PixelLab vs Retro Diffusion
PixelLab
pixellab.aiRetro Diffusion
retrodiffusion.aiSide by side
| Figure | PixelLab | Retro Diffusion |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $12/mo | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 4 |
| Spec score · AI Game Asset Generators | 8.2 (#10) | 7.5 (#19) |
| Commercial use | The FAQ says generated images may be used commercially, with the restriction that users must not train new models with them. | The maker says generated art is available for personal and commercial projects. |
| Integrations | PixelLab offers an Aseprite extension, an in-browser Pixelorama editor, API access, and an MCP toolkit for AI coding assistants. | The maker describes a hosted MCP server for Claude, Cursor, and other AI assistants, with setup guides on GitHub. |
| Product | PixelLab generates pixel art assets for games, including characters, animations, environments, maps, tilesets, textures, and UI elements. | Retro Diffusion generates true pixel art with low-resolution grids, deliberate palettes, and clean single-pixel outlines. |
Plans
PixelLab
- Free trialFree
- Tier 1: Pixel Apprentice$12 a month
- Tier 2: Pixel Artisan$24 a month
- Tier 3: Pixel Architect$50 a month
- EnterprisePriced on request
Retro Diffusion
- RD Fast$0.03, paid once
- RD Plus$0.06, paid once
- Animations$0.07, paid once
- RD Pro$0.18, paid once
In their own words
PixelLab
PixelLab generates 2D pixel art assets for games, including characters, animations, environments, maps, tilesets, textures, and interface elements. Character animation can be created from text prompts, skeleton controls, or an automatic character creator. It can produce four- or eight-direction views of characters and objects for isometric and top-down games, while inpainting tools let users edit images with the aim of preserving their style. The service is available on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, and the web, with API access, an Aseprite extension, an in-browser Pixelorama editor, and an MCP toolkit for AI coding assistants. PixelLab says its models run on cloud GPUs, so a high-performance computer or strong graphics card is not required. It also says it does not use user content to train its models and does not store images unless a specific tool or documentation says otherwise. The free trial offers 40 fast generations, then five slower generations daily, up to 200×200 images, and no map tools. Paid plans start at $12 a month.
Retro Diffusion
Retro Diffusion has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.