# Exactly vs Markup R

The clearest difference is rating: Markup R at 4.8 against Exactly's 2.2. Markup R also leads on review sentiment (68% vs 27%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). Exactly's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Markup R sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Exactly asks for nothing beyond the download.

Markup R holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Markup R has 3K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of Exactly's written reviews are positive against 68% of Markup R's.

Exactly ships an update every 5 months, Markup R monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Exactly | Markup R |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.2 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exactly/id315268140/reviews) | **[4.8 (3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markup-r-xp/id1559524491/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **3K** |
| Positive reviews | 26.5% of reviews | **67.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 148 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Exact Editions Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/315268143) | [Kewin Lawson Smith Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503192202) |

## What reviewers say

### Exactly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exactly/id315268140)

Access magazines and newspapers on your iPad and iPhone in their original full-color format. Enjoy interactive features like live web links and zoom capabilities. Explore free content from numerous publications or use your subscription for the latest issues.

**Highlights:** Full-color digital editions, Live web links, Zoom and swipe navigation, Thumbnail page view, Bookmark pages, Offline reading sync

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 Exactly free?

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

### Is Markup R free?

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

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

Markup R is rated higher. Exactly averages 2.2 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Markup R averages 4.8 from 3K ratings.

### Do Exactly or Markup R have ads?

Neither Exactly nor Markup R shows ads.

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

Exactly ships an update every 5 months, and Markup R monthly. Most recently, Exactly was updated on September 24, 2026 and Markup R on September 26, 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.*