Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

VSCO VS Pixelmator

Compare VSCO VS Pixelmator and see what are their differences

VSCO logo VSCO

VSCO® is an art and technology company empowering people everywhere to create, discover, and connect. CompanyVSCO® is a trendsetting art and technology company that .

Pixelmator logo Pixelmator

Pixelmator is an image-editing application for Mac and iPad.
  • VSCO Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-16
  • Pixelmator Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21

VSCO features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    VSCO offers a clean, intuitive user interface that is easy to navigate, making it ideal for both novice and experienced photographers.
  • High-Quality Filters
    The app provides a variety of high-quality, professionally designed filters that can enhance photos without making them look over-edited.
  • Advanced Editing Tools
    VSCO includes advanced editing tools such as HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) adjustments, split toning, and more, allowing for detailed photo manipulation.
  • Community Engagement
    VSCO has a built-in social platform where users can share their photos and discover the work of other photographers, fostering a sense of community.
  • Subscription Benefits
    The premium subscription offers additional features such as access to the complete filter library, exclusive editing tools, and educational content.

Possible disadvantages of VSCO

  • Limited Free Features
    The free version of VSCO offers a limited selection of filters and tools, which may not be sufficient for advanced editing needs.
  • Subscription Cost
    The annual subscription fee can be considered high for casual users who may not fully utilize all the premium features.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported occasional performance issues such as lagging or crashing, especially when using older devices.
  • No Desktop Version
    VSCO is primarily a mobile app and lacks a fully-featured desktop version, which could inconvenience users who prefer editing on a larger screen.
  • Limited Video Editing
    While VSCO offers video editing capabilities, they are not as robust as its photo editing features, potentially limiting its appeal to videographers.

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.

VSCO videos

Is VSCO X Worth It? Mobile Photography Editing Walkthrough

More videos:

  • Tutorial - VSCO & How to Step Up Your Photo Game -- Review (iOS/Android)
  • Review - How I Edit Photos in VSCO & Lightroom Mobile!

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 VSCO and Pixelmator)
Graphic Design Software
32 32%
68% 68
Image Editing
28 28%
72% 72
Social Media Apps
100 100%
0% 0
Digital Drawing And Painting

User comments

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Reviews

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

VSCO Reviews

Top 8 Apps to Effectively Make Blurry Pictures Clear
VSCO is photo processing software for iOS devices. It enables images to obtain high-quality unique filters. For blurred photos, VSCO can make the photos clear and high-quality. One of the exciting things about VSCO is that it updates filters and film simulations for users, allowing them to achieve unique effects on their photos every time they try. You can also use its...
5 Apps Like Prisma Photo Editor
VSCO: Photo & Video Editor brings the most creative video and photo editing tools, real inspiration, and a place for you to be what you are. VSCO: Photo & Video Edito‪r, presented by VSCO itself lets you take your creations to the next level. You can get advanced editing tools and a library of over 200 presets. Download VSCO to create, recreate, save, or edit your most...
Best free and paid photo editing apps for iPhone and Android
VSCO began life making color grading presets for Lightroom and its roots are clear in the app today. Rather than offer stickers and animated GIFs for Snapchat enthusiasts, VSCO is all about the more artful filmic color filters. The app has a huge range of presets available, including looks designed to emulate classic rolls of film from Fujifilm, Kodak and Ilford.
Source: www.cnet.com

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, VSCO seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 9 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.

VSCO mentions (9)

  • Anyone else having issues?
    Anyone having 403 forbidden when they go to vsco.co. Source: over 2 years ago
  • VSCO website 403 forbidden
    Everytime I go to vsco.co it prompts the homepage but when I click log in or search I get 403 forbidden. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Hiiiiiiiii :D I just took these, they were inspired by a sense of romantic gauzy optimism. We Esfjs can be creative, and thats because WE ARE! Go ahead and share your hobbies and the things you find beautiful, I'd be so happy if you did ♡ :)
    You can look at what other people do to get some inspiration for ideas. You can join a community where people share their photos or give information about photography. Few examples are Instagram, VSCO, and niche subs on reddit (such as this one) based on your various interests. /r/photography contains very resourceful information for beginners. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Instagram Alternatives: 5 Instagram-Like Apps and how to choose one?
    VSCO is a perfect choice for brands who want to connect with users in their early 20's and is a place to experiment with photo editing techniques. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago
  • [HELP] LOST A GREAT JOURNAL I MADE AFTER NEW UPDATE
    You should still be able to view your journals on web browser at vsco.co. Unfortunately there's not any way to edit them anymore. Source: over 3 years ago
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 VSCO and Pixelmator, you can also consider the following products

Open Camera - Open Camera is an open-source camera app for Android phones and tablets.

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

Instagram - Instagram is a mobile, desktop, and Internet-based photo-sharing application and service that allows users to share pictures and videos either publicly, or privately to pre-approved followers.

GIMP - GIMP is a multiplatform photo manipulation tool.

Snapseed - Snapseed is a photo enhancement and sharing app with a powerful suite of imaging filters and tools...

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