# Microsoft Designer vs Pencila

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pencila at none against Microsoft Designer's 7. Pencila also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and device support (3 vs 1). Microsoft Designer's advantage is chart position (#148 vs unranked). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft Designer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Pencila asks for nothing beyond the download.

Microsoft Designer ships an update every 3 weeks, Pencila weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Designer | Pencila |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (556 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-designer/id6448308247/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **556** | — |
| Positive reviews | 76.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#148** | — |
| Size | 76 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [Pencila Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1889124717) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Designer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-designer/id6448308247)

**Currently charting:** #148 Top Free · Graphics & Design, #198 Top Grossing · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

Visually create and edit anything imaginable with AI. Generate unique images from text, design personalized cards and wallpapers, and enhance photos by removing distractions or backgrounds.

**Highlights:** AI image generation, Custom sticker creation, Generative erase tool, Background removal, Custom wallpaper design, Greeting card creation, Photo restyling

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft 365 Basic Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Family Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Premium Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Microsoft Copilot Pro | $20.00 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Microsoft 365 Family Yearly | $129.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless integration with Microsoft 365
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Powerful AI-powered design capabilities
- 💡 Versatile and creative features
- 🎉 Fun and enjoyable to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Strict content guidelines
- 💰 Subscription-based model with limited free usage
- 📱 Limited functionality on iPad devices

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent performance and loading issues
- Inability to view or manage past designs on mobile
- Unexpected content restrictions and rejections

**Requested features**

- AI-powered video editing capabilities
- More advanced image editing tools
- Improved handling of diverse character designs
- Better organization and navigation of past projects


### Pencila

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencila/id6761403046)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Designer free?

Microsoft Designer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pencila free?

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

### Do Microsoft Designer or Pencila have ads?

Neither Microsoft Designer nor Pencila shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft Designer or Pencila?

Microsoft Designer ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pencila weekly. Most recently, Microsoft Designer was updated on October 17, 2026 and Pencila on October 14, 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.*