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SPEdit

Free#62 of 70 in Pixel Art Software

SPEdit: A focused desktop editor for indexed pixel drawing, layers, palettes, and PNG export. Ranked #62 of 70 in Pixel Art Software by our editors (5.5/10); pricing: Free plan; best for open-source artists needing basic indexed drawing.

5.5/10Editor score

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At a glance

Editor score
5.5 / 10
Pricing
Free plan
Best for
Open-source artists needing basic indexed drawing
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
Free
Animation timeline
No
Facts checked
22 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Free and open source for solo and small-team projects
- 256-color indexed palettes with HEX import and export
- Layers, multi-frame images, reference views, and PNG export
Where it doesn't
- No verified animation timeline or onion skinning
- No sprite-sheet export
- Desktop support is limited to Windows and Linux

Our verdict on SPEdit

SPEdit is a free, open-source desktop pixel-art editor and sprite library manager for artists creating artwork for pixel-based 2D games. It is aimed at solo creators and small teams who need core drawing tools rather than a broad production suite. Its toolset covers pencil, line, rectangle, circle, flood fill, eraser, pipette, and selection operations, along with layer creation, naming, visibility controls, and locking. Drawing-tablet support and reference-image viewing also support a focused illustration workflow.

Palette handling is a central strength. SPEdit supports 256 indexed colors, can import palettes from HEX files or images, and can export palettes in HEX format. Multi-frame image creation and frame resizing add basic support for working with sequential artwork, while PNG export provides a direct image output. The software runs on Windows and Linux as a desktop application, and its interface can be localized through Portable Object translation files. These capabilities fit artists who value indexed-color control, open-source access, and a compact toolset without paid tiers.

The main boundary is animation workflow depth. SPEdit does not provide a verified animation timeline or onion skinning, and it does not export sprite sheets. That makes it less suitable for creators who need dedicated animation editing, frame comparison, or game-ready sprite-sheet packaging in the same application. Artists focused on individual pixel illustrations, palette-managed assets, or basic multi-frame image creation should find its scope aligned with their needs. Those requiring a more complete animation pipeline or sprite production workflow should choose a tool that includes those features.

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

SPEdit pricing

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

See plans on github.com

SPEdit fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	Free
Animation timeline	No
Indexed color tools	Yes
Sprite-sheet export	Not verified
Onion skinning	Not verified
Tilemap tools	Not verified
Supported platforms	Windows, Linux
Export formats	PNG
Deployment	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, Linux
Support	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business (editorial estimate)
Pricing	Free plan
Website	github.com
Facts checked	22 Sep 2026

Alternatives to SPEdit

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Featured on iTechGuides

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

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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