Comparison

PxPad vs PixelForge

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

Head to head
About

PxPad

Create pixel art and game sprites with a powerful native editor for iOS. Offers a full suite of tools, layers, and export options for retro art enthusiasts and game developers.

Highlights
  • Brush, eraser, fill, select, move, eyedropper tools
  • Layers and undo/redo functionality
  • Zoom, pan, and rotate gestures
  • Image import and export (PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP, ICO, PX)
  • iCloud integration and Files app previews
  • Dark mode and left-handed mode
Read full description

Create stunning pixel art with PxPad, a powerful native sprite editor for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Perfect for game developers, artists, and retro art enthusiasts. Features • Brush, eraser, fill, select, move, and eyedropper tools • Undo / redo feature • Zoom / pan / rotate gestures • Layers • Multiple artboards in one document • Image imports • iCloud integration • Files app icon previews • Dark mode • Export PNG / JPG / GIF / WebP / ICO / PX • Export multiple artboards at once • Canvas resizing • Full color picker • Haptics • Apple Pencil support on compatible iPads • Left-handed mode • Sample files • 41 Languages Create retro art, game graphics and sprite sheets across iPhone, iPad and Mac, with iCloud integration, native sharing and file previews. Touch shortcuts and gestures • Double-tap with the brush to fill an area (enable in Settings). • Press and hold on the canvas while using the brush, eraser or fill tool to pick a color. • 2 finger tap: Undo • 3 finger tap: Redo • 2 finger pan: Pan view • 2 finger pinch: Zoom view • 2 finger rotate: Rotate canvas • Swipe gesture on folder previews, in the grid view, to cycle through previews. • Drag eyedropper onto canvas to activate with one gesture. Notes • When editing, an orange circle by the file name indicates the file is unsaved. Green briefly confirms a successful save. Red indicates a save error. • Import .px files by moving them into the PxPad folder (see Settings). If you like PxPad, please let me know in a review! Thank you, Andy (The Developer) License Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

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

PxPad4 screens
PixelForge4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PxPad at none against PixelForge's 5. PxPad also leads on ads (none vs shown). PixelForge's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.5). On price, update cadence 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. PixelForge sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. PxPad asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
PxPad versus PixelForge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPxPadPixelForge
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS18.515.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrew MoloneyMohamed Nagy

In-app purchases

None

PxPad

No in-app purchases

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 PxPad free?
PxPad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PixelForge free?
PixelForge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PxPad or PixelForge have ads?
PixelForge shows ads; PxPad does not.
Which is updated more often, PxPad or PixelForge?
PxPad ships an update fortnightly, and PixelForge fortnightly. Most recently, PxPad was updated on October 30, 2026 and PixelForge on October 25, 2026.

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