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Tesserra
What it is
Tesserra is a retro-inspired pixel art editor for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. It includes drawing tools, custom brushes, layer groups, blend modes, an animation timeline, and onion skinning, with indexed color tools and sprite-sheet export also listed. Built-in palettes support up to 64 colours, and the editor imports GPL, PAL, HEX, and ASE palettes. It can import images and export GIF, PNG, SVG, and ASE files. Retro-style themes and six shaders include Composite NTSC, three CRT looks, and two handheld LCD looks. Files open across supported platforms, with desktop layouts on tablets and a simpler touch layout on phones. Cloud sync can use Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or Nextcloud, but requires an account with the chosen provider. Tesserra Lite is free and includes drawing, painting, layer tools, image import, and PNG export. Tesserra Full costs $7, paid once while in beta; the maker says the price will rise to $14 on full release. The full purchase covers all platform versions except iOS. iOS and iPadOS are in development. The maker says the release is not yet code-signed, so Windows and macOS may display a security warning.
For and against
For
- Includes an animation timeline and onion skinning.
- Imports multiple palette formats.
- Exports GIF, PNG, SVG, and ASE.
- Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.
- Free Lite version includes image import and PNG export.
Against
- iOS and iPadOS are still in development.
- Cloud sync requires an account with a provider.
- Windows and macOS may show a security warning.
The verdict
Tesserra covers still pixel art and animation, with palette imports, multiple export formats, and four listed platforms. Lite is free; Full costs $7, paid once in beta, and the release is not yet code-signed.
Who it suits
Tesserra suits pixel artists who want drawing and painting tools alongside animation features on desktop or Android. It may also suit users who need to move files among supported platforms or sync through a cloud provider.
Plans and prices
Tesserra Lite
Drawing, painting & layer tools · Colour picker, wheel & limited built-in palettes · Import images · Export PNG
Read 8 Oct 2026 · tesserra.itch.io
Tesserra Full
Full feature set · Purchase grants access to all platform versions except iOS
Read 8 Oct 2026 · tesserra.itch.io
On the record
- Beta pricing
- The page says Tesserra costs $7 while in beta and will rise to $14 on full release.tesserra.itch.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Cloud integrations
- Cloud storage sync works with Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or Nextcloud, and requires an account with the cloud provider.tesserra.itch.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Device layouts
- The same file opens on every platform; tablets use the desktop layout and phones use a simpler touch layout.tesserra.itch.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Drawing and animation
- It includes drawing tools, custom brushes, layer groups, blend modes, an animation timeline, and onion skinning.tesserra.itch.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- File formats
- It can import images and export GIF, PNG, SVG, and ASE files.tesserra.itch.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Maker
- The itch.io creator is listed as “tesserra.”itch.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Palettes
- It includes built-in palettes up to 64 colours and supports importing GPL, PAL, HEX, and ASE palettes.tesserra.itch.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Platform availability
- The page lists Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android as available; iOS and iPadOS are in development.tesserra.itch.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Product
- Tesserra is a retro-inspired, cross-platform pixel art editing tool.tesserra.itch.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Requirements
- The page lists Windows 10 (22H2) or 11, macOS 14 Sonoma, modern 64-bit Linux, or Android 12 or newer, with 4 GB RAM on desktop and 3 GB on Android.tesserra.itch.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Security and signing
- The maker says the release is not yet code-signed, so Windows and macOS may show a security warning; code signing is on the roadmap.tesserra.itch.io · read 8 Oct 2026
- Themes and shaders
- It includes built-in retro-style themes and six shaders, including Composite NTSC, three CRT types, and two handheld LCD looks.tesserra.itch.io · read 8 Oct 2026
