This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them

Period

–Visits

–Page views

–Clicks to vendors

–Time on page

–Reading now

Clicks to vendors, by tool

Top countries

Devices

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Pix8

Free#41 of 70 in Pixel Art Software

Pix8: A focused open-source editor for indexed pixel art, animation, and retro graphics. Ranked #41 of 70 in Pixel Art Software by our editors (5.5/10); pricing: Open source; best for indexed-palette pixel-art specialists.

5.5/10Editor score

Visit Pix8

Pix85.5 Visit Pix8

At a glance

Editor score
5.5 / 10
Pricing
Open source
Best for
Indexed-palette pixel-art specialists
Paid from
Free
Animation timeline
Yes
Facts checked
22 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- 256-color indexed workflow with transparency support
- Frame timeline, onion skinning, tags, and playback controls
- Browser and desktop availability across four platforms
Where it doesn't
- Focused on indexed pixel art rather than broad general-purpose editing
- Linux and macOS desktop builds require source-based setup
- No AI features or verified integrations

Our verdict on Pix8

Pix8 is an open-source pixel art editor for artists, retro game developers, and other users working with indexed graphics. It runs in a browser and is also available as an Electron desktop application for Windows, with Linux and macOS listed as source-build targets. Its central workflow uses a 256-color indexed palette with transparency support, making it a focused choice for 8-bit and VGA-era visual work rather than a general-purpose image editor.

The animation feature set is a clear strength. Pix8 provides a frame animation timeline with thumbnails, tags, and playback controls, plus onion skinning for previous and next frames. Layers can be created, ordered, duplicated, hidden, adjusted for opacity, and cropped. Drawing, selection, transformation, mirroring, filling, and text tools round out the editing workflow, while grids, rulers, guides, zoom, and snap-to-grid controls support precise sprite work. Palette editing includes HSV and RGB controls, batch operations, and palette import and export.

Pix8 also supports indexed and raster image import and export, including Pix8, BMP, PCX, PNG, GIF, SPX, ICO, and PAL formats. The browser option suits quick access, while the desktop route gives solo users and small teams a local application path. Linux and macOS users should expect a source-build-oriented desktop setup, and the product does not include AI features or verified integrations. Choose Pix8 if indexed palettes, animation, and retro-oriented control are central to your work; consider another editor if you need broader ecosystem connectivity or a wider image-production scope.

Your product? Our editors can test Pix8 in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

Pix8 pricing

Plans Open sourceFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on pix8.app

Pix8 fact sheet

Free plan	Not verified
Paid from	Free
Animation timeline	Yes
Indexed color tools	Yes
Sprite-sheet export	Yes
Onion skinning	Yes
Tilemap tools	Not verified
Supported platforms	web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Export formats	Pix8, BMP, PCX, PNG, GIF, SPX, ICO, PAL
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Built for	Solo, Small business (editorial estimate)
Pricing	Open source
Website	pix8.app
Facts checked	22 Sep 2026

Alternatives to Pix8

See all Pix8 alternatives →

Used Pix8? Be the first to review it

The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Pix8 for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.

Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears

Reviews come only from verified accounts. Sign in or create an account first — your e-mail is never shown.

Title

Your review

0 characters · at least 80, up to 3,000

Pros (optional · one per line)

Cons (optional · one per line)

Your name (shown with your review)

Role (optional)

Company (optional)

How long have you used it?

I've used Pix8 myself and this is my honest opinion — nobody paid or asked me to write it.

Posted from your verified account. Reviews appear after an editor reads them, usually within two working days.

Featured on iTechGuides

Pix8 is listed in our Pixel Art Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/pix8/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/pix8.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update