# 8bit Painter vs Prolog Retro Notes

The clearest difference is update cadence: 8bit Painter at monthly against Prolog Retro Notes's every 9 months. 8bit Painter also leads on ratings volume (6.7K vs 4). Prolog Retro Notes's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (100% vs 85%). 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 Prolog Retro Notes sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Prolog Retro Notes holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 8bit Painter has 6.7K ratings behind it against 4, 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 100% of Prolog Retro Notes's.

8bit Painter ships an update monthly, Prolog Retro Notes every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 8bit Painter | Prolog Retro Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (6.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8bit-painter-pixel-art/id894301273/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prolog-retro-notes-8-bit-memo/id6468677672/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6.7K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 85.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 30 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Takayuki Miyagawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/894301276) | [yasuhiro kojima](https://appshunter.io/developer/1244729145) |

## What reviewers say

### 8bit Painter

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

Create pixel art and 8-bit style illustrations with intuitive tools. Easily design social media icons, game skins, patterns, and even patterns for crafts like Perler beads. Import photos to convert them into pixel art, with options to remove backgrounds.

**Highlights:** Intuitive pixel art drawing tools, Photo import and conversion to pixel art, Background removal for imported images, Stylus support for precise drawing on iPad, Multiple canvas sizes, Export transparent PNG images, Artwork data import/export

**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


### Prolog Retro Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prolog-retro-notes-8-bit-memo/id6468677672)

This app offers a unique note-taking experience with a retro 8-bit aesthetic. It allows users to record memos, track editing time, and even attach photos, all within a nostalgic, game-like interface. Level up your notes and enjoy a blast from the past.

**Highlights:** Retro 8-bit graphics, Memo recording, Playtime tracking, Level-based text progress, Photo attachment, Passcode lock (premium)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium plan | $0.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 8bit Painter free?

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

### Is Prolog Retro Notes free?

Prolog Retro Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, 8bit Painter or Prolog Retro Notes?

Prolog Retro Notes is rated higher. 8bit Painter averages 4.6 out of 5 from 6.7K ratings, while Prolog Retro Notes averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do 8bit Painter or Prolog Retro Notes have ads?

Both 8bit Painter and Prolog Retro Notes show ads.

### Which is updated more often, 8bit Painter or Prolog Retro Notes?

8bit Painter ships an update monthly, and Prolog Retro Notes every 9 months. Most recently, 8bit Painter was updated on November 1, 2026 and Prolog Retro Notes on October 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.*