Looking for a Shimeji alternative?
Shimeji is the classic desktop mascot: free, open-source anime sprites that climb your windows. If you want a modern, hand-crafted take that runs natively on both Mac and Windows, PebbletsIO is a good alternative.
Every companion is a hand-crafted 3D character that wanders your desktop, reacts to what you're doing, and dances when you play music. There is no Java to install and no image packs to wrangle. You install the app and a pet is just there.
Mac & Windows · free to download · buy pets once, keep forever
Shimeji vs PebbletsIO
| Shimeji | PebbletsIO | |
|---|---|---|
| Art style | 2D anime sprites | Hand-crafted 3D characters |
| Platforms | Windows (Mac needs community ports) | Native Mac and Windows |
| Setup | Java plus sprite packs, fiddly | Install the app and go |
| Characters | Thousands of community mods | 20+ curated originals, incl. a K-pop idol line |
| Behaviour | Climb and throw, fixed loop | Wander, react, rest, dance to music |
| Price | Free | Free app, pets bought once and kept forever |
| Privacy | Runs locally | Runs locally, never reads your screen |
To be fair to Shimeji: if you want thousands of free, community-made anime characters and love tinkering with sprite packs, Shimeji is wonderful and hard to beat. PebbletsIO is for people who want a premium, calm, hand-crafted set with nothing to set up.
The PebbletsIO cast
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Common questions
What is a desktop pet?
A desktop pet is a small animated character that lives on your computer screen, on top of your normal work. It wanders around, reacts to what you are doing, and keeps you quiet company. PebbletsIO makes hand-crafted 3D desktop pets for Mac and Windows.
Is PebbletsIO free?
The app is free to download and comes with a free pet, Waddle the duck. The other companions are one-time purchases of a few dollars each. There is no subscription and no in-app currency.
Does it work on Mac and Windows?
Yes. PebbletsIO runs on macOS and Windows. On Mac it needs Apple Silicon (M1 or later) and macOS 14 Sonoma or newer. On Windows it needs Windows 10 (21H2) or Windows 11, 64-bit, with a DirectX 12 GPU.
Do I own my pets forever?
Yes. Every pet is a one-time purchase that stays yours for good. Buy it once and keep it forever, with no renewals and no subscription.
Will a desktop pet slow down my computer?
No. The pets are built to sit quietly in the background and use very little power. They idle gently, slow down when they are off screen, and never get in the way of your work.
More on the full FAQ.