# PhotoPearls vs Pixel art editor

The clearest difference is rating: Pixel art editor at 4.6 against PhotoPearls's 2.0. Pixel art editor also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 42%) 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. Pixel art editor sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PhotoPearls asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pixel art editor holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pixel art editor has 1.5K 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 81% of Pixel art editor's.

PhotoPearls ships an update every 29 months, Pixel art editor every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PhotoPearls | Pixel art editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photopearls/id439629678/reviews) | **[4.6 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-art-editor-dottable/id946923840/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **1.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | **80.8% 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 | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Munkplast AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/439629681) | [Yosuke Seki](https://appshunter.io/developer/824851972) |

## 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


### Pixel art editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-art-editor-dottable/id946923840)

Easily create pixel art with a range of professional tools, including layer editing, custom color creation, and various painting brushes. Export your creations as animated GIFs or PNG files. Load images for tracing or convert them directly into pixel art.

**Highlights:** Layer editing (add, delete, copy, display), Various painting tools (pen, syringe, rectangle), Animated GIF export, Custom color creation and saving, Load images for tracing, Convert pictures to pixel art

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Removing ads, and increasing project storage limit | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Great for pixel art
- 💡 Useful for game development
- 🚀 Efficient for small textures
- 🎨 Good color selection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited storage/canvas size
- 🐛 Blurry image exports
- 🔒 Limited layers
- 🔒 Lack of zoom/pan functionality
- 🔒 Restricted color options (no black/white/gray)

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to select custom colors
- Deletes unsaved work when exiting the app
- Ads interrupt music playback
- Transparent GIFs not exporting correctly

**Requested features**

- Add palm rejection to prevent accidental drawing
- Increase maximum canvas size
- Add ability to rename/organize artworks
- Implement auto-color option for imported images
- Add line tool and more advanced drawing tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PhotoPearls free?

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

### Is Pixel art editor free?

Pixel art editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PhotoPearls or Pixel art editor?

Pixel art editor is rated higher. PhotoPearls averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Pixel art editor averages 4.6 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do PhotoPearls or Pixel art editor have ads?

Pixel art editor shows ads; PhotoPearls does not.

### Which is updated more often, PhotoPearls or Pixel art editor?

PhotoPearls ships an update every 29 months, and Pixel art editor every 2 months. Most recently, PhotoPearls was updated on October 24, 2026 and Pixel art editor on October 23, 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.*