# XStitch Plus vs Cross Stitch Journal

The clearest difference is monetization model: Cross Stitch Journal at freemium against XStitch Plus's subscription. Cross Stitch Journal also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). XStitch Plus's advantage is ratings volume (1K vs 27). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for XStitch Plus against 4.8 for Cross Stitch Journal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: XStitch Plus has 1K ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of XStitch Plus's written reviews are positive against 83% of Cross Stitch Journal's.

XStitch Plus ships an update every 2 months, Cross Stitch Journal every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | XStitch Plus | Cross Stitch Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xstitch-plus/id1281394467/reviews) | **[4.8 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-stitch-journal/id6443886471/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | 79.6% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Size | 18 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PerformTec Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/906882971) | [Blitstitch Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1650319200) |

## What reviewers say

### XStitch Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xstitch-plus/id1281394467)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Excellent organizational tool
- 📊 Helpful inventory tracking
- 🛒 Useful shopping list feature
- 📸 Ability to add photos of projects
- 🔍 Comprehensive thread/fabric database

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 No option to add custom designers
- 🔍 Difficult to search/add threads
- 🗂️ Lack of project management features
- 🔄 Inconsistent sync/login issues
- 💰 Expensive subscription model

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Cross Stitch Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-stitch-journal/id6443886471)

This app helps you manage your cross stitch projects from initial idea to finished piece. Track progress, record stitching details, and visualize your accomplishments with various charts and summaries. It also includes a fabric calculator and data import functionality.

**Highlights:** Track projects from start to finish, Record date, time, and stitches, Built-in stitching timer, Project progress and status charts, Fabric size calculator, Data import from spreadsheet

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Full Application | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is XStitch Plus free?

XStitch Plus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Cross Stitch Journal free?

Cross Stitch Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, XStitch Plus or Cross Stitch Journal?

Cross Stitch Journal is rated higher. XStitch Plus averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while Cross Stitch Journal averages 4.8 from 27 ratings.

### Do XStitch Plus or Cross Stitch Journal have ads?

Neither XStitch Plus nor Cross Stitch Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, XStitch Plus or Cross Stitch Journal?

XStitch Plus ships an update every 2 months, and Cross Stitch Journal every 3 weeks. Most recently, XStitch Plus was updated on November 11, 2026 and Cross Stitch Journal on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*