Comparison

CRASTiPIX vs Backdrop

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

Head to head
About

CRASTiPIX

Features
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Title: CRASTiPIX - Retro Pixel Studio Subtitle: Video & Photo to Pixel Art Description: Turn any photo or video into stunning pixel art โ€” instantly, 100% on your device. Import your media and watch it transform into authentic retro aesthetics in seconds. Export as MP4, GIF, or PNG โ€” ready to share. WHAT MAKES CRASTiPIX DIFFERENT Unlike standard filters, CRASTiPIX converts real videos into pixel art animations with a full timeline editor, audio synchronization, and high-quality MP4 export. Professional pixel art tools, right in your pocket. MAIN FEATURES โ€ข Photo & Video Import: Instant high-fidelity pixel art conversion. โ€ข Animation Timeline: Multi-frame editing for precise results. โ€ข Audio Sync: Integrated audio mixer to keep your soundtrack perfectly aligned with the preview. โ€ข Artist Collection: Access curated loops and references for inspiration. โ€ข Pro Export: Save as MP4, GIF, PNG, or Sprite Sheets for game development. โ€ข Retro Palettes: 40+ presets inspired by classic 8-bit and 16-bit consoles (Handheld, Home Console, Legacy PC styles). โ€ข Advanced Dithering: Professional Floyd-Steinberg and ordered dithering algorithms. โ€ข Magic Effects: Scanlines, bloom, RGB shift, and vignette for that authentic CRT feel. โ€ข 100% Local: Your files never leave your device. Privacy by design. PERFECT FOR โ€ข Content Creators: Unique retro aesthetic for Social Media. โ€ข Game Devs: Quick sprite references and asset prototyping. โ€ข Digital Artists: Exploring pixel art styles from real-world footage. ONE DEVELOPER. NO ADS. NO TRACKING. CRASTiPIX is a passion project. No data mining, no annoying banners, no cloud required. Pure creativity.

About

Backdrop

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Backdrop shows you the photo / video before you take it. Pick a Look and the camera changes. Point it at a street and the street is already painted in oil, or broken into dots, or drawn by hand. You are not previewing a filter. That is the picture, and the shutter keeps it. THE LOOKS Brush. Painted stroke by stroke, coarse to fine, as you move. Mosaic. Rebuilt from its own colours. Cells split where there is detail. Drawn. The world drawn instead of photographed. Flat colour, inked lines. Matter. The picture as a field of grains that drift and settle. Fur. Combed strands that follow what the camera sees. Dither. Tone traded for dots on one fixed grid, nothing in between. Halftone. Print dots on a square or hex grid, in four shapes. Fluted. Seen through ribbed glass. The world arrives in strips. Water. Refraction and caustics, the scene read through moving water. Code. Digital rain over katakana, lit by whatever the camera sees. The list grows. New Looks arrive in updates. TAP OR HOLD Tap the shutter for a photo. Hold it to record, up to ten minutes. Video renders in the background at full quality, one frame at a time, using the exact settings you shot with. TUNE ANYTHING Every Look has its own knobs. Size, grain, relief, speed, depth, whatever that Look actually has. Drag the handle at the edge of the screen and the picture changes under your thumb. Tap a knob to put it back. BRING YOUR OWN Choose from Photos to run something you already have through a Look. For video, trim it first, pick the frame, then render. NOTHING LEAVES YOUR PHONE No account, nothing to sign in to. No servers. What you shoot sits in the Shelf on your device. Saving a copy to Photos is a switch, off until you turn it on. BACKDROP PREMIUM Dither, Water, Halftone and Drawn are free, and they record video too. Premium opens every Look, including the ones added later, and takes the Backdrop mark off everything you shoot. Monthly and annual. Payment goes to your Apple Accou renews unless you turn it off at least 24 hours befo Manage or cancel in Settings, Apple Account, Subscri Privacy: backdrop.wiki/privacy Terms: backdrop.wiki/terms Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ iPhone. iOS 18 and later.

Screenshots

CRASTiPIX4 screens
Backdrop4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CRASTiPIX at none against Backdrop's 2. CRASTiPIX also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Backdrop sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. CRASTiPIX asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CRASTiPIX ships an update every 2 weeks, Backdrop fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 3, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
CRASTiPIX versus Backdrop: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCRASTiPIXBackdrop
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks โ€” betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 โ€” better18.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size5 MB69 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLUCA CASTAGNAShekhar Upadhaya

In-app purchases

None

CRASTiPIX

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Backdrop

Subscriptions2
  • Backdrop Premium โ€” Monthly$11.991 Month
  • Backdrop Premium โ€” Annual$79.001 Year

Questions

Is CRASTiPIX free?
CRASTiPIX is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Backdrop free?
Backdrop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do CRASTiPIX or Backdrop have ads?
Neither CRASTiPIX nor Backdrop shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CRASTiPIX or Backdrop?
CRASTiPIX ships an update every 2 weeks, and Backdrop fortnightly. Most recently, CRASTiPIX was updated on October 3, 2026 and Backdrop on October 3, 2026.

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