Pixie+ vs Photoest
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pixie+
Capture photos with an authentic Y2K digicam aesthetic. This app offers 16 free filters, including film stock emulations, and a retro UI. Relive the early 2000s photo style with a simple, nostalgic camera experience.
- 16 free Y2K-inspired filters
- Authentic digicam UI with D-pad controls
- Optional date stamp overlay
- Polaroid-style in-app gallery
- Front/rear camera toggle
- Save and share photos easily
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Relive the Y2K digicam era—every day. Pixie+ is an iPhone camera inspired by early-2000s digital compact cameras. Strong flash, grain, color shifts, and an optional date stamp make nostalgic photos without complicated editing. Core shooting and My Gallery require no account. ■ Features - Digicam-style D-pad and OK controls - One-tap front/rear camera switch - Optional date stamp - Polaroid-style private gallery - Save to Photos or share with the iOS share sheet - Multiple filters and film-inspired LUTs ■ Friends Send only the photos you choose to private, invite-code groups of 2–9 people. You can report a photo, mute a member, or leave a group. Friends uses an anonymous account without an email address. You can delete the account and its associated data from Settings. ■ Pixie+ Pro Monthly and yearly auto-renewing subscriptions are available. Pro removes ads and unlocks unlimited saves and all filters. Your local price and billing period are shown before purchase. Payment is charged to your Apple ID. You can cancel in Apple ID subscription settings at least 24 hours before renewal, and restore prior purchases in the app. ■ Privacy Regular shooting and My Gallery stay primarily on your device. Only content you explicitly send through Friends and its group metadata are processed with Firebase and Cloudflare for private sharing. Photos, captions, and nicknames are not sent to Firebase Analytics. ■ Ads Free users may see Google AdMob ads at natural breaks such as after a completed capture. Pixie+ does not use App Open ads. The app remains usable if you decline ATT. ■ Support https://pixieplus.appful.tokyo/ --- Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://pixieplus.appful.tokyo/privacy
Photoest
This app allows you to capture or import photos, then transform them into selective-color images. You can isolate specific areas to remain in color while the rest of the image turns black and white, with tools for precise editing and creative additions.
- Selective color editing
- Photo capture and import
- Stroke-based color adjustment
- Sticker and shape additions
- Undo/redo functionality
- Save to Photos library
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Photoest is a camera and photo editor for mindful color walks. It helps you slow down, notice the colors around you, and turn ordinary scenes into selective-color photos. Capture a moment, import a photo, turn the world black and white, then bring back the colors that caught your eye. Use Photoest when you walk through your neighborhood, travel, journal visually, or simply want to train your eye for the colors of everyday life. Features: - Take photos directly in the app - Import photos from your library - Keep selected areas in color while the rest becomes black and white - Adjust color regions with stroke editing - Add stickers and shapes - Compare with the original image - Undo and redo edits - Save finished images to Photos Photoest Pro is available as an optional in-app purchase. Pro unlocks unlimited photo editing and premium creative features, so you can keep making selective-color photos without limits. Pro options: - Annual membership with auto-renewal - Lifetime membership with one-time purchase Subscriptions are managed through your Apple ID. You can manage or cancel subscriptions in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://osmatters.github.io/Photoest/privacy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Photoest at none against Pixie+'s shown. Photoest also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 67%) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). Pixie+'s advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Pixie+ sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Photoest sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.
| Parameter | Pixie+ | Photoest |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (38 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 38 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 70 MB | 177 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ryusei Okamoto | 雨 龙 |
Customer experience
Pixie+
Photoest
In-app purchases
Pixie+
- Pixie+ Pro (Monthly)$2.991 Month
- Pixie+ Pro (Yearly)$19.991 Year
Photoest
- Photoest Pro Annual$8.991 Year
- Photoest Pro Lifetime - 20% Off$9.99
- Photoest Pro Lifetime$12.99








