Comparison

XStitch Plus vs Needleply

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

XStitch Plus

Manage your cross stitch projects and supplies with this comprehensive app. Track projects from start to finish, inventory threads and materials, and calculate fabric needs. Sync data across devices and share progress easily.

Highlights
  • Project Journal tracking
  • Stash inventory (threads, charts, linens)
  • Fabric calculator
  • Shopping list
  • Cloud data synchronization
  • Multi-device access
Features
Read full description

X-Stitch Plus is the best way to inventory and track all your cross stitch stash. This easy-to-use app was designed by cross stitchers for cross stitchers. Track all your projects from wish list to finished using the Journal feature. Load up to 5 photos per project. Use the inventory to track all your threads, charts, linens and embellishments. Tens of thousands of threads are pre-loaded so you don't have to type in details. Mill Hill beads are also pre-loaded so you can quickly add them to your inventory. Keep multiple photos for your charts and embellishments. Use the fabric calculator to easily determine fabric dimensions in inches and centimeters. The shopping cart helps ensure you remember exactly what you need when you're at the shop. And of course, these modules are interlinked so you can quickly share info between them, e.g., quickly create a Journal entry from one of your charts. Want to share? X-Stitch Plus supports sharing via Facebook, Twitter, E-Mail, Text and more. Another key benefit of X-Stitch Plus is all your data is stored in the cloud. View and update your data from any of your devices and they're all in sync. You can even access data from the original X-Stitch app. No need to reenter data. Check out the best cross stitch inventory app today with a 7-day free trial! Subscription Information Terms of Use: https://xstitchapp.com/?page_id=69 Privacy Policy: https://xstitchapp.com/?page_id=10 We offer one subscription: XStitch Plus Annual Subscription Subscription cost is $9.99 per year. It’s possible this will be shown in your local currency. Subscription provides full access to all app features with no restrictions. App features include Journal tracking with up to 5 photos per Journal item Inventory tracking for charts, threads, linens and embellishments Includes up to 5 photos per chart and 5 photos per embellishment Fabric calculator Shopping list Cloud storage Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Cost is $9.99 per year. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user’s iTunes Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of the free trial period will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription.

About

Needleply

Browse, search, and organize embroidery materials like threads, beads, and fabrics. Find color matches across different brands and export your selections for inventory tracking or printable tables.

Highlights
  • Thread, bead, and fabric palettes
  • Search materials reference
  • Find close color matches
  • Export to Needlentory
  • Create printable PDF tables
  • Organize embroidery materials
Features
Read full description

Embroidery material palettes reference. The app contains material palettes — threads, beads, and fabrics — from many well-known manufacturers. It is designed for convenient browsing, searching, selecting, and organizing materials for embroidery projects. You can search materials across the entire reference, as well as find close color matches, even when they belong to different palettes or manufacturers. This helps you choose harmonious combinations and find alternatives to specific colors. Selected palettes can be exported directly to Needlentory, a separate app created specifically for material tracking, including inventory management, shopping lists, and project planning. For those who prefer manual tracking, the app allows you to create and export clear PDF tables that are convenient for printing and storing on paper. If you are missing a specific palette or manufacturer, you can contact us by email. We regularly expand the available palettes. Key features: • Thread, bead, and fabric palettes from popular manufacturers • Search across the entire materials reference • Find close color matches across different palettes • Export palettes to Needlentory for material tracking • Export palettes to StitchHub for pattern creation and progress tracking • Create and export printable PDF tables • Simple browsing and selection of materials for projects Disclaimer. This app is not affiliated with or endorsed by any manufacturers. Color accuracy notice. Colors shown in the app are approximate and may differ from actual shades. Always refer to official physical color charts from manufacturers.

Screenshots

XStitch Plus1 screens
Needleply4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Needleply at free with in-app purchases against XStitch Plus's subscription. Needleply also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 weeks). XStitch Plus's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. XStitch Plus sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year and Needleply sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

XStitch Plus holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: XStitch Plus has 1K ratings behind it against 41, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of XStitch Plus's written reviews are positive against 82% of Needleply's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

XStitch Plus ships an update every 6 weeks, Needleply every 9 days. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
XStitch Plus versus Needleply: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterXStitch PlusNeedleply
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1K ratings) — better4.4 (41 ratings)
Positive reviews79.6% of reviews82.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1K — better41
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB232 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPerformTec Ltd.Diana Białogrzywa

Customer experience

XStitch Plus

All ratings1,021 ratings
Positive95.3%
Neutral1.7%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews93 reviews
Positive79.6%
Neutral6.5%
Negative14.0%

Needleply

All ratings41 ratings
Positive85.4%
Neutral7.3%
Negative7.3%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive82.4%
Neutral5.9%
Negative11.8%

Bugs and requests

XStitch Plus

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inventory data disappearing after subscription renewal
  • Login/access problems after updates
  • Inability to add certain thread types/brands

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add ability to mark projects as completed
  • Integrate shopping list with inventory
  • Allow custom designer/fabric entries
  • Improve search and data entry workflows
  • Provide more project tracking capabilities

Needleply

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

XStitch Plus

Subscriptions1
  • Annual Subscription$9.991 Year
7 purchases

Needleply

One-time7
  • Threads$0.99
  • Premium for 1 month$0.99
  • Premium for 6 months$4.99
Show 4 more
  • Premium for 1 year$9.99
  • Canvas$12.99
  • Premium Lifetime$29.99
  • Kit$49.99

Questions

Is XStitch Plus free?
XStitch Plus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Needleply free?
Needleply is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, XStitch Plus or Needleply?
XStitch Plus is rated higher. XStitch Plus averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while Needleply averages 4.4 from 41 ratings.
Do XStitch Plus or Needleply have ads?
Needleply shows ads; XStitch Plus does not.
Which is updated more often, XStitch Plus or Needleply?
XStitch Plus ships an update every 6 weeks, and Needleply every 9 days. Most recently, XStitch Plus was updated on November 3, 2026 and Needleply on November 3, 2026.

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