Pixel Art Maker vs NiBoard
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pixel Art Maker
Create unique 8-bit retro digital art with various shapes and color palettes. This app allows you to design minimalist images, characters, and typography, then export your creations as high-resolution PNG files.
- Draw with 4 pixel shapes (squares, circles, diamonds, triangles)
- Adjustable canvas background (black/white)
- Darken and lighten buttons for shading
- Triangle rotation for unique patterns
- Create typography and greeting cards
- Export high-res PNG files to camera roll
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QIXEL - Pixel Art Painter is an original and creative drawing app that makes it super-easy for pixel-lovers, designers and retro gamers to make unique 'qixel art' then export your designs to your iPad and iPhone. Qixels come in 4 shapes with our unique 3d effect. Create minimalist images, retro characters and typography with a limited number of qixels and colour palette. Make art or just use it to chill out - it's the digital equivalent of popping bubblewrap! We look forward to seeing your artwork on the Facebook Qixel gallery! Facebook.com/qixelgallery Here's what you can do with Qixel HD: - Draw pictures with 4 different pixel types: Squares, Circles, Diamonds and Triangles. - The canvas background button flips between black or white. This has a very different effect on your qixels. - Use the darken and lighten buttons to add shade and depth to your art. - The triangle setting has an extra button: Rotation. Try rotating your triangles 90 degrees to make strange patterns and origami-style art. - Use Qixel to make quirky typography. - Write simple messages and greeting cards to send to friends. - Make cool patterns and abstract backgrounds for websites. - Create retro game graphics, and then export frames in stages to make animation. - experiment with colour: great for artists and colour therapy teachers. ALLOW The PHOTO PERMISSION - Qixel HD will ask you to permission to access your photos. Clicking 'OK' will allow you to save high res PNG files to your device's Camera Roll. - The Photo button saves a high-res PNG screenshot to your iPad's camera roll. Make sure you allow the Photo permission in your iOS device's restrictions. Go to Settings > General > Restrictions > Privacy > Photos > Switch Qixel HD on. iOS 12: Settings > Screen Time > Content and Privacy Restrictions > Photos > Switch Qixel HD on. hese aren't just Pixels... these are Qixels!
NiBoard
This app provides an infinite canvas for drawing, sketching, and taking notes. It offers a clean interface with Apple Pencil support, making it ideal for visual thinking and creative expression for users of all ages.
- Infinite canvas
- Freehand drawing
- Apple Pencil support
- Save and share drawings
- Customizable colors
- Drawing tools (line, arrow, shapes, text)
- Guided drawing styles
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NiBoard is a simple whiteboard app for drawing, sketching, notes, and ideas. Whether you’re a student, teacher, creator, or just want a clean space to think visually, NiBoard helps you capture ideas quickly with an easy-to-use canvas, Apple Pencil support, drawing tools, editable objects, and boards for keeping your work organized. Why You’ll Love NiBoard • Simple from the first tap: Open a board and start drawing without setup. • Great for Notes, Lessons, and Ideas: Use NiBoard for quick explanations, visual thinking, planning, and sketches. • Organized Workspace: Keep different notes, sketches, lessons, and ideas in separate boards. • Apple Pencil Support: Draw with your finger, Apple Pencil, or both for precise control. • Clean, Minimal Interface: Focus on your ideas without distractions. Key Features • Pen & Highlighter: Draw naturally and highlight important notes, diagrams, and ideas. • Lines, Arrows, Shapes & Text: Create simple diagrams, organize ideas, and add clear labels. • Editable Objects: Select lines, arrows, and shapes to move, resize, recolor, and customize borders with three size options. • Shape Fill: Fill supported shapes with color for cleaner diagrams and visual notes. • Boards: Create, rename, duplicate, and pin boards to keep your ideas and projects organized. • Infinite Canvas: Expand your canvas and keep drawing without running out of space. • Canvas Styles: Use Blank, Grid, Dotted, and Lined canvas styles for cleaner sketches and notes. • Custom Color Palette: Create your own color palette with the full color picker. • Easy Editing: Use Undo/Redo, Eraser, and Zoom for quick fixes and detailed work. • Export: Export your boards as PNG or PDF. • Save & Share: Save your drawings or share them with others. • Dark Mode: Enjoy a comfortable drawing experience in any lighting. • Autosave: Your work is saved automatically. A subscription is required to unlock full access to the app. Terms of Service https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: NiBoard at Free against Pixel Art Maker's $1.99. NiBoard also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.5) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 16 months). Pixel Art Maker's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and chart position (#125 vs unranked). On review sentiment, 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
NiBoard is free to download; Pixel Art Maker costs $1.99 up front. NiBoard sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Pixel Art Maker asks for nothing beyond the download.
NiBoard holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NiBoard has 486 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Pixel Art Maker's written reviews are positive against 81% of NiBoard's.
Pixel Art Maker ships an update every 16 months, NiBoard every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pixel Art Maker | NiBoard |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.5 (6 ratings) | 4.6 (486 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | 80.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6 | 486 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid — better | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | #125 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 14 MB | 55 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Frosby Designs Ltd. | Enid Hadaj |
Customer experience
Pixel Art Maker
NiBoard
Bugs and requests
Pixel Art Maker
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
NiBoard
Reported bugs
3 issues- Drawings get distorted or lost when rotating the device
- Exported PDFs sometimes cut off content
- Occasional app crashes or freezes
Requested features
5 requests- Add text editing with font and size options
- Implement multiple pages or an infinite canvas
- Improve erasing functionality and precision
- Allow for inserting and annotating images
- Provide more pen thickness and color options
In-app purchases
Pixel Art Maker
No in-app purchases
NiBoard
- Weekly3 Days trial$1.997 Days
- Monthly$4.991 Month
- Yearly$19.991 Year
- Lifetime$79.99









