# Pixound vs Year One

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pixound at 72% against Year One's 0%. Pixound also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 7 months) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). Year One's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Year One is free to download; Pixound costs $0.99 up front. Pixound sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Year One asks for nothing beyond the download.

Year One holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 3 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Pixound's written reviews are positive against 0% of Year One's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Pixound ships an update monthly, Year One every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on August 12, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixound | Year One |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.1 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixound/id486076965/reviews) | **[4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/year-one/id1282314928/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **72.2% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 1.1 GB | 407 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Techné Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/486076968) | [TCW](https://appshunter.io/developer/1193839943) |

## What reviewers say

### Pixound

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixound/id486076965)

Transform any image into a musical instrument and create unique songs. Explore a deep musical experience with extensive controls, over 127 instruments, and various scales. It's a fun and educational tool for all ages, allowing you to play live video and record your performances.

**Highlights:** Turn any picture into music, Play live video as an instrument, Record performances with touch playback, Over 65 scales and modes, 127+ instruments for four voices, Save and share creations, MIDI export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pixound Live Video | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pixound MIDI Features | $2.99 | one-time |


### Year One

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/year-one/id1282314928)

Experience music in a new dimension with augmented reality. Move around your space to uncover hidden sounds, build melodies, and create unique listening experiences by interacting with spatial audio arrangements.

**Highlights:** Spatial album listening, Augmented reality soundscapes, Interactive music exploration, Build melodies and chords, Dynamic audio effects, Create unique listening experiences

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pixound free?

Pixound costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Year One free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pixound or Year One?

Year One is rated higher. Pixound averages 4.1 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Year One averages 4.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do Pixound or Year One have ads?

Neither Pixound nor Year One shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pixound or Year One?

Pixound ships an update monthly, and Year One every 7 months. Most recently, Pixound was updated on August 12, 2026 and Year One on June 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.*