Comparison

Pixel Count vs Pixel Evolution Lab

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

Head to head
About

Pixel Count

Features
Read full description

Pixel Count, Think Before You Step Every move matters. Pixel Count is a strategic number puzzle where your goal is simple: Find the path with the lowest possible total from the top-left corner to the bottom-right. It sounds easy. It isn’t. The Objective: Move through a grid of numbered tiles. Each tile adds to your total score. Your mission is to reach the exit with the smallest sum possible. Lower is better. Always. How It Works: • Move up, down, left, or right • No diagonal moves • You can’t revisit tiles • You may undo your last step • Your score equals the sum of all tiles you stepped on Plan carefully. One wrong turn can cost everything. Game Modes: Classic Mode: Progress through handcrafted levels with increasing grid sizes and complexity. Earn stars based on how close you are to the optimal path. Unlock new challenges as you improve. Daily Challenge: One shared puzzle every day. Chaos Mode: Timed stages with rising pressure. Complete a stage to earn bonus time and push your limits. As you advance, new mechanics appear: • Blocked tiles that force reroutes • Teleport links connecting distant areas • Larger grids requiring deeper planning The puzzle evolves with you.. Why You’ll Love Pixel Count: • Simple rules, deep strategic gameplay • Pure logic and optimization • No randomness — skill determines success • Hundreds of carefully designed levels • Clean, minimalist design • Perfect for short sessions or long thinking streaks If you enjoy number puzzles, pathfinding challenges, logic games, or brain-training apps — this is for you. Think ahead. Minimize your total. Master the grid.

About

Pixel Evolution Lab

Features
Read full description

The Ultimate Evolution Simulator on iOS. Completely ad-free. Enter the Pixel Evolution Lab, where mathematics meets art. This is not just another "Game of Life" clone—it is a high-performance simulation suite designed for creators, scientists, and pixel enthusiasts. Powered by a custom Metal-based engine, Pixel Evolution delivers buttery-smooth rendering while giving you absolute control over the heartbeat of your digital organisms. Experiment, Evolve, and Enjoy. The true magic happens when you start creating. Design your own pixel patterns and watch them take on a life of their own. Will your creation stabilize into a beautiful "still life," or will it expand into a chaotic, pulsating colony? With our advanced tracking tools, watching your digital ecosystem evolve becomes a captivating and addictive experience. Features Breakdown Free Version: The Foundation • Core Simulation Engine: Experience the classic Conway’s Game of Life with high-performance 60 FPS rendering. • Evolution Tracker: Analyze your simulation with a real-time oscilloscope-style graph tracking "Step" and "Density" metrics—now available for everyone. • Speed Control: Take command of the time-space continuum. Adjust the "Generations per Second" (GPS) from slow-motion analysis to high-speed turbo growth. • Resolution Control: Switch between different grid densities, from $1\times1$ to $8\times8$, to scale your evolution. • Interactive UI: A sleek, dark-mode console designed for the iPad Pro, featuring an intuitive control panel for real-time interaction. Pro Lab: The Full Studio (IAP) • Apple Pencil Studio: Unlock professional drawing tools with pressure sensitivity and palm rejection. Design your patterns with surgical precision. • Custom Map Gallery: Save, manage, and re-edit your creations. Build a library of your most successful evolutionary patterns and favorite designs. • Scientific Rule Lab: Create your own $B/S$ (Birth/Survival) rules. Explore exotic universes like Mazectric, Amoeba, or Walled Cities. • Color Lab: Fully customize the visual aesthetic. Set unique colors for "Alive" and "Dead" states to match your personal style. Why Pixel Evolution? • Fun & Discovery: Every custom map is a new experiment. Discover hidden patterns and enjoy the organic beauty of generative growth. • Metal Powered: Built on Apple’s Metal framework for maximum GPU efficiency—even on complex $1\times1$ grids. • Professional UX: A refined "All-Gold" typography and dark-mode aesthetic for focused laboratory work. • iPad Pro Optimized: Full support for high-refresh-rate displays and the latest Apple Pencil generations.

Screenshots

Pixel Count4 screens
Pixel Evolution Lab4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pixel Count at none against Pixel Evolution Lab's 1. Pixel Count also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 months). Pixel Evolution Lab's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Pixel Evolution Lab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pixel Count asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pixel Count ships an update every 4 days, Pixel Evolution Lab every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 3 level
Pixel Count versus Pixel Evolution Lab: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPixel CountPixel Evolution Lab
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 5 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPXL READY (FZE)Stefan Hergert

In-app purchases

None

Pixel Count

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Pixel Evolution Lab

One-time1
  • Pixel Evolution Pro Upgrade$1.99

Questions

Is Pixel Count free?
Pixel Count is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pixel Evolution Lab free?
Pixel Evolution Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pixel Count or Pixel Evolution Lab have ads?
Pixel Count shows ads; Pixel Evolution Lab does not.
Which is updated more often, Pixel Count or Pixel Evolution Lab?
Pixel Count ships an update every 4 days, and Pixel Evolution Lab every 5 months. Most recently, Pixel Count was updated on October 13, 2026 and Pixel Evolution Lab on October 15, 2026.

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