If you own a Liene PixCut S1, you already have an app: Liene Photo. It covers the basics, and works fine for casual use. StixCut is a different kind of tool - one built around a different set of priorities. This article lays out where the two diverge and where each one has a genuine edge.
Update, June 30, 2026: Liene posted an official statement noting that this comparison reflected an earlier version of Liene Photo PC. They listed USB and Bluetooth connections, local and cloud project saving, free AI background removal, AI Image-to-Image, and AI Stylization as available now. They also listed Text-to-Image, Cut Paths, and Peel Tabs as roadmap items. The comparison below has been updated to reflect that statement.
Neither app is right for everyone. The goal here is to be accurate, not promotional.
The full comparison
| Feature | Liene Photo | StixCut |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Android, macOS, Windows | macOS and Windows (Windows currently in beta) |
| Connectivity | USB and Bluetooth connections listed as available in Liene Photo PC. | Bluetooth and USB on macOS and Windows. Both available simultaneously. |
| Sticker library | Local and cloud project saving listed as available in Liene Photo PC. | Local folder on your machine. No item limit, no cloud, no slowdown. Supports saving custom libraries as files for per-project use. |
| Background removal | Free AI background removal listed as available. | Fast on-device background removal. Included, no extra cost, no image sent anywhere. |
| Cut paths | Single auto-generated cut path. Additional cut paths listed as a roadmap item, not an available feature. | Auto-generated path that can be fully edited, scaled, reshaped, or replaced. SVG cut path import supported. |
| Multiple cut paths | Only on Liene-provided templates (phone skins, card skins). Custom cut paths are listed as a roadmap item. | Add as many cut paths as needed, any shape. Build custom templates for phones, cards, labels, or any format. |
| Perf-cut | Not supported. Kiss-cut sticker sheets only. | Fully supported with customizable dash length and spacing. Make tear-out sticker formats instead of peel sheets. |
| Peel tabs | Listed by Liene as a roadmap item. | Automatic peel-here tabs on perf-cut stickers. Adjustable radius and position. Arrow indicator prints on sheet. |
| Multiple printers | Can see multiple devices, but prints to one at a time. | Connect as many printers as needed. Queue jobs across them. Auto-selects the next free printer for back-to-back production runs. |
| Material support | Liene sticker paper and Liene photo paper only. | Custom material profiles with per-profile blade pressure. Ships with Oracal 651 (white and clear vinyl) presets. |
| File formats | No sharable cut-line or template file format. | .stix files share individual stickers with custom cutlines. .stixcut files save full sheets. .stixtpl files share reusable templates with locked cutlines and image placeholders. |
| Auto-pack | Not supported. | Fills a sheet from your library automatically. Set a max sticker size and re-pack until all are printed. Shuffle Pack for randomized sheets. |
| Sheet backgrounds | Background color and background images supported. | Background color, background images, full background library, and per-sheet default background setting. |
| Included content | Many built-in templates and starter images. | No built-in starter images. StixCut focuses on custom artwork and shareable templates. |
| Text and shape editing | Basic text, shape, and image editing built in. | No text or shape editor. StixCut focuses on cut-path work. Image editing belongs in your design app before import. |
| AI features | Free AI background removal, AI Image-to-Image, and AI Stylization listed as available. Text-to-Image is listed as a roadmap item. | No AI features. Runs fully locally. You can import AI-generated images from any other app. |
| Account required | Liene account required to set up app. | No account. No login. Use any PixCut S1 over Bluetooth or USB. |
| Internet required | Local project saving is now listed as available. Cloud and AI features depend on Liene services. | Not required for core functionality. Connects occasionally to validate a subscription and check for release alerts. |
Where Liene Photo wins
Broader platform coverage. Liene Photo runs on iPhone, iPad, and Android in addition to desktop platforms. If your workflow is mobile - printing stickers from a phone at a market or event - StixCut isn't an option. StixCut is a desktop app.
Built-in content. Liene Photo ships with templates and starter images. If you want to jump in without preparing your own artwork, that's a real advantage. StixCut now supports shareable templates, but it does not include a large built-in art catalog.
Text and shape tools. Liene Photo includes a basic editor for adding text, shapes, and compositing images. StixCut has none of that. If you want to assemble a sticker design inside the printing app, Liene Photo lets you do that. StixCut expects you to finish the artwork in Illustrator, Affinity Designer, Procreate, or whatever you already use.
AI tools. Liene lists free AI background removal, AI Image-to-Image, and AI Stylization as available now, with Text-to-Image on the roadmap. StixCut has no AI features at all. If generating or restyling sticker art directly in the printer app is useful to you, that's a capability StixCut doesn't offer.
Local and cloud project saving. Liene now lists both local and cloud project saving as available in Liene Photo PC. That closes an earlier gap where this article described Liene Photo as cloud-only for project storage.
Where StixCut wins
Cut path control. Liene lists Cut Paths as a roadmap item. StixCut supports them now: fully editable cut paths per sticker, node editing, Bezier handles, SVG import, multiple cut paths on one sticker, and per-sticker margin offsets. For anyone whose sticker designs have complex shapes or need precise die-cut alignment, this remains the biggest difference today.
Custom templates. Liene Photo includes a useful set of built-in templates, but those are the formats Liene provides. StixCut lets you save your own .stixtpl templates with sheet layout, backgrounds, cut settings, and locked cutlines preserved while artwork is replaced with placeholders. That makes repeatable formats like card skins, phone skins, labels, and branded sheets shareable.
Perf-cut and peel tabs. Liene lists Peel Tabs as a roadmap item. StixCut's perf-cut mode with peel tabs is available now, opening up tear-out shapes, sticker books, and perforated sheets. If you want stickers that tear out cleanly rather than peel, this is still a StixCut advantage today.
Local library, no limits. Liene now lists local project saving as available. StixCut's library model is still different: your sticker library is a local folder on disk, browsable directly, with no cloud library workflow or item limit imposed by StixCut.
Multiple printer support. StixCut can queue jobs across multiple PixCut S1 units and auto-route to the next free printer. For production environments running more than one machine, this is a meaningful workflow improvement that Liene Photo doesn't offer.
Material profiles. Liene Photo only supports Liene's own paper. StixCut lets you define custom materials with custom blade pressure settings, and ships with an Oracal 651 vinyl preset. If you're cutting materials other than Liene sticker sheets, StixCut is the practical choice.
Auto-pack. StixCut fills a sheet from your library automatically using a bin-packing algorithm. Liene Photo has no equivalent. For bulk printing sessions - running through a library of 50+ sticker designs - auto-pack saves meaningful time.
No account, no internet dependency. StixCut requires no account or login for local use. It also does not depend on cloud services for library browsing, layout, tracing, printing, or cutting. For production environments with strict network policies, offline workflows, or users who simply don't want another app-linked account, this matters.
Which one is right for you
Use Liene Photo if you want the official Liene-maintained app, you print from your phone or tablet, you're starting out and want built-in art and starter templates to work from, you want text and shape editing tools inside the printing app, or AI-assisted image creation is part of your workflow.
Use StixCut if you work on macOS or Windows with your own artwork, you need precise cut path control or SVG cut paths today, you want reusable templates, you want perf-cut or peel tab support today, you're cutting materials other than Liene paper, you're running a higher-volume operation and want auto-pack and multi-printer support, or you want an app that works completely offline without an account.