# Magic Needle vs Beader

The clearest difference is price: Magic Needle at Free against Beader's $0.99. Magic Needle also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 11 months). Beader's advantage is review sentiment (93% vs 55%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On in-app purchases, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Magic Needle is free to download; Beader costs $0.99 up front. Magic Needle sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Beader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Beader holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Magic Needle has 1.1K ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Magic Needle's written reviews are positive against 93% of Beader's.

Magic Needle ships an update monthly, Beader every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Magic Needle | Beader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.4 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-needle-cross-stitch/id1323730066/reviews) | **[4.7 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beader/id1522156537/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 19 |
| Positive reviews | 54.9% of reviews | **92.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 40 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Artem Shal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1323730065) | [Viktor Gavrilov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1324295185) |

## What reviewers say

### Magic Needle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-needle-cross-stitch/id1323730066)

Transform your photos into unique cross-stitch patterns with this mobile converter. It offers tools for pattern creation, embroidery tracking, and project management, making it ideal for both beginners and experienced crafters. Create personalized gifts or enjoy your hobby with ease.

**Highlights:** Create cross-stitch patterns from photos, Adjust scheme size and color count, Select fabric and floss brands, Track embroidery progress, Export patterns to PDF, Organize and track floss inventory

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $6.99 | per month |
| Premium | $29.49 | per 6 months |
| Premium | $41.99 | per year |
| Simple pattern | $0.99 | one-time |
| Export to PDF | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium pattern | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 pattern | $2.99 | one-time |
| Advanced pattern | $2.99 | one-time |
| 3 patterns | $5.99 | one-time |
| 7 patterns | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Excellent for creating cross-stitch patterns
- 📐 Accurate grid and color matching
- 🎨 Customizable color palette
- 💻 Convenient digital tracking of stitches

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited free features, requires subscription
- 🎨 Restricted color selection
- 🔧 Lack of editing tools for patterns
- 💾 Issues with data/project loss after updates

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to upload photos
- Stitching progress markers disappear unexpectedly
- Difficulty setting desired number of colors

**Requested features**

- Add ability to edit/modify generated patterns
- Implement a PDF export option
- Improve syncing across devices
- Introduce more advanced color management tools


### Beader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beader/id1522156537)

Design intricate bead patterns with customizable dimensions, bead types, and schemes. Collaborate with others and sync your creations across devices using iCloud.

**Highlights:** Create bead schemes, Customizable dimensions, Multiple bead types, iCloud sync, Share and collaborate

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Magic Needle free?

Magic Needle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Beader free?

Beader costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Magic Needle or Beader?

Beader is rated higher. Magic Needle averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Beader averages 4.7 from 19 ratings.

### Do Magic Needle or Beader have ads?

Beader shows ads; Magic Needle does not.

### Which is updated more often, Magic Needle or Beader?

Magic Needle ships an update monthly, and Beader every 11 months. Most recently, Magic Needle was updated on October 26, 2026 and Beader on October 27, 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.*