LibreSprite vs Tesserra

LibreSprite is a free, open-source program for creating and animating sprites. It provides real-time animation previews and onion skinning, with sprites arranged in layers and frames. Users can edit multiple sprites at once, draw in tiled mode, and use pixel-precise tools such as filled contour, polygon, and shading mode. The program includes ready-to-use palettes and supports creating custom ones. Listed export formats include PNG, GIF, JPEG, BMP, PCX, TGA, ICO, FLI/FLC, WebP, and ASE; sprite-sheet export is also listed. Scripting methods cover loading palettes, cropping and resizing sprites, and saving them. LibreSprite is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. The project developed independently after originating as a fork of an Aseprite commit covered by GPL version 2. Version 1.0 is listed as supported, and the project security page reports no published advisories. The plan is free.

Tesserra is a pixel art editor for drawing and animation on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. It has custom brushes, layer groups, blend modes, an animation timeline, onion skinning, indexed color tools, and sprite-sheet export. Built-in palettes support up to 64 colors, and you can import GPL, PAL, HEX, and ASE palettes. The editor imports images and exports GIF, PNG, SVG, and ASE files. Retro-style themes and six shaders include Composite NTSC, three CRT types, and two handheld LCD looks. Files open across the supported platforms; tablets use the desktop layout, while phones use a simpler touch layout. Optional cloud sync works with Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or Nextcloud and requires an account with that provider. Tesserra Lite is free. Tesserra Full costs $7, paid once while in beta; the maker says the price will rise to $14 on full release. Full includes the feature set on all platform versions except iOS, which, along with iPadOS, is in development.