Comparison

Petopia vs PixelFriends

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

Head to head
About

Petopia

Bring a charming pixelated companion to your device's Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets. Interact with your chosen pet, dress it up, and enjoy daily surprises and seasonal events. This app offers a peaceful, ad-free experience with a variety of adorable creatures to collect.

Highlights
  • Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets
  • Dynamic Island integration
  • 42 collectible pixel pets
  • Extensive dress-up options
  • Daily joys and seasonal events
  • Pixel dollhouse customization
Features
Read full description

A little pixel friend, by your side every day. It's on your Lock Screen and in your Home Screen widgets too: sleepy in the morning, playful at noon, snoozing at night. Pick your favorite of 42 friends, dress them up, and spend a quiet moment together every day. No ads. No subscriptions. DYNAMIC ISLAND - Your pet lives at the top of your screen, with a face for morning, day and night - Long-press to open their card, read what they have to say, and give them a pat - No Dynamic Island? Your pet can still keep you company on the Lock Screen LOCK SCREEN & WIDGETS - Home Screen widgets in 3 sizes and 9 styles: dollhouse, clock, calendar, photo, a daily line and more - Lock Screen widgets, too - Save up to 10 widget looks A PIXEL DOLLHOUSE - Your pets wander, blink and nap in a cozy pixel room - Give them a pat and each one reacts in its own way - The room turns to night when you do 42 FRIENDS - Start with 6: dog, cat, bunny, hamster, otter and lovebird - Shiba, corgi, chihuahua, black cat, calico, penguin, java sparrow, capybara, axolotl, sea otter, panda and more - Welcome new friends with candy you get every day DRESS UP - Ribbons and seasonal outfits - What they wear shows in the Dynamic Island and in widgets - Try outfits on before you choose LITTLE DAILY JOYS - A letter from your pet - A daily fortune - Treats that make you closer friends - A stamp card with bonuses - Photo mode for a keepsake shot together SEASONAL EVENTS - Limited outfits for Halloween and other seasons MADE TO FEEL SAFE - No ads, no subscriptions - Sign in with Apple to keep your pets when you change phones - Available in 34 languages A little pixel friend, quietly by your side every day.

About

PixelFriends

Features
Read full description

A tiny pixel friend lives in the Dynamic Island at the top of your phone. It keeps moving beside you while you use other apps, and stays with you on the Lock Screen too. ■ Your Own Pixel Friend Pick the friend you like and put it in the Island. Choose how it moves, too. ■ Grows the Longer It Stays Time in the Island adds up and levels it up. Snacks help it grow faster. ■ On the Lock Screen Too Your Lock Screen shows the little world your friend lives in, with a sky that changes through the day. ■ Make It Yours Switch themes to change the whole mood. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Petopia4 screens
PixelFriends4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Petopia at none against PixelFriends's shown. PixelFriends's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 8 days). On price, in-app purchases, 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. Petopia sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and PixelFriends sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Petopia ships an update every 8 days, PixelFriends daily. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Petopia versus PixelFriends: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPetopiaPixelFriends
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (11 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings11 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysDaily — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB69 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShogo ShibuyaNemo factory

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Petopia

One-time6
  • 100 Candies$0.99
  • Welcome Pack$2.99
  • 350 Candies$2.99
Show 3 more
  • 800 Candies$5.99
  • 2500 Candies$14.99
  • 6000 Candies$29.99
10 purchases

PixelFriends

Subscriptions2
  • PixelFriends VIP · 1 month$2.991 Month
  • PixelFriends VIP · 1 year$24.991 Year
One-time8
  • Cookie$0.59
  • Rainbow Candy$0.99
  • Neon$1.99
Show 5 more
  • RPG Dialog$1.99
  • Arcade$1.99
  • Cake$1.99
  • Magic Juice$9.99
  • PixelFriends VIP · Lifetime$34.99

Questions

Is Petopia free?
Petopia is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PixelFriends free?
PixelFriends is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Petopia or PixelFriends have ads?
PixelFriends shows ads; Petopia does not.
Which is updated more often, Petopia or PixelFriends?
Petopia ships an update every 8 days, and PixelFriends daily. Most recently, Petopia was updated on November 9, 2026 and PixelFriends on November 6, 2026.

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