Color by Number Apps Without Ads: Free & Paid Options

Sandbox and Color Tap describe their pixel-coloring apps as ad-free. Happy Color and Pixfun offer a different route: try the free app, then make a one-time purchase to remove specified ad formats. Subscriptions can include ad removal too.

The useful question is what disappears after you pay. Removing banners, stopping between-picture interruptions and removing optional reward videos are different promises. This guide separates them so you can choose the setup you actually want.

Pixfun is our app. Competitor descriptions and official sources were reviewed on 5 November 2026. We have not measured ad frequency across these apps, and purchase prices depend on the current store offer.

Which apps offer ad-free color by number?

Option	What the developer describes	What still needs checking
Sandbox	Ad-free pixel coloring, with optional membership	Which pictures require membership
Color Tap	Ad-free pixel coloring designed for children	Current content and purchase options
Happy Color	A one-time purchase that removes specified ad formats	The offer shown in your app and optional hint ads
Pixfun	One-time banner and between-picture ad removal, or Pixfun Pro	The current price; optional reward videos remain available

Sandbox's official App Store description states that the app has no ads and that membership unlocks the full art library. That is a different arrangement from paying to remove ads from a free app.

Color Tap's developer website also states that it is ad-free. Its child-focused artwork may suit a family activity, but look at the pictures before choosing it for an adult who wants detailed scenes.

If picture style matters as much as ads, our best color-by-number apps comparison covers pixel grids, illustrated regions and photo import.

Can you remove ads without a subscription?

Yes, where the app offers a one-time purchase. Happy Color's official FAQ describes Settings → General → Remove ads. It says that purchase removes banner ads, ads between pictures and ads when reopening the app. Optional ads for hints can remain. Happy Color's official FAQ.

Pixfun also offers a one-time purchase for banner and between-picture ad removal. The exact offer in your app is the place to check the price and terms. Avoid comparing remembered prices from older reviews with a current subscription offer: they may describe different products.

Before paying, check these three things:

• Ad formats: does the purchase remove both banners and full-screen interruptions?
• Billing: is the displayed payment one-time, weekly, monthly or yearly?
• Restoration: how do you restore that purchase if you reinstall or change devices?

Keep the purchase receipt. For a change between app-store platforms, check the developer's policy before assuming an old purchase transfers.

How does Pixfun handle ads?

The free mobile app has a banner and can show a full-screen ad between pictures. Optional rewarded videos let you choose to earn extras. A one-time purchase removes banners and between-picture ads; Pixfun Pro includes that removal as part of its subscription. Reward videos remain optional.

That means the free mobile app is not ad-free. If interruptions are the only thing you want to remove, compare the one-time option with the recurring plan before buying. Pro includes other benefits, so the two purchases solve different needs.

Pixfun is free to download on iOS and Android, and you can start coloring without an account.

You can also try a Pixfun picture in the free browser library before choosing a mobile app. The web coloring player has no advertising placements or purchase prompts. Its progress stays in the browser and does not sync to the app.

Does airplane mode stop coloring-app ads?

Airplane mode can prevent an app from fetching new ads, but an already loaded ad may still appear. A downloaded thumbnail does not prove that the full coloring picture is available offline either.

Use offline mode for a session you have prepared, rather than treating it as a permanent ad-removal purchase. New artwork, rewards and syncing may need a connection. For a trip, follow our offline color-by-number checklist and test the exact pictures you want to use.

What should you check when setting up an app for someone else?

Open one picture together. Watch whether the person can choose a color, zoom and return to their unfinished work. Explain any optional reward button and show how to leave it alone.

Then inspect the app's purchase screen together. If you are preparing a family device, use the device's purchase-approval settings where appropriate. An app that is comfortable to color should also be comfortable to navigate between pictures.

Our guide to coloring apps for seniors has more practical setup suggestions. For a paper option, print an A4 Pixfun worksheet; the color key and numbered grid work without a screen.

Try a picture before deciding

Start with a small pixel-art idea, or make a numbered puzzle from your own photo. If you prefer the mobile experience, download Pixfun free on iOS or Android. The mobile free tier keeps its ads until you remove them.