# Beads Buddy vs PixelBead

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Beads Buddy at none against PixelBead's 4. Beads Buddy also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). PixelBead's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PixelBead sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Beads Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Beads Buddy ships an update every 4 days, PixelBead every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Beads Buddy | PixelBead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 64 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pocket factory AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1793104474) | [笑海 吕](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883077978) |

## What reviewers say

### Beads Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beads-buddy-bead-patterns/id6757596324)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### PixelBead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelbead-bead-pattern/id6761889951)

Transform your photos into bead patterns quickly and easily. Automatically match colors, generate grids, and refine your designs with powerful editing tools. Supports popular bead brands and offers premium features for advanced users.

**Highlights:** Photo to bead pattern conversion, Automatic color matching and grid generation, Support for Perler, Hama, Artkal, Nabbi brands, Manual pattern editing tools, Bead usage statistics, High-resolution PDF/PNG export (Premium)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PixelBead Premium | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| PixelBead Premium | $9.99 | per year |
| PixelBead Lifetime Offer | $12.99 | one-time |
| PixelBead Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Beads Buddy free?

Beads Buddy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PixelBead free?

PixelBead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Beads Buddy or PixelBead have ads?

Beads Buddy shows ads; PixelBead does not.

### Which is updated more often, Beads Buddy or PixelBead?

Beads Buddy ships an update every 4 days, and PixelBead every 2 weeks. Most recently, Beads Buddy was updated on September 17, 2026 and PixelBead on September 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*