Comparison

Lab.zip vs PicoChat for iMessage

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

Head to head
About

Lab.zip

A visual research platform for creatives, offering curated references and contextual analysis for design inspiration. It provides focused research to help users find clarity and direction in their creative projects.

Highlights
  • Visual discovery
  • Contextual analysis
  • Curated references
  • In-depth research
  • Personal library access
  • Inspiration for creatives
Read full description

Lab.zip is a visual research platform for creatives, offering visual discovery, context, and clarity for design research. WHAT YOU’LL FIND • In-depth visual research on products, designers, and cultural movements • Curated references with contextual analysis WHY LAB.ZIP Lab.zip is not a social network, a media outlet, or a marketplace.
 It is a focused research environment built to help creatives find clarity, direction, and inspiration through connected references. LAB.ZIP PREMIUM Lab.zip Premium unlocks extended in-app access to in-depth research Premium includes: • Extended research content • Exclusive curated reference materials • Access to your personal Lab.zip library on desktop SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available monthly or annually and renew automatically unless canceled before the end of the current period. You can manage your subscription in your account settings. LEGAL Terms of Use: https://www.lab.zip/terms-and-conditions Privacy Policy: https://www.lab.zip/privacy-policy

About

PicoChat for iMessage

Relive the nostalgia of early 2000s handheld messaging with this retro drawing app for iMessage. Create tiny pixel art, use unique emoji, and share your creations with friends, even if they don't have the app installed. Features include undo, saving favorites, and customization options.

Highlights
  • Create tiny drawings in iMessage
  • Dozens of pixel emoji
  • Undo mistakes
  • Save favorite drawings
  • Customize name and color
Read full description

Remember sitting on the bus and messaging your friends via your favorite two-screened handheld? Relive those memories with PicoChat, a tiny retro drawing app for iMessage! Featuring all the nostalgic features you remember and a few extras including the ability to undo, save favorites, and more! This open-source iMessage app is perfect for sending drawings to your friends who can see you art even if they don't have the app installed. With PicoChat, you can: • Create tiny drawings right in iMessage • Use dozens of pixel emoji • Undo mistakes with the click of a button • Save favorites to come back to later • Customize your name and color scheme And much more, download PicoChat today and try it out for yourself! Note: The terms Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, and PictoChat are registered trademarks of Nintendo Co., Ltd. This app is in no way affiliated with Nintendo.

Screenshots

Lab.zip3 screens
PicoChat for iMessage3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PicoChat for iMessage at none against Lab.zip's 2. PicoChat for iMessage also leads on update cadence (daily vs fortnightly) and rating (4.5 vs 4.3). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Lab.zip sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.00 per month. PicoChat for iMessage asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PicoChat for iMessage holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PicoChat for iMessage has 98 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Lab.zip's written reviews are positive against 79% of PicoChat for iMessage's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lab.zip ships an update fortnightly, PicoChat for iMessage daily. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Lab.zip versus PicoChat for iMessage: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLab.zipPicoChat for iMessage
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (4 ratings)4.5 (98 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews79.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings498 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB3 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperLab.zip IncIdrees Hassan

Customer experience

Lab.zip

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

PicoChat for iMessage

All ratings89 ratings
Positive91.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.0%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive79.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.8%

Bugs and requests

Lab.zip

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

PicoChat for iMessage

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Settings don't save
  • Cursor turns into scribbles when writing too fast
  • Rainbow pen lags the app and force closes messages
  • Doesn't accommodate all screen sizes

Requested features

4 requests
  • Bigger keyboard size
  • Dark Mode support
  • Scaling fix for iPad
  • Ability to transform photos into drawings

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Lab.zip

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly$8.001 Month
  • Premium Yearly$72.001 Year
None

PicoChat for iMessage

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lab.zip free?
Lab.zip is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PicoChat for iMessage free?
PicoChat for iMessage is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Lab.zip or PicoChat for iMessage?
PicoChat for iMessage is rated higher. Lab.zip averages 4.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while PicoChat for iMessage averages 4.5 from 98 ratings.
Do Lab.zip or PicoChat for iMessage have ads?
Neither Lab.zip nor PicoChat for iMessage shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lab.zip or PicoChat for iMessage?
Lab.zip ships an update fortnightly, and PicoChat for iMessage daily. Most recently, Lab.zip was updated on November 4, 2026 and PicoChat for iMessage on October 30, 2026.

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