# PIXEL86 vs bitwave

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: bitwave at none against PIXEL86's 2. bitwave also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). PIXEL86's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 weeks) and ratings volume (42 vs 1). On price, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PIXEL86 sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. bitwave asks for nothing beyond the download.

bitwave holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PIXEL86 has 42 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PIXEL86 ships an update every 5 days, bitwave every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PIXEL86 | bitwave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel86-retro-media-editor/id1641007991/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitwave-pixel-art-camera/id6480365065/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **42** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 87 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peter Tretyakov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1072835768) | [Demian Nezhdanov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1703677495) |

## What reviewers say

### PIXEL86

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel86-retro-media-editor/id1641007991)

Transform photos and videos with vintage pixel art aesthetics. Apply true black-and-white dithering, custom color palettes, and unique dithering styles to create retro media. Supports video editing and sharing your creations.

**Highlights:** True B/W dithering, Video editing support, Customizable color palettes, Three dithering styles (Natural, Pattern, Flat), Vintage-inspired aesthetics, Social media sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| License Discount | $9.99 | one-time |
| Perpetual License | $19.99 | one-time |


### bitwave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitwave-pixel-art-camera/id6480365065)

Transform photos and videos into retro-inspired pixel art with a variety of filters and effects. Create unique avatars, social media content, or game-inspired visuals with a creator-friendly interface.

**Highlights:** Real-time pixel art camera filters, Pixelate photos and videos instantly, Multiple pixel styles and resolutions, Custom color palettes and retro effects, Live camera preview, Save and share directly to social media

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PIXEL86 free?

PIXEL86 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is bitwave free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PIXEL86 or bitwave?

bitwave is rated higher. PIXEL86 averages 4.6 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while bitwave averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do PIXEL86 or bitwave have ads?

PIXEL86 shows ads; bitwave does not.

### Which is updated more often, PIXEL86 or bitwave?

PIXEL86 ships an update every 5 days, and bitwave every 5 weeks. Most recently, PIXEL86 was updated on November 3, 2026 and bitwave on November 4, 2026.

---

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