Comparison

Stitchly vs BeadPainter

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

Head to head
About

Stitchly

Easily create custom cross-stitch patterns from photos or by drawing your own designs. Supports various stitch types and thread colors, with options to export as printable PDFs and track your progress. Perfect for both beginners and experienced crafters.

Highlights
  • Create patterns from photos
  • Draw custom designs
  • Supports DMC and Anchor threads
  • Includes advanced stitches
  • Export as printable PDF
  • Track stitching progress
Features
Read full description

Stitchly is the best cross stitch pattern maker app on iPhone and iPad. Easily create your own cross stitch patterns with this simple yet powerful app. • Perfect for beginners and professionals • Convert your photos or draw your own designs • Use DMC and Anchor thread, plus lots more • Use 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, backstitches, and French knots • 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 stitching, simply press play. You can view your pattern in the app, highlight symbols, and mark stitches as completed using the progress tracker. JOIN THOUSANDS OF HAPPY CUSTOMERS... "I can’t overstate my love for Stitchly. Every time I don’t see it on a top 10 softwares for cross stitch I’m shook. I‘ve been making and selling patterns for 5 years and have tried 3 other programs but Stitchly’s aesthetics, simplicity, and constant feature updates make it my number one favorite of all time." - By Nic806 on the App Store "This app is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I had been eyeing a few desktop apps but this app provides all the features I need in a cheaper, convenient, portable app- even better! I love how easy it is to make patterns and export them, even including the number of skeins needed in the export is so helpful." - By reydiant on the App Store "The best app for anyone that likes cross stitch. I’ve saved so much money on buying patterns and it’s also so much fun to be able to design my own. Love it. I never spend money on apps but this one was definitely worth it." - By TJ_172940 on the App Store BECOME AN AMAZING DESIGNER Our mission is to make it easier and more fun to create your own cross stitch designs. Why? Because being creative makes you happier and healthier. AS FEATURED BY APPLE Stitchly has been featured as App of the Day on the App Store. We are incredibly proud of this milestone and wish to thank all our wonderful customers for their continued support. 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. Can I use Stitchly for needlepoint? Yes. Many of our customers use the Stitchly app to create both cross stitch and needlepoint patterns. When using the app for needlepoint, just treat each square as one canvas intersection. Is Stitchly an alternative to Stitch Fiddle? Yes. Stitchly is an app, whereas Stitch Fiddle is an online platform. Stitchly is not affiliated with Stitch Fiddle. 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 Stitchly now on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. The full version is a one-time purchase. Find out more at stitchly.com Stitchly® is a registered trademark of Subtlabs Ltd

About

BeadPainter

Features
Read full description

BeadPainter is your creative studio for seed bead jewelry—from making your first peyote ring to creating professional patterns you can share or sell. Design beadwork on an interactive canvas, manage your bead inventory, and preview every edit in live 3D. Create with real images of MIYUKI Delica beads, turn images into patterns, and follow guided weaving instructions to bring your designs to life. DESIGN YOUR NEXT PIECE • Create rings, earrings, bracelets, pendants, and custom patterns • Design with peyote, brick, and loom stitch layouts • Choose cylinder or rounded beads • Adjust bead proportions for seed beads, tube beads, and larger rounded beads DRAW, EDIT, AND EXPERIMENT • Draw naturally with full Apple Pencil support • Use pencil, eraser, fill, and eyedropper tools • Move, duplicate, repeat, or edit selected areas • Turn selections into reusable stamps • Trace reference images with pinning, layers, and opacity controls • Move and zoom the canvas, or rotate it in 90-degree steps • Display row numbers and symbols for easier pattern reading • Add, remove, or shift rows and columns • Rename, duplicate, and save versions of your patterns FIND THE RIGHT BEADS • Browse MIYUKI Delica catalogs in sizes 8/0, 10/0, 11/0, and 15/0 • Design with 1,200+ real bead images • Search by bead number or hue • Find the closest Delica matches to your custom colors • Preview glossy, matte, metallic, and sparkle finishes SEE YOUR DESIGN IN LIVE 3D • Watch every edit update instantly in 3D • Preview flat beadwork and cylindrical designs • Edit in 2D and view in 3D side by side on iPad • Explore bead shapes, sizes, colors, and finishes before you start weaving MAKE IT, ONE BEAD AT A TIME • Prepare with material checklists • Learn with step-by-step stitch tutorials • Follow adaptive, row-by-row guidance for your own patterns • Mark your last bead and pick up where you left off • Track your progress as you weave EXPORT, PRINT, AND SHARE YOUR PATTERNS • Create professional PDFs with pattern charts, material lists, bead counts, and flow charts • Add your logo, author details, copyright, and license text • Choose portrait or landscape PDF layouts • Share editable BeadPainter files START FREE Create from day one with ready-made jewelry templates, core drawing tools, and live 3D previews. Design loom bracelets, fringe earrings, and peyote rings with the free essentials. HOBBY PLAN Make with confidence using step-by-step tutorials, adaptive weaving guidance, progress tracking, and unlimited projects. PRO PLAN Build your pattern collection with advanced editing tools, image-to-pattern conversion, bead shape controls, and premium matte, metallic, and sparkle finishes. Export branded PDFs and get commercial use rights to share or sell your patterns. Whether you’re planning a handmade gift, learning a new stitch, or designing your next pattern collection, BeadPainter helps you move from first idea to finished jewelry. Download BeadPainter and bring your next beadwork idea to life. Terms of Service: https://beadpainter.nl/terms Privacy Policy: https://beadpainter.nl/privacy EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Stitchly4 screens
BeadPainter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Stitchly at 15.0 against BeadPainter's 17.1. On price, update cadence, 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. Stitchly sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and BeadPainter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stitchly ships an update fortnightly, BeadPainter every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Stitchly versus BeadPainter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStitchlyBeadPainter
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.3K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews79.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.3K — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.1
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB65 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperSubtlabsAlexandra Duzhinskaya

Bugs and requests

Stitchly

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when importing certain patterns
  • Issues with grid and stitch alignment
  • Inconsistent behavior when using undo/redo

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for more thread brands and colors
  • Implement layering and grouping functionality
  • Allow resizing and repositioning of the entire pattern
  • Improve PDF export options and customization
  • Add progress tracking and marking completed stitches

BeadPainter

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Stitchly

One-time2
  • Special Offer$39.99
  • Full Version$75.00
2 purchases

BeadPainter

Subscriptions2
  • Hobby$9.991 Month
  • Pro$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Stitchly free?
Stitchly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is BeadPainter free?
BeadPainter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Stitchly or BeadPainter have ads?
Neither Stitchly nor BeadPainter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Stitchly or BeadPainter?
Stitchly ships an update fortnightly, and BeadPainter every 3 weeks. Most recently, Stitchly was updated on October 29, 2026 and BeadPainter on October 30, 2026.

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