Comparison

PixelBead vs Toonbead

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

Head to head
About

PixelBead

Easily transform photos into bead patterns or pixel art designs. This tool offers a straightforward way to create clear templates for bead art and allows for drawing and editing your own pixel creations. Save and share your finished artwork with others.

Highlights
  • Photo to bead pattern conversion
  • Pixel art creator
  • Multiple grid sizes
  • Clear template guides
  • Save and share creations
Features
Read full description

PixelBead is a fun and easy-to-use app for creating bead patterns and pixel art. Turn any photo into a bead template or pixel design in seconds and bring your ideas to life. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced creator, PixelBead helps you go from inspiration to finished artwork with ease. Key Features Photo to Bead Pattern: Convert images into bead templates instantly Pixel Art Creator: Draw and edit your own pixel designs Multiple Sizes: Support for different grid and board sizes Clear Templates: Easy-to-follow bead pattern guides Save & Share: Export your creations and share them Perfect For Bead art enthusiasts Pixel artists DIY lovers Anyone who wants to turn photos into creative designs Create, customize, and share your own pixel and bead art with PixelBead.

About

Toonbead

Features
Read full description

Turn a favorite photo into fuse bead art you can actually build. Toonbead converts your photo into a clear bead pattern directly on your device. Use the complete Basic flow privately and offline, or sign in and optionally simplify the photo into clean AI artwork first. Choose a practical project size and color count, review the boards and materials you will need, then follow the pattern bead by bead. CREATE FROM A PHOTO Start with a portrait, pet, gift idea, or another favorite image. Basic pattern creation runs locally with no account or upload required. OPTIONAL AI ARTWORK Sign in for 3 free AI generations and turn a busy photo into simpler, bead-friendly artwork before conversion. Choose Pet Icon, Cute Portrait, Clean Cartoon, Retro Pixel, Pop Poster, or describe a custom direction. A compressed copy is uploaded only after you tap the AI action; pattern building and material counts still run on your device. ADD GENERATIONS WHEN YOU NEED THEM Buy a one-time Apple In-App Purchase for 10, 30, or 100 AI generations. There is no subscription or automatic renewal. The signed-in account balance works on Toonbead for iPhone and on the web. PLAN BEFORE YOU BUILD See the grid size, board layout, total bead count, color breakdown, and material quantities before placing the first bead. BROWSE 649 OFFLINE PATTERNS Search and filter 649 exact templates, including 500 single-board patterns and 149 detailed nine-board designs. Open a full numbered map, review build tips, save the exact grid as a local project, and start Crafting Mode without regenerating the pattern. EXPLORE THE STUDIO GALLERY Switch to 20 original Toonbead Studio artworks and their finished 58 × 58 bead grids. Compare the artwork and pattern, filter by style, share a gallery link, or use any artwork as the starting point for a new local draft—even offline. CRAFT THE FULL PATTERN Open the complete pattern at once. Pinch to zoom, drag to pan, focus by color, and mark beads as you place them. Progress remains saved on your device for offline use. KEEP PROJECTS ON YOUR DEVICE Save drafts and in-progress crafts locally. Your source photo and project do not need to leave your device. EXPORT WHEN YOU ARE READY Share a printable multi-page PDF, pattern PNG, and counted materials CSV. PDFs include an overview, complete numbered map, board-by-board pages, and a material key. Toonbead is made for personal fuse bead crafts, pet portraits, keepsakes, and handmade gifts. It is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any bead manufacturer.

Screenshots

PixelBead4 screens
Toonbead4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PixelBead at none against Toonbead's 3. PixelBead also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Toonbead's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, 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. Toonbead sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. PixelBead asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PixelBead ships an update every 2 weeks, Toonbead every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
PixelBead versus Toonbead: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPixelBeadToonbead
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB20 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperShanghai Interesting Soft Network Technology Co., Ltd.恒 丛

In-app purchases

None

PixelBead

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Toonbead

One-time3
  • 10 AI Generations$1.99
  • 30 AI Generations$4.99
  • 100 AI Generations$12.99

Questions

Is PixelBead free?
PixelBead is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
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 25, 2026 and Toonbead on October 25, 2026.

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