Comparison

Pixel Evolution Lab vs Pixel Algo

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

Head to head
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.

About

Pixel Algo

Features
Read full description

Pixel Algo brings Conway's Game of Life to your fingertips as a beautiful, interactive cellular automaton sandbox. Watch cells evolve, collide, and create emergent patterns — or take control and shape the grid yourself. FEATURES • Draw and erase cells with your finger • Place classic patterns: Glider, Pulsar, Gosper Gun, and more • Glass block and iridescent visual effects • Colony colors to track cell lineages • Cycle through color palettes automatically • Save and load grid snapshots • Adjustable simulation speed • Wrap-around or bounded edges • Auto-reset when the grid stagnates • Shake to clear the grid CONTROLS • 2-finger tap to pause/resume • Draw on the grid to create cells (when paused) • Double-tap to clear or randomize • Vertical drag to adjust speed • 3-finger tap to open the menu Pixel Algo is free with minimal, non-intrusive ads. Purchase Remove Ads once to enjoy an ad-free experience forever.

Screenshots

Pixel Evolution Lab4 screens
Pixel Algo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Pixel Evolution Lab at none against Pixel Algo's shown. Pixel Algo's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). 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. Pixel Evolution Lab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Pixel Algo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pixel Evolution Lab ships an update every 5 months, Pixel Algo every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Pixel Evolution Lab versus Pixel Algo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPixel Evolution LabPixel Algo
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStefan HergertShin Labs LLC

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Pixel Evolution Lab

One-time1
  • Pixel Evolution Pro Upgrade$1.99
1 purchases

Pixel Algo

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99

Questions

Is Pixel Evolution Lab free?
Pixel Evolution Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pixel Algo free?
Pixel Algo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pixel Evolution Lab or Pixel Algo have ads?
Pixel Algo shows ads; Pixel Evolution Lab does not.
Which is updated more often, Pixel Evolution Lab or Pixel Algo?
Pixel Evolution Lab ships an update every 5 months, and Pixel Algo every 2 months. Most recently, Pixel Evolution Lab was updated on October 1, 2026 and Pixel Algo on October 7, 2026.

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