Pixelmator vs Pixly

Pixelmator's interface is pleasant to look at, easy to use and specifically optimized for OS X users, making it very intuitive for long-time Mac users.

Not only does Piexelmator provide easy to use tools that you should expect in any image editor, it also has rare tools such as layer styles, liquify tools and OS X optimized, fast image manipulation engine among others.

Layer styles allow non-destructively applying effects to a layer.

Dozens of visual effects available, easily discovered from the visual Effects Browser, broken into categories. Effects have interactive dialogs and live preview.

Pixelmator can be used across any number of monitors.

Gives you common image editing capabilities almost instantly.

Pixelmator's image engine is specifically optimized for use with Macs, providing one the best performance results available on OS X.

Pixelmator costs just $30 on the App Store. Additionally, it often comes bundled with other software that you might also find useful bringing the price down.

RGB, CMY, HSB, and a somewhat different HUSL.

Pixly offers a color ramp generator that then exports directly into a custom palette.

You can work with a reference image on top of your art, or by its side.

This tool works on both phones and tablets that run Android, which is handy for when you do not have access to a PC.

In Pixly, you can move the art around with two fingers (like in Google Maps) and change the brush/eraser size with a three-finger pinch.

Onion skinning is also called ghosting. It allows the user to see the past and previous frames, while editing the current frame. This way, the user can make decisions on how to create or change an image.

In Pixly, the user can make symmetrical art with a mirror, or even go bananas setting up two or more mirrors at different angles at once.

The user can make transparent sprites in Pixly.

Even though this is a mobile tool, it's fully featured and even allows you to create animations.

The user can create tiles in Pixly and keep an eye on progress in real time.