Comparison

Pixelome vs Dot Canvas

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

Head to head
About

Pixelome

Features
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Pixelome is more than a place to draw pixel-style art. The illustrations you create can appear as buttons, backgrounds, and visual elements throughout the app. Over time, your drawings shape the look and feel of Pixelome itself. Pixelome offers a unique creative experience where drawing is not the end goal, but the starting point. From icon creation and character design to daily sketches, creative journaling, and building small personal worlds, Pixelome is designed to be a place where people who love drawing can truly feel at home. 【A SIMPLE AND SATISFYING PIXEL DRAWING TOOL】 Draw with intuitive touch controls. Zoom in or out freely, and every pixel remains clear and precise. The drawing tools are easy to use from your first sketch, while offering enough depth to support more detailed expression as you grow. ■ Grid sizes from 8 to 128 Suitable for small icons, characters, and more detailed creations ■ Smooth drawing experience Pinch in and pinch out to zoom freely Toggle grid lines on or off at any time ■ Essential editing tools for focused creation Eraser, color picker, and fill tool Undo and redo freely while experimenting ■ Flexible color selection Supports both RGB and HSL Create subtle color variations with ease ■ Transparent PNG support Create artwork with transparent backgrounds Transparency is clearly visible with a checkerboard display ■ Image import support Import existing images and redraw them in a pixel-style format ■ Image export support Designed so your creations can be saved properly as finished artwork 【CUSTOMIZE THE APP EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR OWN ART】 One of Pixelome’s defining features is the ability to customize the visual elements used inside the app with your own creations. ■ Tool button icons ■ Screens and visual components within the app ■ Characters and backgrounds used in mini experiences Everything can be personalized. The more you draw, the more Pixelome gradually takes on your own creative identity. Pixelome evolves from an app you use into an app you grow with. This level of creative freedom is rare among pixel-style drawing apps. 【MINI EXPERIENCES THAT BRING YOUR ART TO LIFE】 Your drawings don’t just stay on the canvas. They can be enjoyed through a variety of small interactive experiences. View them, reflect on them, or simply relax with them. ■ Calendar-style art diary Add one illustration for each day Look back on an entire month of creations at a glance ■ Today’s artwork Enjoy one selected piece each day on a large screen A quiet moment to appreciate your creativity ■ Small living worlds Animated pixel-style scenes designed to be enjoyed just by watching Jellyfish drifting through the sea Koi swimming peacefully in a pond A rocket flying through space Ghosts gently floating around Small fish swimming in an aquarium All characters and backgrounds can be customized with your own artwork. Create entirely new worlds in your own style. 【RECOMMENDED FOR】 ■ People who love pixel-style visuals ■ Those who want to draw a little every day ■ Fans of retro and classic game aesthetics ■ Creators who want to design their own icons and assets ■ Anyone who wants to build a world that feels personal Pixelome is designed to help you enjoy drawing over the long term. Your creations remain, become worlds, and eventually turn into a place that feels like home. Start growing your own creative world with Pixelome.

About

Dot Canvas

Features
Read full description

A simple and easy-to-use pixel art creation app. Color each square on a small canvas to create icons, avatars, game assets, retro-style pixel art, and more. With basic tools such as pen, eraser, fill, and eyedropper, you can easily draw pixel art by hand. You can also import a reference image, making it possible to create pixel art while using a photo or illustration as a guide. Your creations can be saved in the app and edited, duplicated, renamed, shared, or saved as images later. With support for transparent backgrounds and background color settings, this app is useful for creating social media icons, design materials, game sprites, and small illustrations. ● Main Features 【Easily Create Pixel Art】 ・Create a new canvas by choosing a canvas size ・Draw pixel art by coloring each square ・Use pen, eraser, and fill tools ・Pick colors from the canvas with the eyedropper ・Undo / Redo support ・Edit while viewing the grid 【A Clear and Easy-to-Use Editor】 ・Zoom in and out with pinch gestures ・Move the canvas freely in Move Mode ・Reset the view with Fit View ・Thick grid lines at regular intervals ・Left-right mirror drawing support ・Transparent background and background color settings 【Draw with a Reference Image】 ・Import photos or images as reference images ・Create pixel art while viewing the reference image ・Show or hide the reference image ・Adjust the reference image opacity ・Adjust the position and size of the reference image ・Create icons and avatars while using photos as a guide 【Manage Colors with My Palette】 ・Save frequently used colors to My Palette ・Reorder palette colors ・Long-press the current color to add it to My Palette ・Create with your own custom color set 【Save and Organize Your Work】 ・Save your pixel art in the app ・View saved works in a list ・Duplicate your works 【Save and Share as Images】 ・Save your pixel art as an image ・Export as transparent PNG ・Use your creations as social media icons, game assets, or illustration materials 【Easy-to-Use Settings】 ・Light Mode and Dark Mode support ・Show or hide the search field ・Turn Auto Save on or off 【No Login Required】 ・Start using the app without creating an account ・Your creations are managed on your device ・Enjoy creating pixel art anytime Perfect for creating social media icons, avatars, game assets, retro-style illustrations, and small pixel art. A simple pixel art creation app that lets you draw by hand while using reference images as a guide.

Screenshots

Pixelome4 screens
Dot Canvas4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Dot Canvas at none against Pixelome's 3. On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Pixelome sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Dot Canvas asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pixelome ships an update every 2 days, Dot Canvas every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Pixelome versus Dot Canvas: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPixelomeDot Canvas
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 3 days
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTomatoAppLabMITSUKO MARGOT KUBOTA ONO

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Pixelome

One-time3
  • 10 coins$0.99
  • 50 coins$3.99
  • 99 coins$5.99
None

Dot Canvas

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pixelome free?
Pixelome is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dot Canvas free?
Dot Canvas is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Pixelome or Dot Canvas have ads?
Both Pixelome and Dot Canvas show ads.
Which is updated more often, Pixelome or Dot Canvas?
Pixelome ships an update every 2 days, and Dot Canvas every 3 days. Most recently, Pixelome was updated on October 31, 2026 and Dot Canvas on October 25, 2026.

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