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Head-to-head · Game Sprite Editors

Pro Motion NG vs Piskel

  • Updated Nov 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Pro Motion NG #2 in Game Sprite Editors 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit Pro Motion NG
Piskel #3 in Game Sprite Editors 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Piskel

Pro Motion NG leads on 0 checks, Piskel on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorePro Motion NG · 8.7/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresPro Motion NG · 2 of 4

Pro Motion NG scores higher on our rubric for game sprite editors: 8.7 against 8.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #3.

Pro Motion NG is the better fit for artists who need tilemaps and indexed-color tools. Piskel is the better fit for beginners making pixel art and animated sprites.

  • Pro Motion NG fits best

    Artists who need tilemaps and indexed-color tools

  • Piskel fits best

    Beginners making pixel art and animated sprites

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Side by side

Feature Pro Motion NG 8.7/10 Visit ↗ Piskel 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 8.3
Ranking #2 in Game Sprite Editors #3 in Game Sprite Editors
Best for Artists who need tilemaps and indexed-color tools Beginners making pixel art and animated sprites
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $19 one-time Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Cloud, Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Email, Community, Docs Email, Community
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market Solo, Small business
Features Pro Motion NG 2/4 · Piskel 0/4
Onion skinning ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Sprite-sheet tools Not checked yet Not checked yet
Tilemap tools ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Layer support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Max animation frames Not checked yet Not checked yet
Supported platforms Windows, macOS via Wine, Linux via Wine Not checked yet
Export formats BMP, PNG, JPEG, TGA, GIF Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Tile-map and tile-set editing alongside sprite-sheet loading and saving
  • Indexed-color palette editing, onion skinning, and frame animation
  • Full version costs $19 once and includes free updates
  • Draw pixel art and preview animations with adjustable frame delay
  • Export animated GIFs and spritesheet PNG or ZIP files
  • Use in a browser or offline on Windows, macOS, and Linux
Cons
  • The Free Edition has limited features
  • Native download is for Windows; macOS and Linux use Wine
  • Wine compatibility has documented limitations
  • No listed tilemap tools for broader game-art workflows
  • Desktop builds may lack the latest fixes or features
  • Focused on sprites, not general-purpose video-to-GIF editing
Our verdict

Pro Motion NG is desktop software for creating pixel-art images, animations, sprites, tile sets and level maps. Its audience includes pixel artists, game developers, educators and studios making graphics for games, handheld systems and web…

Read the review →

Piskel gives sprite artists and pixel-art creators a free editor for drawing frame-based animations. It runs in a browser and has offline desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it a practical starting point for…

Read the review →
  1. Pro Motion NGGame Sprite Editors 8.7Free plan
  2. PiskelGame Sprite Editors 8.3Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Pro Motion NG — where it wins

    • Tile-map and tile-set editing alongside sprite-sheet loading and saving
    • Indexed-color palette editing, onion skinning, and frame animation
    • Full version costs $19 once and includes free updates

    Where it doesn't

    • The Free Edition has limited features
    • Native download is for Windows; macOS and Linux use Wine
    • Wine compatibility has documented limitations

  • Piskel — where it wins

    • Draw pixel art and preview animations with adjustable frame delay
    • Export animated GIFs and spritesheet PNG or ZIP files
    • Use in a browser or offline on Windows, macOS, and Linux

    Where it doesn't

    • No listed tilemap tools for broader game-art workflows
    • Desktop builds may lack the latest fixes or features
    • Focused on sprites, not general-purpose video-to-GIF editing

Pro Motion NG vs Piskel: questions

Which is better for game sprite editors, Pro Motion NG or Piskel?

Pro Motion NG scores higher on our rubric for game sprite editors: 8.7 against 8.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #3.

How do Pro Motion NG and Piskel compare?

All 3 checks we put side by side come out level: neither leads on any.

Do Pro Motion NG and Piskel have a free plan?

Pro Motion NG: Yes. Piskel: Yes.

More comparisons

All game sprite editors comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026

Last updated · How we research and update