Comparison

Perlypop vs Planbead

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Perlypop

Easily create custom fuse bead patterns from photos or by drawing. Supports various bead brands and sizes, with tools to help you visualize and track your progress. Export designs as printable PDFs.

Highlights
  • Create patterns from photos
  • Draw custom designs
  • Supports Perler, Hama, Artkal, Nabbi beads
  • Midi and Mini bead sizes
  • Export as printable PDF
  • Track project progress
Features
Read full description

Perlypop is the best fuse bead pattern maker app on iPhone and iPad. Easily create your own Perler, Hama, Artkal and Nabbi fuse bead patterns with this simple yet powerful app. • Perfect for beginners and professionals • Convert your photos or draw your own designs • Use Perler, Hama, Artkal, and Nabbi fuse beads • Choose from Midi and Mini bead sizes • Export your work as a printable PDF • Track your progress in the app • No subscriptions (pay once, enjoy forever) IT WORKS LIKE MAGIC When converting a photo, use our custom-built wizard tool to effortlessly choose the best settings for your image and see the results instantly. TRACE OVER IMAGES When drawing your own designs, you can show an image in the background. This can be super helpful as a reference to trace over. You can also show the original image after converting a photo, which makes tidying up your patterns even easier. MAKE YOUR MASTERPIECE Once your pattern is finished and you’re ready to get beading, simply press play. You can then view your pattern board-by-board, mark individual beads as completed, and track your progress. JOIN THOUSANDS OF HAPPY CUSTOMERS... "Whoever the developer is, you know exactly what bead artists need and are constantly evolving the app with new features. This is designed to be used in entry level hobbyists to the advanced pro with its versatility.I will start every project with this app from now on." - By Zomberic on the App Store "This app is the best bead app out there! It helps you all the way. From converting a picture into a pattern with the bead manufacturer and size of your choosing (I use Artkal mini), through letting you adjust picture settings, on to letting you adjust the pattern in detail, and letting you export the pattern with all the details. It even has an amazing tool for helping you actually bead the pattern, it helps with the counting, it can highlights all the bead of a specified color, and so on. I really love this app! On iPhone there’s no competition in my mind." - By BeautifulFear on the App Store "This app is fantastic!! I absolutely cannot find another perler app I love as much as this. Its so easy and simple to use but makes the most awesome patterns!" - By skttlz escobar on the App Store BECOME AN AMAZING DESIGNER Our mission is to make it easier and more fun to create your own fuse bead designs. Why? Because being creative makes you happier and healthier. FAQ Is the full version a one-time purchase? Yes. There are no subscriptions. You can create and export as many patterns as you like with the one-time purchase. Can I unlock my other devices using the same purchase? Yes. You can unlock the full version on your iPhone, iPad and Mac (M1 chip or later) with just one purchase. Can I share the purchase with my family? Yes. Family Sharing is enabled. Can I sell my patterns? Yes. You can also add your store details to your PDF exports. Do I have to buy the materials separately? Yes. The app is only for creating patterns. Where is my data stored? Your data is stored on your device. All processing is done locally on your device. Your data is never transmitted to third parties. TRY IT NOW Try Perlypop now on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. The full version is a one-time purchase. Find out more at perlypop.com Perlypop™ is a trademark of Subtlabs Ltd

About

Planbead

Design and create intricate beaded jewelry with a comprehensive set of free drawing tools. Manage your bead inventory, explore various beading stitches, and utilize a revolutionary weaving mode that guides you on-screen. Access weekly inspiration and an optional premium subscription for advanced features like 3D previews and cloud sync.

Highlights
  • Free drawing features
  • Miyuki color palette
  • Bead inventory management
  • Multiple beading stitches
  • On-screen weaving mode
  • Weekly inspiration patterns
  • 3D previews (premium)
Read full description

Welcome to PlanBead, the ultimate design studio for every beading artist! Design, weave, and create stunning beaded jewelry for free. All Drawing Features are FREE! We believe creativity shouldn't have a price tag. In PlanBead, all essential drawing features are available to everyone, completely free: Unlimited Designs: Create as many patterns as you want in your personal workspace for free. Full Miyuki Color Palette: Design with the industry-standard Miyuki Delica color library. Bead Inventory: Manage your stash of beads within the app, keep track of all your beads Loom, Pyeote & Brick: Easily switch between the most popular beading stitches to perfect your patterns. currently supporting: - Loom Bracelet - Folded Leaf Earring - R-Leaf Earring - Fringe Earring - Triangle Earring - Herringobne Earring, Bracelet - Peyote Earring, Bracelet, Ring - Brick Earring, Bracelet, Ring - more beaded jewelry Revolutionary Weaving Mode: Never print a pattern again! Our dynamic weaving mode is a game-changer. Follow Along On-Screen The app highlights your current row and beads, making it easy to keep your place. Word Chart Included Generate an instant word chart for any design, perfect for complex patterns. Eco-Friendly Beading Keep the environment healthy, one sheet of paper at a time. Ditch the printer and weave directly from your device. Inspiration Delivered Weekly Stay inspired with a constant stream of new ideas! Every week, we release beautiful, professional patterns for both free and premium users. Discover new techniques and challenge your skills. Go Premium for More! Unlock powerful features with a PlanBead subscription (auto-renewing): - Unlimited 3D previews: 1-click to convert your 2D pattern to a 3D realistic preview of you beaded jewelry - Cloud Sync: Never lose your patterns again, automatically back up and sync your entire design library across all your devices - Ad-Free Experience: Enjoy a focused, uninterrupted creative workflow - Premium Patterns: Made by professional beading artists - Image Tracing: Convert an image to a beading pattern - PDF Export: Export your patterns as a printable PDF with step by step tutorial Privacy Policy: https://www.planbead.com/privacy-policy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula Download PlanBead now and bring your beading ideas to life!

Screenshots

Perlypop4 screens
Planbead4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Perlypop at 454 against Planbead's 15. Perlypop also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Planbead's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly) and review sentiment (92% vs 78%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Perlypop sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Planbead sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Perlypop holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Perlypop has 454 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 78% of Perlypop's written reviews are positive against 92% of Planbead's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Perlypop ships an update fortnightly, Planbead every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Perlypop versus Planbead: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPerlypopPlanbead
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (454 ratings) — better4.5 (15 ratings)
Positive reviews77.9% of reviews92.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings454 — better15
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB88 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSubtlabsAlexander Monneret

Customer experience

Perlypop

All ratings450 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral1.8%
Negative4.4%
Written reviews122 reviews
Positive77.9%
Neutral4.9%
Negative17.2%

Planbead

All ratings14 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive92.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative4.0%

Bugs and requests

Perlypop

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on certain iPad models after updates
  • Issues with converting transparent images or sprites
  • Inconsistent color matching when importing images

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to order supplies directly from the app
  • Option to save and share custom palettes
  • Support for larger pattern sizes (over 10 boards)
  • Improved printing/export options
  • Integration with other design/art apps

Planbead

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Perlypop

One-time2
  • Special Offer$19.99
  • Full Version$75.00
5 purchases

Planbead

Subscriptions2
  • Gold Membership – 1 Month3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Platinum Membership – 1 Year$49.991 Year
One-time3
  • Planbead 5 Gems$0.99
  • Planbead 10 Gems$1.99
  • Planbead 50 Gems$7.99

Questions

Is Perlypop free?
Perlypop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Planbead free?
Planbead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Perlypop or Planbead?
Perlypop is rated higher. Perlypop averages 4.7 out of 5 from 454 ratings, while Planbead averages 4.5 from 15 ratings.
Do Perlypop or Planbead have ads?
Neither Perlypop nor Planbead shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Perlypop or Planbead?
Perlypop ships an update fortnightly, and Planbead every 5 days. Most recently, Perlypop was updated on November 2, 2026 and Planbead on October 30, 2026.

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