# swatchbook vs Patchwork Explorer

The clearest difference is update cadence: swatchbook at every 2 months against Patchwork Explorer's every 6 months. Patchwork Explorer's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

swatchbook ships an update every 2 months, Patchwork Explorer every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | swatchbook | Patchwork Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swatchbook/id1289003065/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **12** | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 85 MB | 331 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [swatchbook Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1289003064) | [Lumiscaphe](https://appshunter.io/developer/595372525) |

## What reviewers say

### swatchbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swatchbook/id1289003065)

This app provides a cloud platform for sourcing, developing, and sharing digital materials. It allows users to search, filter, and request physical samples, interact with materials in 2D and 3D, and create shareable collections for design projects.

**Highlights:** Source and request physical material samples, Develop materials with 2D and 3D display options, Create and share material collections, Search and filter digital materials, Patent-pending 1:1 material display

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Patchwork Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patchwork-explorer/id1470044818)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is swatchbook free?

swatchbook is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Patchwork Explorer free?

Patchwork Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do swatchbook or Patchwork Explorer have ads?

Neither swatchbook nor Patchwork Explorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, swatchbook or Patchwork Explorer?

swatchbook ships an update every 2 months, and Patchwork Explorer every 6 months. Most recently, swatchbook was updated on September 20, 2026 and Patchwork Explorer on October 6, 2026.

---

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