Comparison

Pulse Cross vs Pixel Beads

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

Head to head
About

Pulse Cross

An arcade shooter designed for one-hand play, featuring fast-paced action against waves of invaders. Enjoy a minimal, offline experience with no ads or tracking, focused solely on achieving a high score.

Highlights
  • One-hand portrait-mode controls
  • Procedurally generated neon-pixel art
  • Dynamic difficulty scaling
  • Offline play
  • No ads, tracking, or accounts
  • Persistent high score tracking
Features
Read full description

Pulse Cross is a bite-sized, high-energy arcade shooter built for one-hand play. These games were designed with privacy in mind and as a firm foot down to put apps on that App Store that you buy to truly play forever without needing and network or any information leaving your device! They're written to be as minimal as possible with always less than a 10MB foot print and using as few APIs as possible. A truly minimal so you can relax! Pilot a pulse-cross fighter against waves of invaders that get faster, smarter, and meaner the longer you survive. No menus, no upgrades, no timers — just you, the swarm, and a high-score that dares you to push one wave further. FEATURES - Neon-pixel art, procedurally generated — zero external assets - Fire-button + drag-to-steer controls built for portrait-mode thumb play - Dynamic difficulty: enemies march faster and shoot more the further you go - Persistent best score with a satisfying "NEW RECORD!" moment - Chunky sound design and camera shake that sells every hit - Works offline, no ads, no accounts, no tracking Designed for quick sessions. Pick it up for 30 seconds, beat your best, put it down. Repeat forever.

About

Pixel Beads

Engage in a relaxing color sorting and pixel art creation game. Match 3D beads to their designated color zones to reveal stunning pixel art masterpieces. Enjoy hundreds of unique puzzles with no time pressure and offline play.

Highlights
  • Color sorting and matching gameplay
  • Hundreds of pixel art puzzle designs
  • Relaxing casual gameplay
  • Offline play (no Wi-Fi needed)
  • Regular updates with new themes
  • Suitable for all ages and skill levels
Features
Read full description

Step into the colorful world of Pixel Beads, where color sorting meets pixel art creation in the most satisfying casual gameplay experience you'll find! Sort sparkling 3D beads, match colors with precision, and watch breathtaking pixel art masterpieces come to life — one bead at a time. How to Play Step 1 — Sort & Organize Observe the beads on the canvas and use your tray as a strategic workspace. Gather same-colored beads together and sort them into their matching color zones! Step 2 — Build the Picture As your color sorting progresses, the hidden pixel art design slowly takes shape. Manage your tray space wisely and think ahead — smart planning is the secret to solving each puzzle efficiently. Step 3 — Complete the Masterpiece Place the final beads into their perfectly matched color slots and watch the entire canvas light up. Savor that satisfying moment as your pixel art masterpiece is fully revealed! What Makes Pixel Beads Special -Hundreds of Unique Pixel Art Puzzles From cute animals to fantasy castles, enjoy a huge ever-growing library of pixel art designs. New themes and limited-time collections added regularly! -Puzzle-Solving for All Levels Simple color sorting eases beginners in, while later stages deliver satisfying puzzle-solving challenges that sharpen focus — never overwhelming, always rewarding. -Play Anywhere — No Wi-Fi Needed Full offline access anytime. Perfect for commutes, breaks, or winding down before bed. -Fun for the Whole Family Easy color matching for kids, deeper puzzle-solving strategy for adults — casual gameplay everyone will enjoy! Why You'll Love Pixel Beads -Gentle Mental Workout: Color sorting and puzzle-solving keep your mind sharp and active. -Natural Stress Relief: Lose yourself in the calming rhythm of sorting beads and matching colors. -Satisfying Completion: Nothing beats watching your pixel art snap into place. Pure joy every time! -Always Something New: Fresh pixel art puzzle collections arrive regularly. Features at a Glance Color sorting & color matching gameplay Hundreds of pixel art puzzle designs Beautiful 3D beads with polished visual effects Relaxing casual gameplay — no time pressure Regular updates — new themes & limited collections For all ages and skill levels 100% offline — no Wi-Fi required Download Pixel Beads now — sort your 3D beads, master the puzzle-solving, and reveal your pixel art masterpiece today! SUBSCRIPTION PRICING AND TERMS Subscription Options In Pixel Beads, we offer the following subscription option: Premium Subscription: $2.99 per week Pricing and Billing This price is for United States customers. Pricing in other countries may vary, and charges may be converted to your local currency based on your country of residence. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the cost of the selected subscription plan. Auto-renewal can be turned off in your Account Settings after purchase. Managing Your Subscription You can turn off auto-renewal anytime in your Apple Account Settings. For guidance, visit https://support.apple.com/HT202039 If you cancel, your subscription will remain active until the end of the current billing period. After that, you will no longer have access to the features included in your subscription. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us at feedback@kiwifungames.com Privacy Policy: https://kiwifun-game-privacy-policy.weebly.com/ Terms of Use: https://kiwifun-game-privacy-policy.weebly.com/terms-of-service.html

Screenshots

Pulse Cross3 screens
Pixel Beads4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Pixel Beads at Free against Pulse Cross's $0.29. Pixel Beads also leads on ratings volume (1.6K vs 2). Pulse Cross's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 61%) and in-app purchases (none vs 12). On rating, 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

Pixel Beads is free to download; Pulse Cross costs $0.29 up front. Pixel Beads sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Pulse Cross asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Pulse Cross against 4.9 for Pixel Beads. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pixel Beads has 1.6K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Pulse Cross's written reviews are positive against 61% of Pixel Beads's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pulse Cross ships an update every 3 days, Pixel Beads every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Pulse Cross versus Pixel Beads: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPulse CrossPixel Beads
Price$0.29Free — better
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.9 (1.6K ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better60.6% of reviews
Number of ratings21.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size0 MB343 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperJustin MillerKiwi Fun HK Limited

Customer experience

Pulse Cross

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Pixel Beads

All ratings909 ratings
Positive98.6%
Neutral0.4%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive60.6%
Neutral9.1%
Negative30.3%

In-app purchases

None

Pulse Cross

No in-app purchases

12 purchases

Pixel Beads

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Subscription$2.997 Days
One-time11
  • Starter Bundle$1.99
  • Coin Pack 1$1.99
  • Ticket Pack$4.99
Show 8 more
  • Booster Bundle$4.99
  • Coin Pack 2$7.99
  • Advanced Bundle$9.99
  • Remove Ads$9.99
  • Ad-Free Bundle$11.99
  • Premium Bundle$19.99
  • Super Bundle$39.99
  • Coin Pack 6$99.99

Questions

Is Pulse Cross free?
Pulse Cross costs $0.29, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pixel Beads free?
Pixel Beads is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pulse Cross or Pixel Beads?
Pulse Cross is rated higher. Pulse Cross averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Pixel Beads averages 4.9 from 1.6K ratings.
Do Pulse Cross or Pixel Beads have ads?
Pixel Beads shows ads; Pulse Cross does not.
Which is updated more often, Pulse Cross or Pixel Beads?
Pulse Cross ships an update every 3 days, and Pixel Beads every 10 days. Most recently, Pulse Cross was updated on October 18, 2026 and Pixel Beads on October 28, 2026.

Other comparisons