PixSplat review
A free, cross-platform choice for pixel-art sprites and frame-based animation.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
PixSplat is a free pixel art editor for creating sprites, textures, animations, and sprite sheets. It runs in modern web browsers and has desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The editor is suited to artists and developers who need frame-by-frame animation, palette editing, layered artwork, and export options without a paid plan. The web version avoids installation, while the desktop version supports offline work.
Animation is the product’s clearest strength. Its timeline supports frame-by-frame work, onion skinning shows neighboring frames, and layers can be controlled and animated independently. Animation tags and playback preview help organize and review sequences, while sprite-strip export supports sprite-based workflows. Drawing, fill, selection, transform, and color-picker tools cover the core editing tasks. PixSplat project files preserve layers and animation, giving users an editable format for ongoing work rather than only flattened image exports.
Platform flexibility is another practical advantage, though the experiences differ by version. The web editor requires a modern browser, while desktop editions support offline work and a broader range of formats. Export options include PXS, PNG, JPEG, WebP, GIF, TIFF, TGA, ICO, EXR, and HDR, with palette import and editing plus desktop GPL export also available. PixSplat fits users who want free, focused pixel-art animation across common desktop platforms and the web. It is a less natural choice for workflows that depend on broader production tooling beyond pixel art, sprites, textures, and animation.
PixSplat pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free on web, Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Frame animation with onion skinning, tags, and layer controls
- Sprite-strip export plus palette and project-file support
- Where it doesn't
- Web use requires a modern browser
- File-format coverage differs between web and desktop versions
- Its focus is pixel art, sprites, textures, and animation
PixSplat fact sheet, pricing and score →
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