Comparison

Pattern Bliss Lite vs Exsto

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

Head to head
About

Pattern Bliss Lite

Features
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Pattern Bliss Lite is a unique graphic design tool that generates limitless seamlessly tiling abstract patterns. Create background patterns for brochures, designs for coloring books, custom wrapping paper, and even wrap frames around your own photos. Want instant results? Simply tap the Randomize button to instantly create new beautiful designs. Want to sculpt and play? Adjust those sliders to gently change the patterns to suit your needs: Simple to ornate, Boxy to swirly... it offers limitless possibilities and beauty. These flowing abstract patterns can be simple or complex, colored or Black-and-White lines, single panel or seamlessly repeating. There are so many things you can create with them... here are just a few ideas: * Make unique patterns for brainstorming new artwork ideas. * Make backdrops and add your own artwork over them. * Use the patterns as templates for gilding, electro-plating, silk-screening, or 3D printing. * Generate ornate "Picture Frames" to lay over your own image/photo. * Make seamless tile artwork assets for wall or floor textures in your computer games. * Create abstract artwork for coloring book pages. * Create a variety of striking slide backdrops for presentations. Here are some features that put Pattern Bliss Lite at the top of the list as an outstanding abstract pattern generator. * Quickly create thousands of wildly unique royalty-free patterns. * Share your patterns quickly via e-mail or social media. * Easily export the images as PNG or JPG, in sizes ranging from 100x100 up to 600x600 pixels for high resolution publication in your own books, newsletters, social media/blog, or classroom handouts. (Full version goes up to 4000x4000) * Open a "hole" in a pattern to turn it into an ornate border to add over your photos or artwork. * "Bookmark" up to 2 of your favorite patterns for immediately popping back to any time. (Full version goes up to 50, of course.) * Shake your iPhone or iPad to get a new pattern (feature not available on the Macintosh, it is not meant to be shaken!) * Supports Dark Mode and Full-Screen mode. * Work without a net... You can run Pattern Bliss anywhere... you never need an internet connection to create and export patterns. * Includes a comprehensive User Guide that contains over 20 pages of tutorials and tips and describes every option, getting you up-to-speed right away. Advanced features are explained, helping you create high-quality fun patterns.

About

Exsto

Create unique digital masterpieces with ease on your Apple devices. This app offers a serene artistic journey, turning art creation into a de-stressing pass-time. Witness the spontaneous creation of organic shapes and get inspired.

Highlights
  • Serene artistic journey
  • Spontaneous art creation
  • Interactive Home Screen widget
  • Apple Pencil integration
  • High-quality export options (PNG, JPEG, TIFF, SVG)
  • Native Apple platform application
Features
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Exsto is an experimental drawing and concept-sketching tool built for artists. Explore characters, creatures, environments, compositions, and unexpected forms with expressive strokes, mirror drawing, symmetry, and three-point perspective. Exsto is designed for the beginning of the creative process—the fast, loose stage where you test shapes, develop variations, and follow unexpected directions. Natural variation in every movement becomes part of the result, helping you find forms you might never have planned. DRAW IN PERSPECTIVE Position three vanishing points, select a ground or wall plane, and draw directly onto it. Exsto maps your strokes and their expressive variation into the selected plane, while an adaptive grid helps you understand the space as you pan and zoom. EXPLORE WITH MIRROR AND SYMMETRY Mirror your strokes in real time around an adjustable axis. Use symmetry to develop balanced characters, creatures, props, vehicles, architecture, and unexpected abstract forms. EXPLORE SHAPE AND FORM Exsto’s organic stroke behaviour responds to subtle variations in your movement. Work loosely, push shapes in different directions, and develop the strongest results further. MADE FOR APPLE PENCIL On iPad, Exsto responds to Apple Pencil pressure, tilt, speed, and movement. Subtle variations in your input influence each stroke, giving you direct control without removing the unexpected qualities that make exploration productive. WORK ACROSS IPAD, IPHONE, AND MAC Every Exsto canvas is an editable document. Save your work in iCloud Drive or your preferred Files-compatible cloud service, begin a concept with Apple Pencil on iPad, continue working on Mac, and keep ideas close on iPhone. You can also share the original Exsto document without flattening your artwork. Built natively for Apple platforms using Metal and SwiftUI, Exsto delivers fluid, responsive drawing across your devices. CONTINUE CREATING FROM THE HOME SCREEN The interactive Creation of the Day widget lets you add strokes directly from your Home Screen. Build an image gradually throughout the day and return to Exsto when an idea begins to take shape. MOVE IDEAS INTO YOUR WORKFLOW Export your work as PNG, JPEG, TIFF, or SVG. Continue developing your concepts in another art tool, share exported artwork with collaborators, include it in a presentation, or use it as the foundation for a finished piece. EXSTO UNLIMITED Try Exsto’s drawing experience in the free Playground. Exsto Unlimited unlocks the ability to create, edit, save, and share multiple Exsto canvas documents, along with high-resolution PNG, JPEG, TIFF, and SVG exports. Choose a recurring subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase. Both options unlock the same Exsto Unlimited features. Subscription access continues while your subscription is active. The lifetime purchase is a single payment and includes all future updates. The app and all in-app purchases are licensed under the standard Apple terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Pattern Bliss Lite4 screens
Exsto4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pattern Bliss Lite at none against Exsto's 4. Pattern Bliss Lite also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.3). Exsto's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 22 months). On price, ads and device support 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. Exsto sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Pattern Bliss Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pattern Bliss Lite ships an update every 22 months, Exsto monthly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Pattern Bliss Lite versus Exsto: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPattern Bliss LiteExsto
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.5 (28 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—88.9% of reviews
Number of ratings—28 — better
Update frequencyEvery 22 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS12.0 — better26.3
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEduard SchwanNil Coalescing Limited

In-app purchases

None

Pattern Bliss Lite

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Exsto

Subscriptions3
  • Unlimited Weekly3 Days trial$1.997 Days
  • Unlimited Monthly3 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Unlimited Yearly$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Unlimited$44.99

Questions

Is Pattern Bliss Lite free?
Pattern Bliss Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Exsto free?
Exsto is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pattern Bliss Lite or Exsto have ads?
Neither Pattern Bliss Lite nor Exsto shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pattern Bliss Lite or Exsto?
Pattern Bliss Lite ships an update every 22 months, and Exsto monthly. Most recently, Pattern Bliss Lite was updated on November 3, 2026 and Exsto on November 3, 2026.

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