# PhotoPearls vs 8bit Painter

The clearest difference is review sentiment: 8bit Painter at 85% against PhotoPearls's 42%. 8bit Painter also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.0) and update cadence (monthly 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. 8bit Painter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PhotoPearls asks for nothing beyond the download.

8bit Painter holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 8bit Painter has 6.7K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of PhotoPearls's written reviews are positive against 85% of 8bit Painter's.

PhotoPearls ships an update every 29 months, 8bit Painter monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PhotoPearls | 8bit Painter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photopearls/id439629678/reviews) | **[4.6 (6.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8bit-painter-pixel-art/id894301273/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **6.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | **85.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 29 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 18.6 |
| 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


### 8bit Painter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8bit-painter-pixel-art/id894301273)

Create fun and easy pixel art with intuitive controls. Perfect for beginners, this app lets you design SNS icons, game assets, or craft patterns. Import photos to pixelize them and export your creations as transparent PNGs.

**Highlights:** Beginner-friendly interface, Essential pixel drawing tools, Photo to pixel art conversion, Customizable color palettes, Transparent PNG export, Multiple canvas sizes

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🥰 Fun and addictive
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Great for pixel art
- 💡 Helpful for crafting projects
- 🤩 Awesome app overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Annoying ads
- 🔒 Limited canvas sizes
- 🎨 Lack of color customization
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing and crashing issues
- Distortion when importing images
- Inability to delete saved artworks

**Requested features**

- Custom canvas sizes
- More color options and palettes
- Ability to delete or rearrange colors
- Layers and animation support
- Copy/paste and selection tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PhotoPearls free?

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

### Is 8bit Painter free?

8bit Painter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PhotoPearls or 8bit Painter?

8bit Painter is rated higher. PhotoPearls averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while 8bit Painter averages 4.6 from 6.7K ratings.

### Do PhotoPearls or 8bit Painter have ads?

8bit Painter shows ads; PhotoPearls does not.

### Which is updated more often, PhotoPearls or 8bit Painter?

PhotoPearls ships an update every 29 months, and 8bit Painter monthly. Most recently, PhotoPearls was updated on October 24, 2026 and 8bit Painter on November 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.*