# 8bit Painter vs Qixel

The clearest difference is rating: 8bit Painter at 4.6 against Qixel's 3.6. 8bit Painter also leads on ratings volume (6.5K vs 16) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 7 months). Qixel's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 8bit Painter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Qixel sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

8bit Painter holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 8bit Painter has 6.5K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of 8bit Painter's written reviews are positive against 67% of Qixel's.

8bit Painter ships an update every 5 weeks, Qixel every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and June 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 8bit Painter | Qixel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (6.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8bit-painter-pixel-art/id894301273/reviews)** | [3.6 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qixel-pixel-animation-maker/id1501345968/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.5K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **85.4% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Takayuki Miyagawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/894301276) | [Frosby Designs Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/470948182) |

## What reviewers say

### 8bit Painter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8bit-painter-pixel-art/id894301273)

Create fun and easy pixel art with intuitive controls. Perfect for beginners, this app lets you design SNS icons, game assets, or craft patterns. Import photos to pixelize them and export your creations as transparent PNGs.

**Highlights:** Beginner-friendly interface, Essential pixel drawing tools, Photo to pixel art conversion, Customizable color palettes, Transparent PNG export, Multiple canvas sizes

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🥰 Fun and addictive
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Great for pixel art
- 💡 Helpful for crafting projects
- 🤩 Awesome app overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Annoying ads
- 🔒 Limited canvas sizes
- 🎨 Lack of color customization
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing and crashing issues
- Distortion when importing images
- Inability to delete saved artworks

**Requested features**

- Custom canvas sizes
- More color options and palettes
- Ability to delete or rearrange colors
- Layers and animation support
- Copy/paste and selection tools


### Qixel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/qixel-pixel-animation-maker/id1501345968)

Create short, retro-style pixel animations using a 20x20 grid of stylized blocks. Perfect for fans of 8-bit graphics and character design practice. Add music loops and save your creations to a gallery.

**Highlights:** Create 6-frame pixel animations, Use stylized 'Qixel' blocks, 20x20 grid for animation, Add music loops, Save animations to gallery, Easy mobile/tablet use

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 8bit Painter free?

8bit Painter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Qixel free?

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

### Which has better reviews, 8bit Painter or Qixel?

8bit Painter is rated higher. 8bit Painter averages 4.6 out of 5 from 6.5K ratings, while Qixel averages 3.6 from 16 ratings.

### Do 8bit Painter or Qixel have ads?

Both 8bit Painter and Qixel show ads.

### Which is updated more often, 8bit Painter or Qixel?

8bit Painter ships an update every 5 weeks, and Qixel every 7 months. Most recently, 8bit Painter was updated on September 28, 2026 and Qixel on June 7, 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.*