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What it is
Pixelc is a free, open-source tile and sprite editor written in C using SDL2 and OpenGL. The project targets touch devices such as smartphones and tablets, while also running on desktops, and provides a mobile-friendly web app. It supports animation frames and GIF export, as well as layers and onion skinning for frames and layers. Drawing tools include multiple modes, shading, selections, and custom brushes, kernels, and stamps; a tile mode supports tile work. Pixelc includes popular Lospec palettes and accepts custom palettes. The project says artwork is saved locally and nothing is sent to a server, with offline saving available in the browser app. Undo and redo are stated to remain available after an app reload. The app and assets use the GPLv3 license, and the README points users to documentation, a tutorial, and tooltips. A separate Android Premium edition is offered, with grayscale tools and background. The README warns that Samsung Internet Browser can render tiling incorrectly, with potential for other app corruption.
Spec sheet
- What it does
- Pixelc is a C-based tile and sprite pixel-art editor built with SDL2 and OpenGL.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Purpose
- Pixelc is an open source tile and sprite editor written in C using SDL2 and OpenGL.Read 2 Oct 2026 · github.com
- License
- The application and its assets are licensed under GPLv3, while the supporting framework is MIT licensed.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Headquarters
- Bocholt, GermanyRead 28 Sep 2026 · github.com
- Android requirements
- AppBrain lists Android 6.0 or newer as the required Android version.Read 14 Oct 2026 · appbrain.com
- Animation
- Frames support animated previews, per-frame timing, three blend modes and GIF export.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Autotiling
- The find-and-replace tool can match patterns and generate autotiled maps using replacement frames.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Brushes and kernels
- Users can create custom brush kernels and use them as grayscale or color stamps.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Build instructions
- The repository provides Emscripten commands for compiling the web build and exports main and two file-system callback functions.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Company identity
- Google Play identifies the developer as Christina Horstmann of Horsimann at Dölls Diek 5, 46399 Bocholt, Germany.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
- Data safety
- Google Play's developer declaration says no data is collected and no data is shared with third parties.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
- Documentation
- Documentation consists of a GitHub tutorial covering drawing, palettes, selections, animation, layers, archives, tiles and autotiling, plus in-app tooltips.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Drawing modes
- The tutorial documents freehand, dot, line, rectangle, circle, grid and inverted-grid drawing modes.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Drawing tools
- Features listed include multiple drawing modes, shading, selections, and custom brushes, kernels, and stamps.Read 2 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Export formats
- The documented save functions produce PNG images, animated GIF files and TAR project archives.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Framework and dependencies
- Pixelc is based on the author's separate “some” framework; listed components include SDL2, Emscripten, microtar and an MIT-licensed file-dialog library.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Google Play distribution
- Google Play lists Pixelc as free, rated for everyone, with more than 50,000 downloads and a November 28, 2025 update.Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
- Known browser issue
- The README reports a Samsung Internet Browser issue where tiling can render tiles incorrectly and can lead to other app corruption.Read 2 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Layers
- Projects support multiple layers that can be blended or merged during saving.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Limit: confusing tile and fill behavior
- A Reddit reviewer found tile editing confusing and said the fill algorithm did not behave like a conventional fill tool.Read 14 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Limit: crowded interface
- A Reddit reviewer said the large skeuomorphic toolbar consumes workspace and described the interface as cluttered.Read 14 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Limit: layer visibility
- The developer confirmed in a Reddit discussion that Pixelc could not independently disable rendering of a specific layer at that time.Read 14 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Limit: Samsung Internet corruption
- The README reports tile rendering errors, broken file loading and black rectangles in Samsung Internet after repeated tiling operations.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Limit: upload zoom bug
- The README documents a browser image-upload zoom bug and recommends resetting zoom with the desktop version or clearing browser data.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Local storage and privacy
- The project says it sends nothing to a server and saves artwork locally, including offline in the browser for the web app.Read 2 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Maker attribution
- The GitHub repository credits René Horstmann as the author, while the maker's site describes Pixelc Premium as a sponsor edition.Read 14 Oct 2026 · renehorstmann.github.io
- Maximum project size
- The tutorial lists limits of 8192 by 8192 pixels, 96 frames, 96 layers and about 64 MiB of image data.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Offline storage
- The project says artwork stays on the device and that web-app uploads and downloads use local browser storage rather than a server.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Onion skinning
- Frames and layers can show earlier content with transparency through onion-skin and blend controls.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Palettes
- The app includes LOSPEC palettes and lets users create, rename, delete and import custom palettes with up to 128 colors.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Praise: capability and value
- A Reddit reviewer praised the feature set, saying it offers capabilities such as tabs that competing tools often lack and works well on a Galaxy Note 9 with a stylus or fingers.Read 14 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
- Praise: lightweight offline use
- An AppBrain reviewer praised the app as lightweight, free, offline-capable and able to export PNG, GIF and TAR files without collecting data.Read 14 Oct 2026 · appbrain.com
- Premium edition
- The author offers Pixelc Premium on Google Play as a way to support the project; the README says it has grayscale tools and background.Read 2 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Project archive
- A TAR project archive stores all nine image tabs, all 16 tilesheets and configuration for frames, layers and tile sizes.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Rating on AppBrain
- 4.05 out of 5 from 300 ratingsRead 14 Oct 2026 · appbrain.com
- Rating on Google Play
- 4.7 out of 5 from 335 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
- Selections
- Selection tools support copy, cut, crop, rotation, flipping, recoloring, blending and reusable selection stamps.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Support and learning
- The README points users to documentation and a tutorial, and says the app has tooltips.Read 2 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Target users
- The project says its main target is touch devices such as smartphones and tablets, and that it also runs on desktops.Read 2 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Tilemaps
- Tile mode supports up to 16 tilesheets, tile-size choices of 8, 16 or 32 pixels, and isometric rendering.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Tiles
- The editor has a tile mode.Read 2 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Touch workflow
- A multitouch mode provides a virtual cursor controlled with fingers or thumbs for phone and tablet editing.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Undo and redo
- The undo and redo system is stated to work after an app reload.Read 2 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Web app
- The project publishes an Emscripten-compiled web app that can be added to a browser home screen.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
- Web GPU limit
- The tutorial warns that browser tile mode can hit the device GPU texture limit and render a pixelated tilemap.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Plans and prices
Free Free all advertised editor features · PNG/GIF/TAR export · Android and web access Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Pixelc Free Free and open source · Android Premium is offered as a separate purchase; its price is not stated on the opened page Read 2 Oct 2026 · github.com
Pixelc Premium Priced on request same app features · dark background · grayscale buttons Read 14 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Free and licensed under GPLv3.
- Supports frames, layers, and onion skinning.
- Exports PNG, GIF, and TAR.
- Artwork is saved locally, including offline in the browser.
- Undo and redo work after an app reload.
Limits
- Samsung Internet can render tiling incorrectly.
- The browser issue may lead to other app corruption.
- Android Premium is a separate purchase with no listed price.
Who it suits
Pixelc suits people making pixel art, tiles, or sprites on touch devices, desktops, or in a browser. Its local storage approach may appeal to users who want their artwork kept on their device.
Pixelc in depth
Read the full write-up
Pixelc is an open-source pixel-art editor for sprites and tiles, built with touch devices in mind and also available on desktop and the web. It suits artists who want animation and tilemap tools across devices without a paid core editor. Its strongest case is breadth at no cost; the reported Samsung Internet tiling issue is a clear reason for some users to choose another browser or app.
Overview
Pixelc combines sprite editing with tile work in a single editor. Its touch-first focus makes phones and tablets central to the project, while desktop apps and a mobile-friendly browser version give users other ways to work. The local-first storage model is appealing for people who prefer their artwork to stay on their device, though it does not provide cloud syncing.
Key features
Drawing modes, shading, selections, and custom brushes, kernels, and stamps cover varied pixel-level work. Tile mode and tilemap tools suit artists building repeating environments as well as individual sprites. Lospec palettes offer ready-made color sets, and custom palettes accommodate projects with their own color schemes.
For animation, Pixelc includes a timeline, frames, layers, onion skinning, and GIF export. Sprite-sheet export and PNG, GIF, and TAR formats provide several ways to move finished work out of the editor. Undo and redo are designed to remain available after an app reload, a useful feature for artists who return to a project across sessions.
The project says artwork is saved locally and nothing is sent to a server; the web app can save offline in the browser. That favors privacy and offline work over cloud-based access between devices. Documentation, a tutorial, and tooltips provide routes into the editor, although the project does not describe a formal support service.
Pricing
The core Pixelc app is free and open source under GPLv3, including its assets. The free plan is free and brings the editor’s drawing, animation, tile, and export tools without a paid subscription.
Pixelc Premium is offered separately on Google Play as a way to support the project. Android users who want those additions can consider it; other users can stay with the free core app.
Platforms
Pixelc supports Android, Linux, macOS, Windows, and the web. The web app is compiled with Emscripten and designed for mobile browsers, extending the editor beyond installed apps. Avoid Samsung Internet for tile work: the project reports that tiling can render incorrectly and may cause other app corruption.
Who it's for
Pixelc is a good fit for pixel artists who want one free editor for sprites, animation, and tilemaps, especially those working on touch devices or valuing local storage. It is less suitable for artists who depend on cloud syncing or plan to do tile work in Samsung Internet.
Pros and cons
Pros: Animation, tilemap, and sprite-sheet tools sit alongside drawing features, making the free editor useful for several pixel-art workflows.
Pros: Local storage and offline browser saving suit artists who want to keep artwork on their device.
Pros: Undo and redo persist after an app reload, helping maintain continuity between sessions.
Cons: Samsung Internet has a reported tiling issue that can also corrupt other parts of the app.
Cons: Local saving does not provide cloud syncing between devices.
Cons: Premium’s price is unstated, so Android users cannot compare its cost from the stated terms.
Alternatives
Pixel art software is the broader category to browse. Choose Pixelorama if you want another free, open-source option with Android, desktop, and web support. Tesserra is another freemium option with a free trial. Pick Pixilart if its always-free plan with 15 stamps or its paid PRO plan better matches your needs. Hexcalibur is another free-plan choice for Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. PixelWall offers a free studio plan with drawing, animation, scripting, API, CLI, and tilemap editing. Consider Manabit if you want its Pro plan’s AI credits and automatic history backups. Pixel Studio has a free plan with ads and in-app purchases, with Google Drive sync and other features requiring PRO.
Verdict
Choose Pixelc if you want a free, locally stored pixel-art workflow that spans animation, sprites, and tilemaps, particularly on touch devices. Its combination of tools and platforms is compelling for the price. Look elsewhere if cloud syncing is essential or Samsung Internet is your browser for tile work.
Verdict
Pixelc brings animation, tile work, and local artwork storage to touch devices, desktops, and the browser. Avoid Samsung Internet for tiling according to the project’s reported browser issue.
Where Specifiction places it
- Pixel Art Software#6 of 708.7
