# pixiv vs Fanbook App

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Fanbook App at 86% against pixiv's 43%. Fanbook App also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). pixiv's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 1.8) and ratings volume (6.7K vs 5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. pixiv sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Fanbook App sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

pixiv holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: pixiv has 6.7K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 43% of pixiv's written reviews are positive against 86% of Fanbook App's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

pixiv ships an update weekly, Fanbook App every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | pixiv | Fanbook App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (6.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixiv/id337248563/reviews)** | [1.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fanbook-app/id1516233977/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.7K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 43.2% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#200** | — |
| Size | 104 MB | 246 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [pixiv Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/337248566) | [Shenzhen FunPlay Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1776517013) |

## What reviewers say

### pixiv

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

**Currently charting:** #200 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 (5)**

| 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 |

**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


### Fanbook App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fanbook-app/id1516233977)

Connect with millions of gamers on this social platform. Discover communities for your favorite games, access guides, and get official news. Create your own private channels to build and grow your community.

**Highlights:** Connect with gamers, Join game communities, Access guides and content, Receive official news, Create private channels, Grow your community

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7乐豆 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 42乐豆 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 126乐豆 | $2.99 | one-time |
| 476乐豆 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 2086乐豆 | $39.99 | one-time |
| 4116乐豆 | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is pixiv free?

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

### Is Fanbook App free?

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

### Which has better reviews, pixiv or Fanbook App?

pixiv is rated higher. pixiv averages 4.5 out of 5 from 6.7K ratings, while Fanbook App averages 1.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do pixiv or Fanbook App have ads?

Both pixiv and Fanbook App show ads.

### Which is updated more often, pixiv or Fanbook App?

pixiv ships an update weekly, and Fanbook App every 4 weeks. Most recently, pixiv was updated on November 8, 2026 and Fanbook App on November 3, 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.*