# Stern Pinball IC vs Pixelcade

The clearest difference is rating: Pixelcade at 4.0 against Stern Pinball IC's 3.4. Pixelcade also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Stern Pinball IC's advantage is ratings volume (39 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pixelcade holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stern Pinball IC has 39 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Stern Pinball IC ships an update every 3 weeks, Pixelcade every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 4, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stern Pinball IC | Pixelcade |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stern-pinball-ic/id6449461651/reviews) | **[4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelcade/id6505077613/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **39** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 35.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 105 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [STERN PINBALL, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1686960364) | [OPEN GADGETS LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1038238337) |

## What reviewers say

### Stern Pinball IC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stern-pinball-ic/id6449461651)

Enhance your pinball experience with a companion app that connects you to Stern Pinball machines. Track scores, unlock exclusive content, and compete in challenges. Engage with your favorite games in a whole new online gaming system.

**Highlights:** Connect to Stern Pinball machines, Track player scores and progress, Unlock exclusive content, Complete achievements and quests, Engage with online gaming system, Discover new ways to play

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Innovative app and pinball experience
- 👍 Great for tracking scores and achievements
- 👍 Helpful for understanding game mechanics
- 👍 Appreciated for engagement and entertainment
- 👍 Year in review feature is a bright spot

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent login issues and being logged out
- 🐛 Poor UI/UX, cluttered and confusing
- 🐛 Difficulty finding features and navigation
- 🐛 App is slow, sluggish, and buggy
- 🐛 Crashes and website issues

**Reported bugs**

- Never received email confirmation for account creation
- Password reset emails not received
- Cannot sign up, next button not highlighting
- App always broken, says 'no internet connection'
- Logs out constantly, no remember me feature

**Requested features**

- More creative monthly game badges
- Top 1000 leaderboards with all data
- Backend features for operators (sound levels, free play)
- Biometric sign-in (Face ID/fingerprint)
- Longer session times


### Pixelcade

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelcade/id6505077613)

This companion app allows users to manage their Pixelcade LED and LCD marquees. Browse, update, and change settings for your marquee artwork and access widgets. Connect wirelessly over Wi-Fi for a seamless experience.

**Highlights:** Browse Pixelcade artwork, Update marquee artwork, Change marquee settings, Access Pixelcade widgets (LED only), Wi-Fi connectivity

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stern Pinball IC free?

Stern Pinball IC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pixelcade free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Stern Pinball IC or Pixelcade?

Pixelcade is rated higher. Stern Pinball IC averages 3.4 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while Pixelcade averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Stern Pinball IC or Pixelcade have ads?

Stern Pinball IC shows ads; Pixelcade does not.

### Which is updated more often, Stern Pinball IC or Pixelcade?

Stern Pinball IC ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pixelcade every 8 days. Most recently, Stern Pinball IC was updated on September 4, 2026 and Pixelcade on July 6, 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.*