Softwr

Software · head to head

Pico-8 vs Aseprite

Pico-8 logo

Pico-8

Software

A fantasy console for making, sharing and playing tiny games

From
$14.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Aseprite logo

Aseprite

Software

Animated sprite editor and pixel art tool

From
$19.99/once
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Pico-8 extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette; Aseprite a one-off purchase with no free tier, only a trial
  • They diverge on capability: Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor, Aseprite covers Pixel art tools.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Pico-8 and Aseprite actually diverge.

Attributes where Pico-8 and Aseprite differ
AttributePico-8Aseprite
Starting price$14.99/one-time$19.99/once
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry PiWindows, Macos, Linux
Founded20052001

Identical on both: pricing model (one-time), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Pico-8

  • Pixel art editor
  • Music composer
  • Lua scripting
  • Built-in palette
  • Sprite system
  • Map editor
  • Code editor
  • Game cartridges

Only in Aseprite

  • Pixel art tools
  • Animation timeline
  • Onion skinning
  • Layers
  • Tilemap editor
  • Color palettes
  • Sprite sheets
  • Scripting (Lua)

Both cover

  • Local deployment
  • Windows support
  • Macos support
  • Linux support
  • Lua language support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Pico-8

  • Retro-style indie game developmentnot Aseprite
  • Educational game programmingnot Aseprite
  • Game jam participationnot Aseprite
  • Pixel art game creation with strict creative constraintsnot Aseprite

Aseprite

  • Pixel art creation for gamesnot Pico-8
  • Frame-by-frame sprite animationnot Pico-8
  • Exporting sprite sheets and GIFsnot Pico-8
  • Scripting repetitive export tasks through the command linenot Pico-8

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Pico-8

  • Extremely limited display resolution of 128x128 pixels with 16-colour palette
  • Cart size capped at 32 kilobytes
  • Only 256 sprites of 8x8 pixels available
  • Map limited to 128x32 tiles
  • Monophonic sound synthesis with 4-channel chip synthesis only
  • Lua programming language exclusively; no other language support

Aseprite

  • A one-off purchase with no free tier, only a trial
  • Deliberately narrow: a pixel art and sprite animation editor rather than a general image editor
  • The site does not state supported platforms or licence terms, which are on GitHub instead

Pricing, plan by plan

Pico-8

$14.99/one-time

No published plan breakdown. See the Pico-8 review.

Aseprite

$19.99/once
  • License$19.99/once
    • Full feature set
    • Free updates
    • Commercial use

Which should you pick?

Choose Pico-8 if

  • You need pixel art editor.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi.
  • You also want music composer.
Pico-8 review

Choose Aseprite if

  • You need pixel art tools.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux.
  • You also want animation timeline.
Aseprite review

Questions people ask

Is Pico-8 or Aseprite better?
Neither clearly leads. Pico-8 starts at $14.99/one-time and Aseprite at $19.99/once, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Pico-8 or Aseprite?
Pico-8 starts at $14.99/one-time and Aseprite at $19.99/once.
Does Pico-8 or Aseprite run on more platforms?
Pico-8 runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi. Aseprite runs on Windows, Macos, Linux.
What is Pico-8 best used for?
Pico-8 is most often used for retro-style indie game development, educational game programming, game jam participation, pixel art game creation with strict creative constraints. Of those, retro-style indie game development and educational game programming are not what Aseprite is typically brought in for.
What can Pico-8 do that Aseprite cannot?
Pico-8 covers Pixel art editor, Music composer, Lua scripting, Built-in palette. Aseprite covers Pixel art tools, Animation timeline, Onion skinning, Layers. Both handle Local deployment, Windows support, Macos support, Linux support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Pico-8

More on Aseprite

Keep looking

Other head to heads