If both are free and browser-based, which should I use?

Use Piskel if you want to draw pixel art from scratch. Use Spritesheet Generator if you already have sprites and need to assemble them, or if you need an export format Piskel does not write, such as a JSON atlas, a Godot .tres, a Tiled tileset, or Sparrow XML.

Can Piskel split a spritesheet into frames?

Yes. Piskel imports an image and slices it by frame size, so both tools can do this. The difference is what you can export afterwards: Piskel gives you a PNG, a GIF, or a ZIP of frames, with no atlas data file.

Can I move my Piskel project to Spritesheet Generator?

Yes. Export your frames from Piskel as individual PNGs, then drag them into Spritesheet Generator for more advanced layout and export options.

Does Spritesheet Generator support onion skinning?

Yes. The built-in pixel editor includes onion skinning - toggle it with the Onion checkbox or press O. Previous frames are shown in red and next frames in blue as semi-transparent overlays.

Is Piskel still maintained?

Piskel has not received major updates in recent years. Spritesheet Generator is actively developed with regular feature additions and community-driven improvements.

Spritesheet vs Piskel

Piskel is a free online pixel art editor with spritesheet export. Spritesheet Generator goes further with multi-source import, splitting, engine-specific formats, and a more powerful export pipeline.

Both free and browser-based - but built for different jobs

Piskel is a great tool for drawing pixel art and simple animations in the browser. When it comes to assembling spritesheets from multiple sources, splitting existing sheets, or exporting for specific engines, Spritesheet Generator offers a more complete workflow. If your sprites are ready and you need to pack them, this is the tool.

Piskel is a drawing tool that can export a sheet

Piskel is open source, has been free since it launched, and is still the fastest way to open a tab and start drawing an animated sprite. Frame timeline, layers, onion skinning, live animation preview in the corner, a real-time colour palette. For learning pixel animation there is very little that beats it, and its export does produce a usable PNG sheet plus a GIF.

It is worth correcting a claim these comparison pages often get wrong: Piskel can import images. Import from an image file, tell it the frame size, and it slices a sheet into frames. So splitting is not something only one of these tools can do. What differs is what happens next.

The honest weak point is maintenance. Piskel has had no significant release in years and its GitHub repository has been quiet for a long time. It still runs, and being a static browser app it will keep running, but nothing new is arriving and the export options are frozen where they were.

Where the two diverge: the export end

Piskel writes a PNG sheet, a GIF, a ZIP of frames, and its own .piskel project file. That is the list. No JSON atlas, which means an engine that reads frame data has to slice by grid or you write the data file yourself.

The export list here is the reason to switch at that point: a TexturePacker-format JSON atlas for Phaser and PixiJS, a real SpriteFrames .tres for Godot 4 that drops onto an AnimatedSprite2D with regions already set, a .tsj tileset for Tiled, Sparrow XML for FNF mods and Starling, and CSS sprite output for web work. Those are the formats that turn an exported image into something an engine reads without a manual step.

Layout control is the other difference. Columns, cell size, per-sprite offsets inside a cell, padding, force-size, and MaxRects packing when you want tight rather than gridded. Piskel exports the grid its canvas implies, which is the right call for a drawing tool and a limitation once the engine wants something specific.

Neither one replaces the other

Both are free and both run in a browser, so there is no cost to using both. Draw the frames in Piskel, export them as individual PNGs, drop them here, and export the format your engine actually wants.

If Piskel already exports a grid PNG your engine slices happily, you do not need a second step. Add one only when the export format is the thing standing in your way.

Pick Piskel when

You are drawing frames from scratch and want the simplest possible canvas, timeline, and onion skin. Its export is enough when your engine slices a plain grid.

Pick Spritesheet Generator when

Your frames already exist, they came from several sources, or your engine wants a JSON atlas, a Godot .tres, a Tiled tileset, or Sparrow XML that Piskel does not write.

Feature comparison

Feature	UsUs	Piskel
Free to use
Works in the browser
Drag & drop sprite upload Piskel imports images through its Import dialog
Auto grid layout
PNG export
JSON atlas export
GIF export
ZIP export
Engine-specific formats Unity, Godot, Phaser, Tiled
Built-in pixel art editor
Spritesheet splitting Both slice a sheet by frame size
Animation preview
Multi-layer support
Animated GIF frame extraction Drop a GIF, get every frame
Onion skinning
No account required

Why us

Multi-source import

Drag in PNGs, JPGs, and folders from any editor at once. Animated GIFs are split into frames automatically on drop.

Splitter with a preview

Drop a finished sheet, see the cut lines before committing, and adjust rows, columns, or cell size until the frames land right.

Richer export options

Export as JSON atlas, ZIP, or engine-specific formats for Unity, Godot, Phaser, and Tiled - beyond what Piskel offers.

Layout control

Full control over columns, cell size, spacing, and per-sprite offsets. Build exactly the layout your game engine expects.

FAQ

Take it past the PNG

Import your Piskel frames and export the atlas format your engine reads.

Open the editor See all features