# Pixelish vs PIXEL86

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pixelish at none against PIXEL86's 2. Pixelish also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). PIXEL86's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 13 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On price, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PIXEL86 sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Pixelish asks for nothing beyond the download.

PIXEL86 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24 and 40 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Pixelish's written reviews are positive against 100% of PIXEL86's.

Pixelish ships an update every 13 months, PIXEL86 every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixelish | PIXEL86 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelish/id749481884/reviews) | **[4.7 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel86-retro-media-editor/id1641007991/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 24 | **40** |
| Positive reviews | 82.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nidal Fakhouri](https://appshunter.io/developer/432780820) | [Peter Tretyakov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1072835768) |

## What reviewers say

### Pixelish

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelish/id749481884)

Create unique glitch art with this easy-to-use bitmap editor. Layer multiple filters, adjust colors, and pixelate images to achieve custom, unexpected visual effects.

**Highlights:** Layered filters for glitch effects, Pixelation options, Custom filter application, Color and orientation adjustment, One-button filter application

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### PIXEL86

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel86-retro-media-editor/id1641007991)

Transform photos and videos with vintage pixel art aesthetics. Apply true black-and-white dithering, custom color palettes, and unique dithering styles to create retro media. Supports video editing and sharing your creations.

**Highlights:** True B/W dithering, Video editing support, Customizable color palettes, Three dithering styles (Natural, Pattern, Flat), Vintage-inspired aesthetics, Social media sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| License Discount | $9.99 | one-time |
| Perpetual License | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pixelish free?

Pixelish is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PIXEL86 free?

PIXEL86 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pixelish or PIXEL86?

PIXEL86 is rated higher. Pixelish averages 4.4 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while PIXEL86 averages 4.7 from 40 ratings.

### Do Pixelish or PIXEL86 have ads?

PIXEL86 shows ads; Pixelish does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pixelish or PIXEL86?

Pixelish ships an update every 13 months, and PIXEL86 every 5 days. Most recently, Pixelish was updated on October 14, 2026 and PIXEL86 on September 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*