# PixelBead vs Bead Studio

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bead Studio at none against PixelBead's 4. PixelBead's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

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

PixelBead ships an update every 2 weeks, Bead Studio fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PixelBead | Bead Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bead-studio/id6775311299/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 49 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [笑海 吕](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883077978) | [Xiang Wang](https://appshunter.io/developer/815938668) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Bead Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bead-studio/id6775311299)

Transform any photo into a fuse bead pattern with this intuitive tool. It automatically generates bead grids, charts, and material lists, requiring no design skills. Perfect for creating pixel art, gifts, or craft templates.

**Highlights:** One-step photo-to-pattern creation, Automatic bead grid generation, Material list with color counts, Adjustable grid size, Built-in bead palettes, Save, share, and export patterns

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PixelBead free?

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

### Is Bead Studio free?

Bead Studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do PixelBead or Bead Studio have ads?

Bead Studio shows ads; PixelBead does not.

### Which is updated more often, PixelBead or Bead Studio?

PixelBead ships an update every 2 weeks, and Bead Studio fortnightly. Most recently, PixelBead was updated on September 21, 2026 and Bead Studio on July 6, 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.*