What it does
Piskel is an open-source sprite and pixel-art editor with live animation preview. It exports animated GIFs and sprite sheets and also links to offline desktop versions.
The live preview lets you watch an animation while adjusting its frame delay. For repeating details, select an area, copy it, move the selection without changing tools, then paste. Export an animated GIF for playback or a PNG sprite sheet for a game project.
Piskel runs in a desktop browser without an account. Save or export your work before leaving the page; do not depend on automatic recovery. Offline builds are available for Windows, Mac and Linux, although the project recommends the online version for its latest fixes and features.
Strengths
- A live preview shows frame timing while drawing.
- Both browser and offline routes are available.
Watch out for
- Mobile devices are not supported.
- Offline builds receive limited testing and can lag behind the browser version.
Best for
- Short pixel animations
- Introductory sprite exercises
Sources
- Piskel: Free online sprite editor (Oct 27, 2026)
- Piskel FAQ (Oct 27, 2026)
- Piskel Terms of Service (Oct 27, 2026)
- Piskel official repository (Oct 27, 2026)
- Piskel offline applications (Oct 27, 2026)