Pixelmator is a series of graphics editors developed by Pixelmator Team for macOS and iOS. Pixelmator apps are largely built on Apple-specific technologies such as CoreML and Metal.[4] Pixelmator uses a proprietary format across their apps (.PXD), but supports a variety of file types including Photoshop, RAW, and WebP.[5] All Pixelmator apps support image editing, but Pixelmator Pro also supports video and vector graphics.[6]
History
Pixelmator Team was founded in 2007 by Lithuanian brothers Saulius and Aidas Dailidė.[7] and released Pixelmator (now Pixelmator Classic) 1.0 in September of the same year.[8] The company currently resides in Vilnius, Lithuania.[9] In November 2024, Pixelmator Team agreed to be acquired by Apple for an unknown monetary amount, pending regulatory approval.[10]
Pixelmator Classic was the original version of Pixelmator released for Mac on September 25, 2007. It uses a palette-style interface compared to Pixelmator Pro's single-window interface. It is no longer being updated and has been delisted from the Mac App Store.[11]
Pixelmator iOS
Pixelmator for iOS launched on October 23, 2014 as an iPad-exclusive app with touch-optimized versions of Pixelmator's desktop features.[12] In May 2015, Pixelmator for iOS 2.0 was released with support for the iPhone.[13]
Pixelmator Pro is an image, video,[14] and vector[15] editing software for macOS that launched on November 29, 2017. It was a paid upgrade for Pixelmator Classic users, featuring a redesigned interface, a graphics pipeline rewritten using Metal, Apple silicon support and a greater focus on ML/AI editing features.[16]
Photomator
Photomator (Formerly Pixelmator Photo[17]) is a photo-oriented editing app which launched on iOS in 2021[18] and macOS in 2022.[19] After launching the macOS version, the app moved from a one-time purchase to a subscription, however, a lifetime license can still be purchased for $99.[19]
Photomator differentiates itself from other Pixelmator apps with features such as batch editing of full photoshoots and AI-powered color correction. Edits in Photomator are made on a single layer and are non-destructive.[20]
