# Grungetastic vs Pixel Playground

The clearest difference is rating: Grungetastic at 4.8 against Pixel Playground's 4.2. Grungetastic also leads on monetization model (free vs paid) and ratings volume (187 vs 5). Pixel Playground's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 6 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Grungetastic holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Grungetastic has 187 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Grungetastic's written reviews are positive against 71% of Pixel Playground's.

Grungetastic ships an update every 6 months, Pixel Playground every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Grungetastic | Pixel Playground |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | — |
| Rating | **[4.8 (187 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grungetastic/id418140198/reviews)** | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-playground/id708109473/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **187** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **81.4% of reviews** | 71.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 56 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JixiPix, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/380605671) | [Studio Mee](https://appshunter.io/developer/300673322) |

## What reviewers say

### Grungetastic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grungetastic/id418140198)

Apply a variety of aggressive and "unwell" textures and tones to your photos. This app offers seven distinct grunge styles with adjustable controls for color, textures, and borders, allowing for unique artistic creations.

**Highlights:** Seven grunge styles, Adjustable color, textures, and borders, Randomize button, Texture and border library, Customizable presets, High-resolution output

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Lots of creative options
- 🎨 Customizable effects
- 🎲 Fun randomize feature
- 💡 Unique grunge styles
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Slow rendering/processing
- 💰 In-app purchases for more effects
- 🔒 Locked effects behind paywall
- 🔒 Lack of free access to all features

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to upload/load photos
- Presets not applying correctly
- Crashes or freezes on certain devices

**Requested features**

- Undo button
- More color/hue options
- Color swapping
- Higher resolution exports
- Native iPad support


### Pixel Playground

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-playground/id708109473)

Create stunning retro graphics with a powerful, intuitive pixel art editor. Offers a clean interface, extensive tools, and smart color management for professionals and hobbyists alike. Seamlessly save and share your creations.

**Highlights:** Freehand, lines, boxes, ellipses, flood-fill tools, Auto contour and selection tools, Smart color palette with auto naming, Unlimited undo steps, iCloud sync and auto-save, Export as PNG

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Grungetastic free?

Grungetastic costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pixel Playground free?

Pricing for Pixel Playground is not currently listed on the App Store.

### Which has better reviews, Grungetastic or Pixel Playground?

Grungetastic is rated higher. Grungetastic averages 4.8 out of 5 from 187 ratings, while Pixel Playground averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do Grungetastic or Pixel Playground have ads?

Neither Grungetastic nor Pixel Playground shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Grungetastic or Pixel Playground?

Grungetastic ships an update every 6 months, and Pixel Playground every 3 months. Most recently, Grungetastic was updated on October 13, 2026 and Pixel Playground on October 1, 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.*