DotIllustration vs Picotap
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
DotIllustration
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I wanted to make a dot game, so I made an app for drawing dots. Version 2.0 I implemented a zoom function. Version 2.1 Bug fixes Version 2.2 Minor fixes
Picotap
Create pixel art with intuitive controls designed for mobile. Features include a magnifier for detail work, selection tools, and multiple brush patterns. Supports various canvas sizes and offers undo, auto-save, and backup functionalities.
- One-finger drawing with swipe controls
- Magnifier for precise 1-pixel work
- Selection tools (select, move, copy, flip)
- 8 brush patterns for efficient filling
- Reference image tracing
- Flexible canvas sizes up to 512x512
- 50 levels of undo and auto-save
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Easy controls. Draw the pixel art and animations you imagine. Picotap is a pixel art app built for easy phone controls. Trace the Swipe Area at the bottom of the screen to move the cursor, then press a button to place color. Your finger never hides your artwork, so precise pixel-by-pixel work stays comfortable. Easy to start, and it does what you need. From your first icon to game assets and animations, it handles it all. ◆ New: Bring Your Pixel Art to Life with Animation • Up to 64 frames. Make animations just like a flip book • Onion Skin shows the previous and next frames faintly, so smooth motion is easy to draw • Play back your animation right away to check it • Export as GIF or APNG for social media or your games ◆ Precise Control at Your Fingertip • Trackpad-style cursor: move fast to go far, move slowly to go one cell at a time. Tap the Swipe Area to draw right where the cursor is • Switch to One Cell at a Time or D-Pad controls if you prefer • Pinch to zoom the canvas • The draw and Undo buttons you use most sit within easy reach of your thumb, with haptic feedback so you feel every press • A hands-on tutorial teaches the basics as you draw ◆ Tools for Whatever You Want to Make • Layers: up to 8. Show or hide them and adjust their opacity • Shape tool: line, rectangle, and ellipse. Outline only, filled, or drawn from the center • Tool switching: Pen, Brush, Eraser, Fill, Eyedropper, and Shape. Choose the size and shape of the Brush and Eraser • Selection: move, copy, cut, flip, and rotate. Swap parts or make symmetrical art with ease • References: load multiple reference images, then pinch and drag to fit their position and size for tracing. Show or hide them frame by frame in your animation • Brush patterns: 8 types, including checker and stripes, to cover large areas efficiently • Canvas size: from tiny 8×8 icons to 512×512 masterpieces. Over 50 presets plus custom sizes ◆ Free Colors and Saving • Palette: set any number of colors from 1 to 256. Includes 60 preset palettes that give you a matching color scheme in one tap • Transparent areas are shown as an easy-to-see checkerboard • Choose the background when saving images: transparent, white, black, or a palette color • Export multiple artworks at once ◆ Create with Peace of Mind • Undo up to 50 times: try anything without worrying about mistakes • Auto-save: your work is saved automatically as you go • Backup and restore: switch devices worry-free • Trash: recover artworks you deleted by accident ◆ Perfect For • Anyone who wanted to try pixel art but struggled because their finger covered the screen • Anyone who wants to make cute retro pixel animations (GIFs) to post on social media • Anyone who wants to make their own social media icon • Anyone who wants to create pixel art or animated character assets for game development • Anyone who wants to casually draw pixel art on their phone while on the go or in spare moments • Anyone who wants to start by tracing a photo or illustration You can also use the app ad-free with the one-time purchase Remove Ads. Anytime, anywhere, right at your fingertip. Create your own pixel art and animations with Picotap.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DotIllustration at none against Picotap's 4. DotIllustration also leads on ads (none vs shown). Picotap's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). On price 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
Both are free to download. Picotap sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. DotIllustration asks for nothing beyond the download.
DotIllustration ships an update weekly, Picotap every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DotIllustration | Picotap |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 16.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tomohiro Adachi | Twispace |
In-app purchases
DotIllustration
No in-app purchases
Picotap
- Small Tip$0.99
- Medium Tip$2.99
- Remove Ads$4.99
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- Large Tip$6.99
Questions
Is DotIllustration free?
Is Picotap free?
Do DotIllustration or Picotap have ads?
Which is updated more often, DotIllustration or Picotap?
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