# Cross vs Dots Painter

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Dots Painter at none against Cross's 12. Dots Painter also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Cross's advantage is ratings volume (12K vs 1) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cross sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Dots Painter asks for nothing beyond the download.

Dots Painter holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cross has 12K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Cross ships an update monthly, Dots Painter every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cross | Dots Painter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-stitch-coloring-book/id1499339385/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dots-painter/id6444619271/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **12K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 45.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 255 MB | 159 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PLAYCUS LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451803459) | [Volodymyr Delinskyi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1472993251) |

## What reviewers say

### Cross

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cross-stitch-coloring-book/id1499339385)

Color your stress away with a vast collection of free cross-stitch patterns. Transform your own photos into unique embroidery art or explore daily updated designs. Enjoy a calming and creative experience with user-friendly gameplay and share your masterpieces easily.

**Highlights:** Wide range of free patterns, Import personal pictures, Daily updated designs, Festive-themed patterns, User-friendly gameplay, Social sharing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP Weekly Special Offer | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| VIP Weekly Subscription | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| VIP Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| VIP Yearly Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| Exclusive Content | $1.99 | one-time |
| No ADS | $4.99 | one-time |
| Boosters Pack 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Boosters Pack 4 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Boosters pack 5 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Boosters pack | $10.99 | one-time |
| Boosters Pack 2 | $12.99 | one-time |
| Boosters pack 1 | $17.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Relaxing and enjoyable gameplay
- 💻 Ability to import own photos
- 🎶 Soothing music

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Excessive advertisements
- 🤖 Glitchy controls and screen movement
- 🔄 Inability to delete completed projects

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes frequently
- Imported photos appear distorted
- Daily pictures show as already completed

**Requested features**

- More frequent addition of new pictures
- Better organization of completed projects
- Option to disable automatic zoom


### Dots Painter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dots-painter/id6444619271)

Uncover hidden images by matching colored cells to complete unpainted objects. Enjoy a relaxing, no-pressure experience with bonus cells to aid your progress. Discover a variety of shapes and color palettes across numerous levels.

**Highlights:** Match identical cells, Complete hidden shapes, No time limits, Bonus cells for assistance, Variety of object shapes, Multiple color palettes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cross free?

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

### Is Dots Painter free?

Dots Painter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Cross or Dots Painter?

Dots Painter is rated higher. Cross averages 4.6 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Dots Painter averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Cross or Dots Painter have ads?

Both Cross and Dots Painter show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cross or Dots Painter?

Cross ships an update monthly, and Dots Painter every 5 months. Most recently, Cross was updated on November 1, 2026 and Dots Painter on October 8, 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.*