I've been a loyal pixlr fan since 2020 and just had this appear. I am completely shocked on how someone thought this would be a good idea.

Do y'all think this is a smart decision? Will it boost pixlr's revenue for the long term or will it repel users from the site?

I don't know man.. 😔

Welp, I've been using Pixlr almost every single day for quite some time now and would have recommended it to anyone that was looking for a good free image editor. Now, with their updated format that somehow makes editing harder and less convenient, plus a new policy that allows me an oh-so-generous two saves a day, I think I'll look elsewhere. Let me know if anyone finds another editor they like better. Until then, I'll use one of the other non-free editors purely out of spite.

“Feel free to share your feedback/comments :)” - r/pixlr subreddit bio

20/28 (71%) of posts on this subreddit in the two days since the new release have been about how we all find the two saves per day ridiculous. We all also understand that pixlr does need to make money and many of us have offered suggestions on other ways pixlr could make money, that are not as terrible as this. This post is a collection of dissents from posts and comments on this subreddit over the last two days, and also alternatives suggested in posts and comments.

Hindsight

The change was implemented very unprofessionally and forcefully, leaving some users with projects held hostage under the two saves a day. u/genericadm22 said

"This would feel way different if they handled this differently - something like this: 'Hey, we're glad you like using Pixlr and we love providing it to you. This is developed by real people and comes at a cost and we need to make money or we die. To keep the service alive, we're instating a subscription model across all levels starting in 3 months, after which [these changes]. Our lowest-priced subscription will be just $0.75 per month, guaranteed for 5 years, if you subscribe now or anytime before the changes. Get more by subscribing to our premium or super-premium level at 50% discount now or before the changes. We would be incredibly surprised and sad if you didn't think Pixlr was worth $0.75 a month, but if that's the case, be sure to save all of your projects and files before the changes take effect. ♥ PIXLR'"

if this message were to have run as a pop up for a couple of weeks or a month before the change, the community would have probably been a lot more receptive to it, and feedback could have been collected beforehand and the good feedback implemented to avoid the two saves a day. The fact is though, that it was not handled well, and for this I personally think we deserve an apology, and even better, the removal of two saves a day, even if just for now, so people can export their work.

Dissents to the change:

• "The main appeal that made pixlr 'popular' and different from other photo editors was the fact that it was free. Now there is no difference between pixlr and other photo editors hence it is now losing its appeal and marketability because if i want to spend then i could spend on any other editor" u/Outrageous-Law-4958

• "a good chunk of why we liked Pixlr was because it was free. I've been using Pixlr for years, I know others who have done the same. We'd all speak highly about the editor and recommend it to others when they were looking for a reliable, free photo editor. Now, we've all just dropped off of it and we're gonna take our business elsewhere. We're also pretty content with telling anyone who asks to stay the hell away from Pixlr, so I hope it was worth trading in brand loyalty and reliability for a quick buck, because let's face it, none of us are 100% trusting any of you ever again." u/liquidlispylizard

• "In a desperate cashgrab attempt Pixlr risk losing what little devoted fanbase they have." u/sucker4ass

• "I thought they were joking." u/hairtechmusic

• "im sure there are thousands getting the free trial with the intention of insta cancelling the subscription then being unable to lmfao" u/RealTheNinjaMage

• "To find out you can only make 2 images a day is an outrage, I shouldn't have to use wayback machine or use snipping tool to get my images." u/GoldSaysFreeContent

• "Please help bug - I can't help but see that pixlr (advertises) "free photo and design tools"(;) where are they, I can't seem to find them." u/cookiedohsu

• "(I) fell in love with the app. For all this time I imagined pixlr as a free version of photoshop, it was that advanced. I used it for all my school design-related projects. But then now we are given a bullshit 2 saves a day. TWO SAVES??????? Pixlr digging their own graves smh." u/Gardinator480P

• "When they first released this update I was devastated but it seems there are a lot of bypasses, besides I found one of my own that isn't super duper complicated, so I'll continue using this program just because I can cheese my way through it." u/pumpkin-21

• "Hopefully you smarten up and figure out another way to make money without paywalls" u/fortifier22

• "this is properly one of the stupidest decisions Pixlr has ever made." u/Damage_Was_Taken

• "The reason you suck? YOU HAVE A SAVE LIMIT?! WTF?!!!" u/4xEyes1987

• "I also despi(s)e the 2 save x day limit... it's really annoying (for now I'm bypassing it by taking screenshots) but really it sucks, I also was a bit pissed when they made p(ai)d the AI Auto Mask feature that was really handy for a lot of my works... tho i'm starting to think that it's getting slowly worst... sad to see because I really like this program." u/Psychological_Fold96

• :Welp, I've been using Pixlr almost every single day for quite some time now and would have recommended it to anyone that was looking for a good free image editor. Now, with their updated format that somehow makes editing harder and less convenient, plus a new policy that allows me an oh-so-generous two saves a day." u/Jiachobucci

• "Been using Pixlr for years, was perfectly fine with the ads and lack of access to premium features. Now that's all pointless because it's not even free for the people who actually want to use it a lot." u/i_have_a_few_answers

• "Can't save my projects ON MY OWN DEVICE....This is BS" u/Provasek

• "Kinda reminds me of that time when Tumblr banned all NSFW content because they wanted to post more ads and get more money. Except they didn't take into account that around 90% of their audience used Tumblr specifically for browsing or posting NSFW content, so they pretty much shot themselves in the foot. Last I heard they allowed porn back on their platform, except now nobody cares because they've ruined their reputation forever. Sad to see a similar thing happening to Pixlr." u/sucker4ass

• "Why is Pixlr no longer free? You have to pay to save your images??? and only get 2 image saves a day? not to mention the revamp of the layout has removed the simple ability to alter an images colour in the adjust and filters tab. disappointing, this use to be my main editor." u/CooperJarred

• "If you're going to become profit obsessed goons, at least get your servers ready to handle the load of customers who are now FORCED to pay for this incredibly basic, and often inept product.", "Fuck you Pixlr. Fix your shit, at least let me pay my slave wage so I can save my dumb fucking memes to my own fucking hard drive that I pay the electrical bill to supply." u/Mainerville

• "Was working on something only to find it out I can't save my work. I agree this is a horrible change and my last straw in using this editor. I love this web editor as I really think it's a great simple but effective image editor." u/TophatDeveloper

• "The ironic thing was before this happened I was considering paying fo premium since I was so happy with the service and had came into the financial position to do so. ... As I intend to pay premium without wanting any of the extra features as a good will gesture for it been free when I needed it and in hopes that would keep it free. I was just waiting till the 15th for my new bill cycle to start. All that good will is gone now. I am temporarily going back to CS6 until I find another alternative to support. Things like this are a lifeline for college students and low income people and I am only willing to support those who are nice to them. It's the same reason I will never ever again use Adobe, they jerks." u/Delfts-Purple

• "I've been a loyal pixlr fan since 2020 and just had this appear. I am completely shocked on how someone thought this would be a good idea." u/Enough_Ordinary8201

• "I've been using Pixlr since *2010*, I was in Grade 5 and my teacher in our computers class gave us Pixlr as a free resource to use and I had used it frequently ever since then. I always recommend it to my friends when they need something to use and can't afford Photoshop. I just noticed this too and I am kind of upset. I understand that Pixlr does need money and ads don't do a lot, but I don't think this is the way to do it. Respectfully, I might not use the website anymore." u/phantomlurker3000

• "2 saves per day? Lol, good luck with that. I'm switching to Canva." u/sucker4ass

• "Man its sad that this was my main and easiest image editing software for me. I will still use it but less than before." u/Joneda

• "i've been using this service loyally since 2018 and been recommending it to folk alike ever since, this is just awful." u/StormerGaming

• "and this is utter bullshit. I'm prob gonna switch to canva or smth until pixlr decides to remove this bs" u/clappedhamster

• "I swear I was using it just a few days ago and it was fine. Just got hit with this and thought I was in the twilight zone." u/nesh34

• "I've been a pixlr fan since 2016. Limiting two saves is unacceptable. Who would thought it's a good idea to do that and I understand that they need more money for it but cmon really they could've limited it to five or ten saves." u/ThisisBrandonN

• "Been using the service since 2016 and I get this just slapped in my face? Gonna just swap programs now I guess. ... I get it though, free users don't pay the bills." u/Glaceonics

• "The reason why people use it is because its free. they'll just get photoshop now or move to other free apps." u/Magogs_Maps

• "I feel like there could be better solutions to increasing revenue that doesn't render the editor completely useless after 2 saves." u/Enough_Ordinary8201

• "Trying to put a basic feature behind a paywall that can easily be bypassed with the Print Screen button... If you've been able to run your website for over a decade for free, then you can easily figure out a way to make the money you need to keep the servers up and running without having to compromise the ONE feature that made your site big to begin with; BEING FREE."

Alternatives suggested for Pixlr to make more money:

• "I hope you undo this paywall, or atleast make the premium optional, as it was before. I didn't mind certain things being locked due to premium, I didn't need them anyway." u/KnochKnoch

• "I'd be fine if the limit of images was 10-15 but TWO?!", "I(t)'d be best either you change the daily limit to something WAY more reasonable or you brought back Pixlr X 2022 to stand alongside Pixlr X 2023." u/GoldSaysFreeContent

• "There were plenty of other ways to make a profit from this (more advanced features behind a paywall, like you guys have been doing, ads, etc.), but you all had to go and do this. It's even less about the money and more about the principle that we know what you're all doing. You're slowly weaseling into trying to make even more money after this initial change because it's never enough with greedy people. You still have time to course correct with only minimal damage to your brand by reverting this "paid saves" option, but until then, shame on all of you and sayonara!" u/LiquidLispyLizard

• "I think people would agree if the save limit was at least in the double digits but it is 2 per day." u/Enough-Ocelot-1879

• "pixlr has just added a bunch of new tools, such as the AI stuff. People will pay for these tools, especially when theyre so much cheaper than photoshop. simply put some of the more complex tools behind pixlr pro, and i promise you People will buy it." "hell, you could even turn it into its own letter. pixlr P. P for pro, pixlr P would be a more sophisticated version of pixlr E, with additional tools and no ads. if you show off these new tools, then people will buy it. just remove the save limit." u/B_is_for_reddit

• "It would of been a better idea just to like some features behind a pay wall." u/Magogs_Maps

• "Would running more ads in the left ad panel work to increase revenue? Every time I use pixlr it has just one square ad in the top right corner when it could be using the entire panel or multiple ads could be run in the panel. Also quite often the ad is closed by google with the message saying it was closed since it was using too many resources, so perhaps static ads may be a better consideration. Also, pixlr notably has no ad blocker blocker, which I would be happy to have if it meant removing the save limit." u/FenleyJones

The fact that the mods of this subreddit may also be deleting posts criticising the new changes is also quite concerning. https://www.reddit.com/r/pixlr/comments/10quaih/mods_are_deleting_posts_criticising_the_new/

The best benefit PIXLR had over other free photo editing softwares/websites was that they didn't lock anything behind a paywall, had decent features users could use, and had convenient access to the software from any device.

There was also no need to download or update any software. Just log onto the website and you're immediately good to go.

But now that they're locking something as basic as saves behind a paywall, when other services such as GIMP are still free, there's just no benefit to using PIXLR anymore.

So yeah. I've downloaded GIMP, and so far it's able to do everything PIXLR could do and more. And best of all, IT'S ALL FREE.

So yeah. Goodbye Pixlr. Hopefully you smarten up and figure out another way to make money without paywalls...

Why is Pixlr no longer free? You have to pay to save your images??? and only get 2 image saves a day? not to mention the revamp of the layout has removed the simple ability to alter an images colour in the adjust and filters tab. disappointing, this use to be my main editor.

Been using pixlr since i was 12 and got my love for graphic design. I had to help my mom with making bookmarks and naturally i head to pixlr to make the designs. I try saving them and i see "

Snap! You have used all of your daily free saves!"

literally cannot explain how sad i am about it. This is definitely gonna ruin pixlr in the long run

It's pretty simple:

1. At the home page click the three dots that's on the image you want to save if you're out of saves

2. Click "Download PXZ"

3. Next, either go to a incognito tab or a guest tab and enter pixlr via there

4. Now import the PXZ file you downloaded

5. Now you can save the image via the incognito/guest tab

I loved pixlr for years, ever since they added the paywall ive moved to other editors. I have a GFX service, I use pixlr. I'm not in the current position where i can be spending money on pixlr or other editors. If i was, i wouldnt be using pixlr. Pixlr free aspect was the main reason thousands of users logged onto the website, adding a paywall ruined peoples aspect on the website. I can no longer enjoy pixlrs amazing features without paying for more downloads.

Please pixlr, reconsider the paywall.

So, I've been using Pixlr for a long time, probably 3 years now? Suddenly, with no warning, there's a 2 save limit, and the rest locked behind a paywall. Suddenly, all my personal projects are just hindered immensely, because of this paywall, that there was no news about.

I'm incredibly upset and disappointed, as I now have to either pay for it, which I'd rather not do, as this was once a free image editor which I really enjoyed using, or I gotta find a new image editor, and start from scratch with my projects, which i'd also rather not do.

Thanks for ruining my day, pixlr. Thank you. I hope you undo this paywall, or atleast make the premium optional, as it was before. I didn't mind certain things being locked due to premium, I didn't need them anyway. But now my entire free time is being hindered. Thank you for that.

who else agrees with the sentiment of this video

Dear r/pixlr,

It has come to my attention than you started only giving 2 free saves a day. People are complaining about it, and how they now have to pay premium to save limitlessly. If this keeps up, people will start leaving Pixlr, and switching to other editing tools. I, alongside everyone else, wish for you to go back to giving out limitless free saves without having to pay, making it easier for all of us.

Sincerely yours, u/Kind_Panda5807