Microsoft Designer vs Pixlr (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Pixlr grades higher than Microsoft Designer: 3.2 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Pixlr grades higher on value for money, the free plan and features. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Microsoft Designer
Microsoft's AI image generator and graphic design app
Pixlr
Browser photo editors with AI image, video and audio tools
Which one is for you
Pick Microsoft Designer if
- Fits if you already pay for Microsoft 365 and want quick graphics
- Works for people who make posts, cards and invitations from templates
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you don't want a Microsoft account, because sign-in is required
- Tight if you rely on the free tier, since the allowance isn't stated
- Watch out: Microsoft says AI benefits are for the subscription owner only
- Watch out: usage is capped by plan, with standard use on Personal and Family
Pick Pixlr if
- Fits if you want a free browser editor
- Works for quick edits on a phone
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want ad-free for free, since Plus is the first ad-free tier
- Tight if you use AI heavily, as Plus gives 80 credits
- Watch out: unlimited fast generation is Ultra with fair use
- Watch out: unused monthly credits expire after a month
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAMicrosoft DesignerFair | 3.2GPAPixlrVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is published for Designer alone, as AI use is tied to Microsoft 365 plans. | APlus is $1.99 a month billed yearly and the editors are free, under 60% of the category's cheapest quarter. |
| Free plan and trial | CListed as free to start, but the free allowance wasn't confirmed on the pages we could read. | BThe editors are free in the browser with ads, and paid plans add credits and remove ads. |
| Features | CPrompt images, templates, background removal and generative erase. Image generation is capped, with standard use on Personal and Family and more on Premium and Pro. | BTwo editors, generative edits, AI image and video, and credits. Nothing in the core job is missing. |
| Ease of use | BIt lives inside a Microsoft account many people already have. | BOpen a browser editor and start. Nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, with links into Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Word and SharePoint. | BWeb, iOS and Android. No desktop app or integrations. |
| Best for | quick graphics if you already use Microsoft 365 | free browser photo editors with AI add-ons |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Microsoft Designer and Pixlr. How we grade
Where they differ
- Microsoft Designer also covers templates.
- Pixlr also covers video generation.
At a glance
| Microsoft Designer | Pixlr | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $1.99 per month for 80 AI credits, billed yearly ($2.49 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | The editors are free in the browser, with ads; the paid Plus plan is the first ad-free tier. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Microsoft | Pixlr |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | pixlr.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Microsoft Designer
- The pricing and free allowance could not be confirmed from pages readable here, so no plans are listed.
- Microsoft says AI benefits are for the subscription owner only and cannot be shared with others.
- Image generation usage is capped by plan: Microsoft's table lists standard usage on Personal and Family and extensive usage on Premium and Pro.
- A Microsoft account sign-in is required to use it.
Pixlr
- Unused monthly credits expire after one month on monthly billing; yearly credits last a year.
- Unlimited fast image generation is tied to Ultra and subject to fair use.
- The FAQ names Plus and Premium as the plans sold in the mobile apps; it does not mention Ultra there.
- The models for video and some image tools are third-party and may vary with demand.
Key features
Microsoft Designer
- Prompt-based images
- Generates images, icons, wallpapers, stickers, clip art and avatars from a written description.
- Design from templates and sizes
- Starts designs at set sizes for social posts, ads, flyers, brochures, invitations, postcards and Outlook, Teams and PowerPoint headers.
- Image editing
- Edit image, remove background, frame images and generative erase are listed on the home screen.
- Create from prompts
- Suggestion prompts show how to fill in subject, setting and style slots to steer a result.
- Microsoft 365 link
- Microsoft's support page names Designer among the apps whose AI usage is tracked against a Microsoft 365 plan.
Pixlr
- Two editors
- Pixlr Express handles quick edits, templates and collages; Pixlr Editor is the layered editor for detailed work.
- Generative editing
- Generative fill, an image extender, an instruction-based editor and a background remover change a photo from a description.
- AI image and video generation
- Generate images and short video in the browser; the site says it uses models from Flux, Kling and Recraft among others.
- AI credits
- Monthly credits cover generation and edits; yearly plans grant 12 months of credits upfront, and a credit pack can top up.
- One account everywhere
- A paid plan works on the web, desktop and mobile apps through the same Pixlr account.
Plans
Microsoft Designer
Pricing could not be confirmed. See designer.microsoft.com.
Pixlr
Plus$1.99
per month for 80 AI credits, billed yearly ($2.49 billed monthly)
Ad-free, unlimited saves, 1 concurrent AI generation; about 80 fast AI images a month.
Premium$7.99
per month for 1,000 AI credits, billed yearly ($9.99 billed monthly)
All image, video and audio models, 4 concurrent generations, private mode, fonts and templates.
Ultra$19.99
per month from 5,000 AI credits, billed yearly ($24.99 billed monthly)
Unlimited fast image generations, 8 concurrent ones, priority queue and extended high-res exports.
Ultra Max$39.99
per month for 10,000 AI credits, billed yearly ($49.99 billed monthly)
Ultra with double the monthly credits: 10,000 instead of 5,000.
Ways to pay less
Microsoft Designer
No public discounts listed.
Pixlr
- Annual discount
Save 20% with yearly billing
Pixlr's pricing page shows every paid plan about 20% cheaper per month when billed yearly.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Designer or Pixlr?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Microsoft Designer has no price we could confirm, and Pixlr starts at $1.99 per month for 80 AI credits, billed yearly ($2.49 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Microsoft Designer or Pixlr?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Pixlr has a free plan. Microsoft Designer does not.
Which platforms do Microsoft Designer and Pixlr run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Pixlr lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.