# PhotoPearls vs Beads Creator

The clearest difference is rating: Beads Creator at 4.5 against PhotoPearls's 2.0. Beads Creator also leads on review sentiment (74% vs 43%) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 29 months). PhotoPearls's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Beads Creator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PhotoPearls asks for nothing beyond the download.

Beads Creator holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Beads Creator has 1.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of PhotoPearls's written reviews are positive against 74% of Beads Creator's.

PhotoPearls ships an update every 29 months, Beads Creator every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PhotoPearls | Beads Creator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photopearls/id439629678/reviews) | **[4.5 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beads-creator-bead-patterns/id1235585928/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **1.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | **74.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 29 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Munkplast AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/439629681) | [Takayuki Miyagawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/894301276) |

## What reviewers say

### PhotoPearls

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photopearls/id439629678)

Transform personal photos into bead patterns for pixel art creations. This mobile version uses a limited color palette and pattern size, with advanced features available in the desktop application.

**Highlights:** Convert photos to bead patterns, Uses 30 unique bead colors, Supports 30x30 bead peg boards, Mobile version of desktop software, Personalized bead art creation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Beads Creator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beads-creator-bead-patterns/id1235585928)

Design custom fuse bead and Perler bead patterns with an intuitive pixel art editor. Import images to create patterns or use the bead list to track colors and quantities. Supports multiple bead brands and sizes.

**Highlights:** Pixel art style editing, Create patterns from images, Supports multiple bead brands, Bead list for color and quantity tracking, Cross-stitch pattern design, Supports 6 bead types

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Helpful for creating bead designs
- 🎨 Variety of colors and bead types
- 🔍 Useful for visualizing patterns

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and loses progress
- 🔍 Limited grid sizes and shapes
- 🎨 Lacking some common bead colors
- 📱 Orientation constraints on iPad

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to delete saved patterns
- Inconsistent behavior when adding beads

**Requested features**

- Copy/paste design elements
- Larger and custom grid sizes
- Import image to convert to pattern
- Fused bead view for final look
- Ability to edit bead colors


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PhotoPearls free?

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

### Is Beads Creator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PhotoPearls or Beads Creator?

Beads Creator is rated higher. PhotoPearls averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Beads Creator averages 4.5 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do PhotoPearls or Beads Creator have ads?

Beads Creator shows ads; PhotoPearls does not.

### Which is updated more often, PhotoPearls or Beads Creator?

PhotoPearls ships an update every 29 months, and Beads Creator every 2 months. Most recently, PhotoPearls was updated on October 3, 2026 and Beads Creator on October 18, 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.*
