Comparison

Pixel art maker vs PixelForge

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pixel art maker

Create retro-style pixel art and game textures with a comprehensive set of tools. Supports Aseprite files, layers, animation with onion skinning, and various export formats. Offers color palettes from retro consoles and Lospec.

Highlights
  • Aseprite file import/export
  • Pixel-perfect drawing tools
  • Layers and animation with onion skinning
  • Retro and Lospec color palettes
  • Multiple export formats (PNG, GIF, Aseprite, etc.)
  • Image upscaling
Features
Read full description

Inktica is a powerful and easy-to-use pixel art maker and texture maker, perfect for creating retro-style pixel art and game textures. Whether you're designing sprites, game assets, or detailed textures, Inktica provides the tools you need. Aseprite File Support Seamlessly edit your Aseprite (.aseprite, .ase) files on the go! Inktica allows both importing and exporting Aseprite files, so you can work across multiple platforms. (Note: Some Aseprite features may not be available.) Pixel-Perfect Tools for Pixel Art & Texture Editing · Inktica offers an extensive toolset tailored for pixel art and texture creation, including: · Brush (Pixel-Perfect Mode) – Draw clean, single-pixel-wide lines. · Eraser, Flood-Fill, Gradient, Line, Rectangle, Ellipse, Pipette – All designed for pixel precision. · Selection Tool – Copy, cut, move, rotate, and flip parts of your pixel art. Layers & Animation Features · Organize your pixel art using layers for better editing control. · Create animations with onion skinning, making frame-by-frame pixel animations easier. Color Palettes & References · Use color palettes from retro consoles like the Atari 2600, NES, and Game Boy. · Import Lospec palettes for even more color variety. · Open a reference image from your gallery to compare while drawing. Export & Share Your Pixel Art · Save in PNG, JPEG, GIF, MP4, Aseprite, Sprite sheet and more. · Upscale images to maintain clarity on modern displays. · Share your pixel art directly on social media. With Inktica, your pixel art and texture making process becomes smooth, efficient, and fun! Art in screenshots by Pikurā Privacy policy: https://inktica.com/privacy-policy.html Terms of use: https://inktica.com/terms-of-use.html

About

PixelForge

Features
Read full description

The pixel art studio built for game developers, sprite artists, and retro creators. Draw, animate frame-by-frame, and export spritesheets — all on iPhone and iPad. No subscription required to start. PROFESSIONAL PIXEL ART TOOLS - Precision Drawing - Pixel-perfect brushes with customizable sizes (1-3px) - Advanced Layer System - Unlimited layers for complex artwork (Pro) - Color Management - HSV color picker with custom palette creation - Shape Tools - Draw circles, rectangles, lines with pixel precision - Smart Selection - Lasso, rectangle, and magic wand selection tools - Eyedropper Tool - Sample any color directly from your canvas ANIMATION FEATURES - Frame-by-Frame Editor - Full control over every frame - Timeline Control - Adjust frame duration and playback speed - Frame Management - Add, duplicate, delete, and reorder frames - Onion Skinning - See adjacent frames while editing for smooth animation - Play/Pause Preview - Preview animations in real-time - Export - Save as animated GIF or sprite sheets ADVANCED FEATURES - Image Import - Convert photos to pixel art with dithering - Tiling Preview - Create seamless textures and patterns - Canvas Resizing - From 1x1 to 256x256 pixels - Undo/Redo - 50-step history - Clipboard Support - Copy, cut, and paste selections - Color Replace - Swap colors across your entire project - Dithering Patterns - Retro-style gradients and shading EXPORT OPTIONS - PNG, GIF, and sprite sheet export - Auto-save so you never lose work - Share directly from the app PERFECT FOR - Game developers creating sprites and tilesets - Pixel artists and illustrators - Retro game enthusiasts - Animation hobbyists - Anyone who loves pixel art FREE AND PRO Free tier includes: - 2 layers, 4 animation frames - All basic drawing tools - Project saving and export Pro unlocks: - Unlimited layers and frames - Premium tools: dithering, gradient fill, magic wand, color replace, move tool - Tiling preview mode UNIVERSAL APP Optimized for both iPhone and iPad. Hardware-accelerated rendering via Skia for smooth, responsive drawing. Download PixelForge and start building your pixel art today.

Screenshots

Pixel art maker4 screens
PixelForge4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Pixel art maker at none against PixelForge's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pixel art maker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.19 per month and PixelForge sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Pixel art maker versus PixelForge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPixel art makerPixelForge
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (24 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings24 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRobert Filip Odrowaz-SypniewskiMohamed Nagy

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Pixel art maker

Subscriptions2
  • Inktica Pro (monthly)$1.191 Month
  • Inktica Pro (annual)$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Inktica Pro (lifetime)$19.99
5 purchases

PixelForge

One-time5
  • PixelForge Pro - Lifetime$0.99
  • 20 AI Credits$0.99
  • Lifetime$2.99
Show 2 more
  • 100 AI Credits$2.99
  • 500 AI Credits$12.99

Questions

Is Pixel art maker free?
Pixel art maker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PixelForge free?
PixelForge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pixel art maker or PixelForge have ads?
PixelForge shows ads; Pixel art maker does not.
Which is updated more often, Pixel art maker or PixelForge?
Pixel art maker ships an update fortnightly, and PixelForge fortnightly. Most recently, Pixel art maker was updated on November 3, 2026 and PixelForge on October 25, 2026.

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