Fourteen dithering algorithms, an honest comparison, and no upload step. Floyd-Steinberg, Atkinson, Bayer, blue noise and the rest.
Most dithering tools online implement two or three algorithms and call it a day. The differences between kernels matter a lot at small sizes and in print, so here is what Bitgrain actually ships.
| Capability | Bitgrain | other dithering tools |
|---|---|---|
| Error diffusion kernels | Floyd-Steinberg, Atkinson, Sierra, Sierra-2, Sierra-lite, Stucki, Burkes, JJN | Usually Floyd-Steinberg only |
| Ordered dithering | Bayer 2x2, 4x4, 8x8 | Sometimes Bayer 4x4 |
| Blue noise | Yes | Rare |
| Custom palettes | Yes, with nearest-colour quantization | Usually fixed |
| Vector export | SVG, plus real glyph output for ASCII | PNG only |
| Upload required | No, processing is local | Often yes |
If you only need a quick Floyd-Steinberg pass on one image, almost any tool will do. The reason to use Bitgrain is that you can compare kernels side by side and then take the result into a full editor.
Atkinson for a lighter, higher-contrast look, Floyd-Steinberg for faithful tone, Bayer when you want a visible mechanical pattern, and blue noise when you want the least structured grain.
Yes. Pro exports at full source resolution, and the print-finish pass adds paper tone and slight misregistration.
Yes. Every algorithm is available on the free tier, exported at web resolution with a watermark.