PC Advisor (UK)
“The program is effortless to use and features some useful tools that you won’t find in other free apps – and if you’re still unsure as to whether it’s good enough to replace your existing image-editing app, you’ll be pleased to hear that version 2.0.3 introduces a “portable” option when installing the program, so you can roadtest it without cluttering up your Registry or programs folder.”
PC Utilities (UK)
“Unusually for free software it also allows you to do this in the picture itself using the dropper, just like Photoshop. The levels tool provides an instant preview and adjustment can be performed on the full RGB spectrum or individually for each colour channel. This is all very well done and familiar, good stuff. <…>
All in all this is a very reasonable little photo editor. It covers all the basics and does so with polish.”
CNET (USA)
“The program’s interface is familiar and intuitive, with menus across the top, a toolbar down the left side, and a set of panels down the right. The first thing we noticed about PixBuilder was that it supports the use of layers, an important feature for anyone who’s halfway serious about editing images. <…>
The program comes with a well-written Help file that won’t teach you everything you need to know about image editing but will explain the basics of what the program can do. Overall, we think that PixBuilder studio is a great choice if you want powerful image-editing features but you don’t want to drop a bundle of cash on editing software. This is one of the best free programs we’ve seen in this genre.”
Softwarecrew (UK)
“In recent years Paint.NET has made a powerful case of being the best free image-editing tool for Windows, boasting powerful features and a relatively accessible interface. But now there’s a new kid in town, a tool that resembles Paint.NET but adds some clever features of its own. A tool that once cost money, but is now free. That image editor is PixBuilder Studio.
As its name implies, Paint.NET requires the .NET Framework runtime to be installed before you can use it. There’s no such requirement with PixBuilder Studio, which is crammed into a tiny 2.98MB download, and in fact its current build – 2.0.3 – introduces an option to install it as a portable application, so you can add it to your USB thumbdrive toolkit.
Once the program fires up for the first time, its interface feels familiar, thanks to the fact it apes other image editors like Paint.NET and earlier versions of Photoshop. The toolset is comparable to Paint.NET, although there are some useful extras, including a healing brush, full-blown text editor and measurement tool, that you won’t find in Paint.NET.”
Web User magazine (UK)
“PixBuilder Studio is a powerful photo-editing program that boasts various advanced features including layers, transparency masks, levels and curves, as well as useful tools such as a clone stamp and healing brush. It doesn’t offer a huge range of effects and filters, but it does support .8BF Photoshop- compatible plug-ins, so you can easily add additional features to it for free.”