Genie Strings vs Pixmaker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Genie Strings
Effortlessly transform any photo into a beautiful string art masterpiece with AI-powered guidance. Choose from multiple portrait modes and board shapes, with precise nail-by-nail instructions and printable guides for your craft projects.
- AI-powered string art generation
- Multiple portrait modes (Monochrome, Greyscale, Color)
- Smart image editing tools (brightness, contrast, background removal)
- Support for Circle, Square, and Rectangle board shapes
- Printable, to-scale nail layout PDFs
- Step-by-step thread instructions
- Local and iCloud template saving
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Transform any photo into stunning string art with AI enabled app Genie Strings — the most complete string portrait generator available. Whether you are creating a gift, a wall piece, or a craft project, Genie Strings calculates every thread path for you and delivers a precise nail-by-nail guide ready to follow. Three Portrait Modes Choose from Monochrome (single black thread), Greyscale (black and white for richer tones), or Color (up to 8 thread colours from the CMYK and RGB palette). Every mode produces a professional result from any photo. Smart Image Editor Prepare your photo before rendering with built-in brightness, contrast, sharpness, and saturation controls. Remove the background in one tap using on-device machine learning, then set a custom background colour with the HSV colour wheel. Pinch and drag to position your image precisely within the board frame before generating. Three Board Shapes Circle, Square, and Rectangle boards are all supported. Enter your board dimensions and nail spacing in centimetres and the app calculates the exact nail count automatically. Portrait and landscape orientations are both available for rectangle boards. Advanced Monochrome Controls Four precision controls give you complete creative command: Darkness sets overall portrait depth, Person Focus concentrates thread on dark areas, Shadow Richness layers depth into hair and shadows, and Fine Detail captures subtle mid-tones. The app analyses your photo and suggests starting values automatically. Nail Layout PDF Every purchase includes a to-scale nail layout PDF showing your board shape with every nail numbered and positioned exactly. Print at Actual Size and use it directly as your drilling or pinning guide — no measuring required. Step-by-Step Thread Instructions Your nail sequence is exported as a text file with clear colour-change instructions. Use it alongside the Genie Reader companion app to have your instructions read aloud while you string, keeping your hands free throughout the process. My Templates Every exported template and nail layout PDF is saved locally and in iCloud, accessible from My Templates at any time for resharing or reprinting.
Pixmaker
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PixMaker helps you create fuse bead and Perler bead art faster, easier, and with more confidence. Connect your PixMaker board to the app, choose or import a design, and follow the LED light guide step by step. Each light shows where to place your beads, so you can focus on creating instead of counting. PixMaker is designed for beginners, families, hobby makers, and advanced bead artists who want to create more detailed patterns with fewer mistakes. With the PixMaker app, you can: • Connect your PixMaker board by Bluetooth • Choose bead patterns and designs • Import your own images • Convert images into bead art patterns • Follow the LED guide directly on the board • Create larger and more detailed artwork faster • Access tutorials, updates, and product support PixMaker makes bead art more visual, more accurate, and more enjoyable. Follow the lights and start creating.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pixmaker at none against Genie Strings's 3. Pixmaker also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads 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. Genie Strings sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Pixmaker asks for nothing beyond the download.
Genie Strings ships an update every 2 months, Pixmaker every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Genie Strings | Pixmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Arunesh Dwivedi | Pixply LTD |
In-app purchases
Genie Strings
- Monochrome String Portrait Template$9.99
- Greyscale String Portrait Template$24.99
- Color String Portrait Template$49.99
Pixmaker
No in-app purchases









