Comparison

Pixel Sand vs Pixel Drop

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

Head to head
About

Pixel Sand

Engage in a relaxing puzzle game where you guide cute Dinos to absorb and match colored pixel sand. Strategically clear each level by planning your moves, managing limited space, and completing over 1000 unique pixel art artworks.

Highlights
  • Match Dino colors with pixel sand
  • Clear pixel sand from artwork
  • Complete pixel art levels
  • Manage limited slots
  • Use helpful boosters
  • Over 1000 levels
  • Daily rewards
Features
Read full description

Pick a Dino. Match the color. Clear the pixel sand. Welcome to Pixel Sand, a satisfying brain puzzle where cute Dinos absorb colorful pixel sand and help you complete quick, relaxing levels. Each level starts as a colorful pixel artwork. Choose the right Dino, match its color with the sand on the board, and watch it clean the pixels one move at a time. Clear every particle, complete the artwork, and move on to the next challenge. It looks easy, but every move matters. Your slots are limited, and unfinished Dinos can block your queue. Plan your moves, manage your space, and avoid getting stuck before the board is clean. Relaxing to play, satisfying to master. Enjoy short puzzle levels, smooth color-matching gameplay, cute Dinos, tricky obstacles, helpful boosters, daily rewards, and over 1000 artworks to clear. Features: * Pick cute Dinos and match them with the right colors * Clear colorful pixel sand from the board * Complete pixel art levels one move at a time * Manage limited slots and avoid getting stuck * Use boosters to solve tricky situations * Discover over 1000 quick and satisfying levels * Collect daily rewards and keep coming back for more Choose the right Dino, clear the pixel sand, and complete every artwork.

About

Pixel Drop

Control a dynamic hole to swallow colorful pixels and match them with their corresponding targets. Clear all gates by filling them with the correct colors to win each level in this engaging puzzle game.

Highlights
  • Dynamic hole control
  • Pixel collection and swallowing
  • Color matching with gates
  • Level-based progression
  • Satisfying visual feedback
Features
Read full description

Pixel Drop: The Gates - Colorful Pixel Sort Puzzle with a Hungry Hole! Get ready for Pixel Drop, a pixel sort puzzle where a hole in the middle of the board swallows every pixel you drop. Sink colorful pixels into the hole, watch them travel through, and sort them into the matching gates around the board. Each gate has its own color and its own limit, so every drop counts. Plan ahead, watch the capacity numbers, and enjoy the satisfaction of a clean clear as you work through 200+ colorful levels. Pixel Drop is a puzzle experience that keeps you coming back for more. Open the gates and start your journey! Quick Play Guide - Start Simple: Drop the pixels into the hole and sort them into matching gates. - Watch the Limits: Every gate holds a set number of pixels. Count before you drop. - Plan Ahead: Pixels lock each other in place. Free the right one first. - Think Fast: Beat the clock to complete levels and unlock new challenges. Cool Features - Satisfying Hole Mechanic: Pixels get sucked in and sorted with a satisfying snap. - Colorful Gates: Match pixel colors to gates and clear the board completely. - Strategic Gameplay: Start simple, think twice. Every move shapes the board. - Offline Play: Enjoy anywhere, anytime: no wi-fi required. - Colorful Visuals: Bright 3D pixels and smooth animations in every level. Pixel Drop: The Gates is designed for puzzle lovers who enjoy color sorting, block-jam puzzles, and hole games. Download Pixel Drop now and see how many gates you can open!

Screenshots

Pixel Sand4 screens
Pixel Drop4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pixel Drop at 65% against Pixel Sand's 26%. Pixel Drop also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Pixel Sand sells 14 one-off in-app purchases and Pixel Drop sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pixel Drop holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 426 and 238 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Pixel Sand's written reviews are positive against 65% of Pixel Drop's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pixel Sand ships an update every 3 days, Pixel Drop every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Pixel Sand versus Pixel Drop: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPixel SandPixel Drop
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (426 ratings)4.7 (238 ratings) — better
Positive reviews26.3% of reviews65.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings426 — better238
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 4 days
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.215.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size476 MB294 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGankoMoment Games Teknoloji Anonim Sirketi

Customer experience

Pixel Sand

All ratings426 ratings
Positive88.5%
Neutral3.5%
Negative8.0%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive26.3%
Neutral13.2%
Negative60.5%

Pixel Drop

All ratings182 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral1.1%
Negative6.0%
Written reviews26 reviews
Positive65.4%
Neutral7.7%
Negative26.9%

In-app purchases

14 purchases

Pixel Sand

One-time14
  • 1,000 Coins$1.99
  • Continue Pack$6.99
  • Remove Ads$6.99
Show 11 more
  • 5,000 Coins$8.99
  • Season Pass 2026-04$9.99
  • Season Pass 2026-03$9.99
  • Season Pass 2026-02$9.99
  • Starter Pack$9.99
  • Season Pass 2026-01$9.99
  • No Ads Bundle$12.99
  • 10,000 Coins$17.99
  • Value Pack$22.99
  • 25,000 Coins$34.99
  • Ultra Pack$39.99
9 purchases

Pixel Drop

One-time9
  • Fail Offer$0.99
  • Coin Pack 1$1.99
  • Starter Pack$1.99
Show 6 more
  • Coin Pack 2$7.99
  • NoAds$7.99
  • Coin Pack 3$14.99
  • Coin Pack 4$29.99
  • Coin Pack 5$54.99
  • Coin Pack 6$99.99

Questions

Is Pixel Sand free?
Pixel Sand is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pixel Drop free?
Pixel Drop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pixel Sand or Pixel Drop?
Pixel Drop is rated higher. Pixel Sand averages 4.5 out of 5 from 426 ratings, while Pixel Drop averages 4.7 from 238 ratings.
Do Pixel Sand or Pixel Drop have ads?
Both Pixel Sand and Pixel Drop show ads.
Which is updated more often, Pixel Sand or Pixel Drop?
Pixel Sand ships an update every 3 days, and Pixel Drop every 4 days. Most recently, Pixel Sand was updated on October 29, 2026 and Pixel Drop on October 28, 2026.

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