Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Acorn VS Pixelmator

Compare Acorn VS Pixelmator and see what are their differences

Acorn logo Acorn

Acorn is a photo editor built for the rest of us.

Pixelmator logo Pixelmator

Pixelmator is an image-editing application for Mac and iPad.
  • Acorn Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-23
  • Pixelmator Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21

Acorn features and specs

  • Intuitive Interface
    Acorn offers a user-friendly and intuitive interface that makes it accessible for both beginners and experienced users.
  • Lightweight
    The software is lightweight, ensuring that it runs smoothly without consuming significant system resources.
  • Affordable
    Acorn is priced reasonably compared to other professional-grade image editing software, making it a cost-effective choice.
  • Non-destructive Editing
    Supports non-destructive editing, allowing users to make changes to their images without permanently altering the original files.
  • Extensive Format Support
    Acorn supports a wide range of image formats, making it versatile for different kinds of projects.
  • Vector Tools
    Includes vector drawing tools, allowing users to create and edit vector graphics within the same application.
  • Scripting
    Supports AppleScript and JavaScript automation, enabling users to automate repetitive tasks and workflows.

Possible disadvantages of Acorn

  • Mac Only
    Acorn is only available for macOS, which limits its accessibility for users on other operating systems like Windows or Linux.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    While Acorn is powerful, it lacks some of the advanced features found in more professional software like Adobe Photoshop.
  • Smaller Community
    Due to its niche user base, there is a smaller community and fewer tutorials or resources available compared to more popular software.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Some users have reported occasional bugs or performance issues, which can affect workflow.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its intuitive interface, there's still a learning curve for users who are new to image editing software.
  • Limited Collaboration Tools
    Acorn lacks advanced collaboration tools that some other image editing software offers, which makes it less ideal for team-based projects.

Pixelmator features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Pixelmator Pro is designed with a clean and easy-to-use interface, making it accessible even for beginners while still being powerful enough for professionals.
  • Integration with macOS
    The software is built exclusively for macOS, allowing seamless integration with other Apple applications and services like iCloud, Photos, and AppleScript.
  • Affordability
    Pixelmator Pro is a one-time purchase, making it more affordable in the long run compared to subscription-based software like Adobe Photoshop.
  • Performance Optimization
    It takes advantage of the latest macOS technologies such as Metal, Core Image, and OpenGL, ensuring smoother performance and faster processing times.
  • AI-Powered Tools
    Pixelmator Pro includes a variety of AI-driven tools like ML Super Resolution, which enhances image quality using machine learning algorithms.

Possible disadvantages of Pixelmator

  • macOS Exclusivity
    Pixelmator Pro is only available for macOS, which limits its accessibility to users who are on Windows or other operating systems.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, the software has a variety of advanced features that can require a learning curve to fully understand and utilize.
  • Limited Third-Party Integration
    Compared to industry-standard software like Adobe Photoshop, Pixelmator Pro has fewer integrations with third-party plugins and services.
  • No Vector Drawing Tools
    The software lacks comprehensive vector drawing tools, which can be a drawback for users who need robust vector graphic capabilities.
  • Feature Gaps
    While Pixelmator Pro covers a wide range of functionalities, it still lacks some advanced features and functionalities offered by competitors such as Adobe Photoshop.

Acorn videos

What you MUST know about Acorns Investing

More videos:

  • Review - Acorns App After 9 Months| Acorns Investing App Review 2019
  • Review - My Acorn Investment Aggressive Portfolio App After 1 Year

Pixelmator videos

Pixelmator Photo 2019 for iPad - Full Guide & Review!

More videos:

  • Review - Pixelmator Photo Review
  • Review - Pixelmator Pro Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Acorn and Pixelmator)
Image Editing
16 16%
84% 84
Graphic Design Software
15 15%
85% 85
Digital Drawing And Painting
Design Tools
10 10%
90% 90

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Acorn and Pixelmator

Acorn Reviews

We tested 4 photo editing alternatives to Photoshop
Acorn is only available on Mac, so if you’re a Windows user who wants to use Acorn you’re either going to be £1000 lighter in the wallet department, or bang out of luck. Max found the interface outdated, resembling a OSX Tiger era UI, but CPU usage is managed brilliantly resulting in a smooth, responsive experience with no curser lag or rendering delays. 7/10
Source: diginate.com
The 9 best alternatives to Photoshop
Image editing software Acorn debuted back in 2007 and has provided hobbyists and artists on a budget with a great, affordable alternative to Photoshop ever since. Features of the software include layer styles, non-destructive filters, curves and levels, blending modes and much more.

Pixelmator Reviews

10 Best Photopea Software Alternatives in 2024 (Free & Paid)
Pixelmator Pro is one of the best Photopea alternatives for macOS that lets businesses change, improve, and tailor pictures using tools, colors, and workspaces. It comes with pre-made shapes like circles, speech bubbles, lines, and stars that designers can use to finish their work. It supports non-destructive editing, meaning you can make changes without altering the...
Best Photo Editing Software for Mac: 5 Pro Alternatives to Adobe
Leveraging Apple Tech: Pixelmator Pro is built from the ground up for macOS. It deeply integrates with core technologies like Metal (for graphics acceleration), Core ML (for machine learning), improving performance and responsiveness.
Affinity Alternative
Pixelmator Pro, like Photolemur, boasts machine learning to make photo editing quick and easy. In addition, it contains many advanced editing tools as well as a fresh workflow that’s bound to attract many users.
Source: skylum.com
We tested 4 photo editing alternatives to Photoshop
Next up was Pixelmator, a slick OSX app with a pleasingly unslick $29.99 price point. To test Pixelmator we gave Max a copy of the Stone Roses’ eponymously titled 1989 album ‘The Stone Roses‘. With it’s distinctive cover art by Roses’ guitarist John Squire, ‘The Stone Roses’ should pose a worthy challenge to Pixelmator.
Source: diginate.com
12 Best Free Photoshop Alternatives You Should Try
Pixelmator is a macOS only photo editing tool that brings with it a ton of Photoshop like features and tools, and it also supports some of the latest features that Apple has brought to macOS such as editing and exporting images stored in the High Efficiency Image File format. There are the usual features like support for layers and blending modes, a plethora of tools to use...
Source: beebom.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Acorn seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 20 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Acorn mentions (20)

View more

Pixelmator mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Pixelmator yet. Tracking of Pixelmator recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Acorn and Pixelmator, you can also consider the following products

Pixlr - Pixlr® makes it easy to transform everyday images into stunning works of art.

Adobe Photoshop - Adobe Photoshop is a webtop application for editing images and photos online.

Affinity Photo - Affinity is the imaging and design suite for creative professionals exclusively for Mac.

GIMP - GIMP is a multiplatform photo manipulation tool.

Photoscape - high quality photo editing software, that enables you to fix and enhance photos.

Canva - Canva is a graphic-design platform with a drag-and-drop interface to create print or visual content while providing templates, images, and fonts. Canva makes graphic design more straightforward and accessible regardless of skill level.