# StitchPal vs Markup R

The clearest difference is monetization model: StitchPal at free against Markup R's free with in-app purchases. StitchPal also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). Markup R's advantage is ratings volume (3.1K vs 18). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. StitchPal sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Markup R sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for StitchPal against 4.7 for Markup R. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Markup R has 3.1K ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of StitchPal's written reviews are positive against 66% of Markup R's.

StitchPal ships an update every 3 weeks, Markup R monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StitchPal | Markup R |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stitchpal/id1550536005/reviews) | **[4.7 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markup-r-xp/id1559524491/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 18 | **3.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **71.4% of reviews** | 66.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 63 MB | 318 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mark Davis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1499759461) | [Kewin Lawson Smith Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503192202) |

## What reviewers say

### StitchPal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stitchpal/id1550536005)

This app helps cross-stitchers manage their projects. Users can add patterns, track progress with photos, and share their work with friends. It aims to make the crafting experience more enjoyable and organized.

**Highlights:** Add cross-stitch patterns, Track project progress, Take progress photos, Share projects with friends, Easy-to-use interface

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove banner ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| StitchPal Premium | $2.99 | one-time |


### Markup R

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markup-r-xp/id1559524491)

This app allows users to mark up any stitch chart from any designer. It can automatically detect grids, symbols, and colors from PDFs or photos, and even stitch together multi-page charts. Users can track progress, identify stitch counts, and utilize built-in shade cards for thread colors.

**Highlights:** Load any chart from any designer, Automatic grid, symbol, and color detection, Stitch multi-page charts together, Automatic symbol and thread color detection, Built-in shade cards (DMC, Anchor, Madeira), Track progress and statistics, Customizable markup tools

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Access | $19.99 | per year |
| Markup R-XP Full | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 🚀 Speeds up stitching process
- 💡 Helpful features like highlighting symbols and tracking progress
- 🤝 Excellent customer support and responsiveness
- 🎨 Customizable to user preferences

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with grid alignment and symbol recognition
- 💰 Yearly subscription cost may be high for some users
- 🔍 Steep learning curve for some features
- 🔌 Battery drain concerns with extended use

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes when marking up certain patterns
- Inconsistent symbol highlighting and placement
- Difficulty loading and aligning some scanned patterns

**Requested features**

- Ability to track floss stash and needed supplies
- Syncing across multiple devices
- Improved support for password-protected PDFs
- Font size controls for rulers and labels
- Rotation/flipping options for patterns


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StitchPal free?

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

### Is Markup R free?

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

### Which has better reviews, StitchPal or Markup R?

Markup R is rated higher. StitchPal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Markup R averages 4.7 from 3.1K ratings.

### Do StitchPal or Markup R have ads?

Neither StitchPal nor Markup R shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, StitchPal or Markup R?

StitchPal ships an update every 3 weeks, and Markup R monthly. Most recently, StitchPal was updated on October 24, 2026 and Markup R on October 30, 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.*