Comparison

PixelMemo vs Pyre

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

Head to head
About

PixelMemo

Features
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Create beautiful memos with a retro pixel art twist!ย  PixelMemo combines functional note-taking with delightful 8-bit aesthetics. FEATURES โ€ข Write text memos with pixel-perfect font โ€ข Draw 16x16 pixel art to accompany your notes โ€ข Star your favorite memos for quick access โ€ข Search through all your memos instantly โ€ข Light and dark themes with retro styling โ€ข Clean, distraction-free interface

About

Pyre

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Ten minutes into a work block, can you say how much time is left without checking a number? Pyre turns the clock into a ring of flame. It burns down as your session runs, and what is left of the ring is the time you have left. The countdown digits sit in the middle of the ring, but you do not have to read them: one glance from across the desk tells you where you are. PICK A RHYTHM - Classic 25: a 25 minute focus sprint with a 5 minute break - Deep 45 and Deep 60: one long block, no break built in - Deep 90 and Deep 120: long blocks with a 15 or 20 minute break afterwards - Breaks can start by themselves when a session ends, or wait for your tap - A notification tells you when a session or break is over, even with the screen locked SETTINGS FOR WANDERING ATTENTION - Show the wall clock beside the timer when minutes feel abstract - Streaks are off by default. Turn them on only if a streak motivates you - Compassionate streak: one missed day per week does not break it - Stats show lifetime sessions, your current streak and your best streak ADHD-friendly here means gentle defaults and a visual cue. Pyre is a productivity tool, not a medical device. It does not diagnose, treat or manage ADHD or any other condition. THE AD, AND YOUR DATA Pyre is free. It shows a single small banner at the bottom of the Stats screen, and nowhere else. The timer screen is where your session runs, so it stays clear. Where the law requires it (the EEA and UK), a consent form asks about ads before any load, and Settings gets an Ad privacy options row so you can change your answer later. On iPhone and iPad the system tracking prompt appears only if that step allows it. Say no to the form or to the prompt and nothing in Pyre gets locked. Your settings, session totals and streaks are stored on your device and there is no Pyre account. The only network traffic Pyre starts itself is the ad request. The notification prompt appears when you start your first session, not when you open the app. WHERE IT HELPS Writers, students, developers and anyone who loses the thread of time while working. If a plain countdown never felt real to you, watch it burn. Questions or feedback: contact+pyre@peppertree.so

Screenshots

PixelMemo3 screens
Pyre4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: PixelMemo at none against Pyre's shown. Pyre's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PixelMemo ships an update every 4 months, Pyre every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
PixelMemo versus Pyre: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPixelMemoPyre
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 months โ€” better
AdsNo โ€” betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” better
Requires iOS26.015.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size24 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNante StudioPeppertree

In-app purchases

None

PixelMemo

No in-app purchases

None

Pyre

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PixelMemo free?
PixelMemo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pyre free?
Pyre is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do PixelMemo or Pyre have ads?
Pyre shows ads; PixelMemo does not.
Which is updated more often, PixelMemo or Pyre?
PixelMemo ships an update every 4 months, and Pyre every 3 months. Most recently, PixelMemo was updated on October 28, 2026 and Pyre on October 25, 2026.

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