# Markup R vs CrossStitch

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Markup R at 66% against CrossStitch's 0%. Markup R also leads on price (Free vs $7.99) and rating (4.7 vs 1.0). CrossStitch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Markup R is free to download; CrossStitch costs $7.99 up front. Markup R sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. CrossStitch asks for nothing beyond the download.

Markup R holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Markup R has 3.1K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Markup R's written reviews are positive against 0% of CrossStitch's.

Markup R ships an update every 4 weeks, CrossStitch every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Markup R | CrossStitch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $7.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markup-r-xp/id1559524491/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossstitch-viewer/id6786935191/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.1K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **65.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 364 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kewin Lawson Smith Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503192202) | [久燕 王](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896551289) |

## What reviewers say

### Markup R

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

Digitize your cross stitch patterns from PDFs, books, or magazines. Zoom, highlight, and mark off stitches to easily track your progress. Supports various stitching methods and thread palettes.

**Highlights:** Digitize PDF, paper, book, and magazine patterns, Zoom and highlight symbols, Mark off stitches as you go, Full chart mode for multi-page patterns, Track parking, backstitch, and fractional stitches, Progress tracking and goal setting, Supports multiple thread palettes

**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


### CrossStitch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crossstitch-viewer/id6786935191)

This app helps cross stitch enthusiasts track their progress on patterns. Import charts, mark stitched areas with an overlay, and save your progress to pick up exactly where you left off. It's designed for offline use with no account or subscription required.

**Highlights:** Import cross stitch pattern files, Zoom and pan charts, Mark stitched areas with highlight overlay, Track project progress and notes, Offline-first workflow, No account required

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Markup R free?

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

### Is CrossStitch free?

CrossStitch costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Markup R is rated higher. Markup R averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.1K ratings, while CrossStitch averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Markup R or CrossStitch have ads?

Markup R shows ads; CrossStitch does not.

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

Markup R ships an update every 4 weeks, and CrossStitch every 2 months. Most recently, Markup R was updated on November 11, 2026 and CrossStitch on November 5, 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.*