korean / English support DotMaker is designed for quick pixel work such as icons, characters, sketches, and small UI assets.

Screenshots

PixelPencil4 screens
DotMaker Studio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DotMaker Studio at none against PixelPencil's 1. DotMaker Studio also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). PixelPencil's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). On price 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PixelPencil sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. DotMaker Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PixelPencil ships an update every 2 weeks, DotMaker Studio every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
PixelPencil versus DotMaker Studio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPixelPencilDotMaker Studio
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (110 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews78.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings110 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYosuke SekiYOUNGSIK KIM

In-app purchases

1 purchases

PixelPencil

One-time1
  • Remove ads$4.99
None

DotMaker Studio

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PixelPencil free?
PixelPencil is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DotMaker Studio free?
DotMaker Studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do PixelPencil or DotMaker Studio have ads?
PixelPencil shows ads; DotMaker Studio does not.
Which is updated more often, PixelPencil or DotMaker Studio?
PixelPencil ships an update every 2 weeks, and DotMaker Studio every 3 months. Most recently, PixelPencil was updated on October 5, 2026 and DotMaker Studio on October 7, 2026.

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