# pixiv vs 豆瓣

pixiv and 豆瓣 both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 43% of pixiv's written reviews are positive against 22% of 豆瓣's. pixiv also leads on chart position (#175 vs unranked). 豆瓣's advantage is ratings volume (22K vs 6.7K) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. pixiv sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and 豆瓣 sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. 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 4.5 for 豆瓣. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.7K and 22K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of pixiv's written reviews are positive against 22% of 豆瓣's.

pixiv ships an update weekly, 豆瓣 fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | pixiv | 豆瓣 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (6.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixiv/id337248563/reviews) | [4.5 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id907002334/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6.7K | **22K** |
| Positive reviews | **43.5% of reviews** | 22.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Best chart rank | **#175** | — |
| Size | 95 MB | 259 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) | [Beijing Douwang Technology Company Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/353732575) |

## What reviewers say

### pixiv

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

**Currently charting:** #175 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


### 豆瓣

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id907002334)

Discover a diverse cultural community through this app, where you can explore a rich database of books, movies, music, and more. Engage with like-minded individuals in groups, share your interests, and shop for unique items. Connect with others, broaden your cultural horizons, and enrich your personal journey. Contact for more information through email or social media.

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 6豆米 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 12豆米 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 18豆米 | $2.99 | one-time |
| 30豆米 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 25豆米 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 45豆米 | $5.99 | one-time |
| 40豆米 | $5.99 | one-time |
| 50豆米 | $6.99 | one-time |
| 60豆米 | $8.99 | one-time |
| 68豆米 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 108豆米 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 128豆米 | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💖 Great platform for sharing thoughts on movies, books, and music
- 🌟 Excellent community with high-quality users and content
- 🗣️ Allows for open and honest discussions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Presence of bot accounts and manipulated reviews
- 🤬 Overly aggressive censorship and deletion of comments
- 🤷‍♀️ Inconsistent rating and review standards

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and stability issues
- Problems with verifying accounts, especially for international users

**Requested features**

- Improved personal content management tools
- Better integration with other platforms (e.g., Goodreads)
- More effective moderation and anti-spam measures


## Frequently asked questions

### Is pixiv free?

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

### Is 豆瓣 free?

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

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

pixiv and 豆瓣 are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6.7K and 22K ratings respectively.

### Do pixiv or 豆瓣 have ads?

Both pixiv and 豆瓣 show ads.

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

pixiv ships an update weekly, and 豆瓣 fortnightly. Most recently, pixiv was updated on September 24, 2026 and 豆瓣 on September 27, 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.*