# 8bit Painter vs smART pixelator 2.0

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: smART pixelator 2.0 at none against 8bit Painter's 1. smART pixelator 2.0 also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). 8bit Painter's advantage is ratings volume (6.5K vs 1). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 8bit Painter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. smART pixelator 2.0 asks for nothing beyond the download.

smART pixelator 2.0 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 8bit Painter has 6.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

8bit Painter ships an update every 5 weeks, smART pixelator 2.0 every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 8bit Painter | smART pixelator 2.0 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (6.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8bit-painter-pixel-art/id894301273/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pixelator-20/id6480178795/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6.5K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 85.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 29 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Takayuki Miyagawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/894301276) | [FlyCatcher Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/841991396) |

## 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


### smART pixelator 2.0

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pixelator-20/id6480178795)

This companion app uses light technology and step-by-step instructions to help children create 2D and 3D pixelated designs using beads or pegs. It encourages creativity, fine motor skills, and spatial awareness, allowing users to customize colors and sizes for endless crafting activities.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step pixel art instructions, 2D and 3D project creation, Use with beads or pegs, Photo import and pixelation, Customizable colors and sizes, Bluetooth connectivity

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 8bit Painter free?

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

### Is smART pixelator 2.0 free?

smART pixelator 2.0 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, 8bit Painter or smART pixelator 2.0?

smART pixelator 2.0 is rated higher. 8bit Painter averages 4.6 out of 5 from 6.5K ratings, while smART pixelator 2.0 averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do 8bit Painter or smART pixelator 2.0 have ads?

8bit Painter shows ads; smART pixelator 2.0 does not.

### Which is updated more often, 8bit Painter or smART pixelator 2.0?

8bit Painter ships an update every 5 weeks, and smART pixelator 2.0 every 6 weeks. Most recently, 8bit Painter was updated on October 19, 2026 and smART pixelator 2.0 on October 6, 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.*