# Cross Stitch vs PatternMate

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PatternMate at 100% against Cross Stitch's 17%. PatternMate also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.7) and ads (none vs shown). Cross Stitch's advantage is ratings volume (93 vs 6) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cross Stitch sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days and PatternMate sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PatternMate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cross Stitch has 93 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Cross Stitch's written reviews are positive against 100% of PatternMate's.

Cross Stitch ships an update every 5 weeks, PatternMate every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cross Stitch | PatternMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-stitch-embroidery-maker/id1353303895/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patternmate/id6464105499/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **93** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 17.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 93 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peaky Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/1715783196) | [Daniel Nitsikopoulos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1486749199) |

## What reviewers say

### Cross Stitch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-stitch-embroidery-maker/id1353303895)

Transform any image into a cross stitch pattern, customize it with various settings, and track your progress. This app also includes tools to convert floss colors and calculate thread quantities, making your embroidery hobby more convenient.

**Highlights:** Create patterns from photos, Edit pattern colors and pixel size, Adjustable grid and color highlighting, Progress tracking highlighter, Floss color converter, Floss quantity calculator, Save patterns as PDF

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cross-stitch: Creative artwork | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| PREMIUM PACK - 1 Month Sale | $9.99 | per month |
| PREMIUM PACK - 6 Months | $17.99 | per 6 months |
| PREMIUM PACK - 2 Months | $19.99 | per 2 months |
| PREMIUM Pack - 1 Month | $19.99 | per month |
| 2 Month Subscription | $23.99 | per 2 months |
| Cross-Stitch: VIP subscription | $29.99 | per 6 months |
| Cross-stitch: Creative artwork | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| Embroidery: own patterns | $29.99 | per year |
| Mega Pack | $6.99 | one-time |
| Full Pack | $26.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Converts photos to cross stitch patterns easily
- 👍 User-friendly interface and intuitive design
- 🧵 Provides DMC thread color references and codes
- 📊 Allows customization of thread manufacturers and Aida sizes
- ✅ Helpful for tracking progress with stitch marking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Aggressive paywall with limited free functionality
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 📉 Progress data frequently lost or reset
- 🖨️ Print functionality broken - patterns misaligned and incomplete
- ⚠️ No clear trial period - requires payment upfront

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when loading or processing patterns
- Progress marks disappear when app reopens
- Print grid misaligned with pattern symbols
- Pattern symbols not visible on dark colored stitches
- App freezes during pattern generation

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize canvas/pattern size
- Support for additional thread manufacturers (Olympus, Cosmo)
- Higher Aida count options (26, 32)
- Pattern editing capabilities
- Ability to create multiple projects simultaneously


### PatternMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patternmate/id6464105499)

Manage your sewing pattern collection with custom tags, photos, and notes. Track your progress on ongoing projects and easily reference your inventory while shopping for fabric.

**Highlights:** Organize patterns with tags, photos, and notes, Reference collection while fabric shopping, Track sewing project progress, Add notes to ongoing projects, Customizable tagging system

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Super PatternMate Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Super PatternMate Yearly | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cross Stitch free?

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

### Is PatternMate free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cross Stitch or PatternMate?

PatternMate is rated higher. Cross Stitch averages 3.7 out of 5 from 93 ratings, while PatternMate averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Cross Stitch or PatternMate have ads?

Cross Stitch shows ads; PatternMate does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cross Stitch or PatternMate?

Cross Stitch ships an update every 5 weeks, and PatternMate every 6 weeks. Most recently, Cross Stitch was updated on September 9, 2026 and PatternMate on September 16, 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.*