# PixelBead vs Toonbead

The clearest difference is update cadence: Toonbead at every 5 days against PixelBead's every 2 weeks. PixelBead's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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 and Toonbead sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PixelBead ships an update every 2 weeks, Toonbead every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PixelBead | Toonbead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| 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) | [恒 丛](https://appshunter.io/developer/6780702931) |

## 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 |


### Toonbead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/toonbead-bead-pattern-maker/id6789779931)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 AI Generations | $1.99 | one-time |
| 30 AI Generations | $4.99 | one-time |
| 100 AI Generations | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PixelBead free?

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

### Is Toonbead free?

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

### Do PixelBead or Toonbead have ads?

Neither PixelBead nor Toonbead shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PixelBead or Toonbead?

PixelBead ships an update every 2 weeks, and Toonbead every 5 days. Most recently, PixelBead was updated on October 8, 2026 and Toonbead on October 13, 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.*