# Cross Stitch vs iStitcher

The clearest difference is ads: iStitcher at none against Cross Stitch's shown. iStitcher also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 17%) and rating (4.0 vs 3.7). Cross Stitch's advantage is ratings volume (95 vs 20). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cross Stitch sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days and iStitcher sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

iStitcher holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 95 and 20 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Cross Stitch's written reviews are positive against 50% of iStitcher's.

Cross Stitch ships an update every 5 weeks, iStitcher every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cross Stitch | iStitcher |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (95 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-stitch-embroidery-maker/id1353303895/reviews) | **[4.0 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istitcher/id6747566504/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **95** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | 17.3% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 94 MB | 93 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peaky Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/1715783196) | [Karamanets Oleksandr](https://appshunter.io/developer/1713515588) |

## 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 (10)**

| 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 - 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


### iStitcher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istitcher/id6747566504)

Design, organize, and create knitting and crochet patterns with customizable grids and stitch symbols. Manage all your project details, photos, and notes in one place. Includes helpful calculators and templates to simplify pattern planning.

**Highlights:** Colorwork chart design, Symbol chart creation, Free form chart editor, Project organization, Built-in templates, Knitting and crochet calculators, Row counter

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Annually | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cross Stitch free?

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

### Is iStitcher free?

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

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

iStitcher is rated higher. Cross Stitch averages 3.7 out of 5 from 95 ratings, while iStitcher averages 4.0 from 20 ratings.

### Do Cross Stitch or iStitcher have ads?

Cross Stitch shows ads; iStitcher does not.

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

Cross Stitch ships an update every 5 weeks, and iStitcher every 2 weeks. Most recently, Cross Stitch was updated on November 6, 2026 and iStitcher on November 5, 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.*