# pixiv vs Soul

The clearest difference is ads: Soul at none against pixiv's shown. Soul also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). pixiv's advantage is review sentiment (43% vs 28%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. pixiv sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Soul sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for pixiv against 4.6 for Soul. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.7K and 10K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of pixiv's written reviews are positive against 28% of Soul's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | pixiv | Soul |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (6.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixiv/id337248563/reviews) | **[4.6 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soul/id1032287195/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6.7K | **10K** |
| Positive reviews | **43.5% of reviews** | 27.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #182 | **#127** |
| Size | 95 MB | 431 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [pixiv Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/337248566) | [Shanghai Soul Gate Technology Limited Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1057410305) |

## What reviewers say

### pixiv

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixiv/id337248563)

**Currently charting:** #182 Top Grossing · Social Networking (US App Store)

Explore a vast collection of over 160 million illustrations, manga, and novels from Japan's largest creative community. Discover new artists, browse trending content, and share your own creations. Personalize your feed with recommendations based on your preferences.

**Highlights:** Browse illustrations, manga, and novels, Post and share your artwork, Discover recommended and trending works, Search by keywords, tags, and creators, Follow favorite artists, View browsing history (Premium)

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| pixiv Premium (no new users) | $4.99 | per month |
| pixiv Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| pixiv Premium | $13.49 | per 3 months |
| pixiv Premium | $24.99 | per 6 months |
| pixiv Premium | $45.99 | per year |
| 120 points | $0.99 | one-time |
| 160 points | $0.99 | one-time |
| 240 points | $1.99 | one-time |
| 320 points | $1.99 | one-time |
| 600 points | $4.99 | one-time |
| 800 points | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1,800 points | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to navigate
- 👍 Diverse content
- 💡 Allows for creative expression
- 👍 Friendly community

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔒 Concerning content moderation
- 💰 Excessive monetization
- 🚫 Restrictive features behind paywall

**Reported bugs**

- Blurry thumbnails on iPad
- Inability to copy text
- Pixiv links not opening in-app
- Inconsistent behavior when liking/following

**Requested features**

- Improved search and filtering options
- Ability to save animated images
- Sync bookmarks and settings across devices
- Better support for non-Japanese users


### Soul

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soul/id1032287195)

**Currently charting:** #127 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #192 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

Connect with like-minded individuals through personality-based matching and engaging virtual experiences. Express yourself authentically in a pressure-free environment and discover new friendships and deeper connections.

**Highlights:** Soul matching based on personality, Customizable 3D avatars, Explore virtual 3D planets, Instant voice and group chat, Share life moments, Play Werewolf game, AI companion chatbot

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 飞行权益包包月 | $1.99 | per month |
| 超级星人包月 | $3.99 | per month |
| 超级星人包季 | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| 60Soul Coin | $1.99 | one-time |
| 170Soul Coin | $3.99 | one-time |
| Soul 30元商品 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Soul 48元商品 | $6.99 | one-time |
| 590Soul Coin | $14.99 | one-time |
| Soul 98元商品 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 1080 Soul币 | $24.99 | one-time |
| 2450Soul Coin | $59.99 | one-time |
| 5400Soul Coin | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💕 Soul
- 👍 Good app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Bad customer service
- 🐛 Lots of bugs
- 💰 Everything requires payment
- 🔒 Accounts randomly suspended
- 🤖 Poor AI content moderation

**Reported bugs**

- Login/verification code issues
- Inability to post/share content
- Frequent app crashes
- Accounts being banned for no reason

**Requested features**

- Add option to change language
- Improve community moderation
- Enhance customer support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is pixiv free?

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

### Is Soul free?

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

### Which has better reviews, pixiv or Soul?

Soul is rated higher. pixiv averages 4.5 out of 5 from 6.7K ratings, while Soul averages 4.6 from 10K ratings.

### Do pixiv or Soul have ads?

pixiv shows ads; Soul does not.

### Which is updated more often, pixiv or Soul?

pixiv ships an update weekly, and Soul weekly. Most recently, pixiv was updated on September 27, 2026 and Soul on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, pixiv or Soul?

pixiv currently peaks at #182 in the App Store charts, and Soul at #127. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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