StitchBuddy HD vs Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
StitchBuddy HD
Manage, edit, and preview machine embroidery designs on your mobile device. Modify designs at the stitch level, change thread colors, and sync across devices. Supports various file formats and printing options.
- Rotate, flip, move, resize designs
- Modify designs without changing stitch count
- Copy, paste, and combine designs
- Change thread colors and palettes
- 3D stitch display and zoom options
- File management with previews
- Convert between embroidery formats
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Have your machine embroidery designs always at hand, wherever you are! Enjoy beautiful previews on your iPhone and iPad, manage and modify designs down to stitch level, and stay in sync with your computer. Features: • Rotate, flip, move, resize, or delete selected parts or the entire design. • Resize selected parts or the entire design (without adjusting the stitch count). • Copy and paste to duplicate parts, or to combine different designs. • Center a design in the hoop. • Add basting stitches to fix the underlay. • Change individual thread colors, or replace the entire palette. • Select from several different manufacturer thread charts. • Reorder threads and delete color changes. • Display options incl. zooming, 3D stitch display, or stitch structure. • File management with folders and design previews. • Print detail sheets via AirPrint. • Share design files, detail sheets, or real-size templates (PDF). • Multiple levels of Undo while editing. • Convert designs to other embroidery file formats. • Synchronization between different devices via iCloud. • Supports various storage locations including USB sticks. • Open designs in other applications or share by AirDrop. Supported import formats (read): • Janome JEF, JEF+, JPX, SEW • Brother PES, PEC • Melco EXP • Bernina EXP+ (not supported by Preview / Thumbnail) • Tajima DST • Pfaff VP3, KSM, PCS, PCQ, PCD Supported export formats (write): • Janome JEF • Brother PES v1.0 (130 x 180 mm), PEC • Melco EXP • Bernina EXP+ • Tajima DST • Pfaff PCS You can test StitchBuddy HD with all functions for free (saving designs is limited to 1,000 stitches). Unlock this limitation via In-App purchase if you like StitchBuddy HD and want to support its development ... and please share your experience with others by leaving a rating or review! Additional information, FAQs and video tutorials can be found at StitchBuddy's website. NOTE: StitchBuddy HD does not digitize embroidery designs.
Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet
Transform your iPad into a professional wireless drawing tablet for demanding creative work. Enjoy customizable workspaces, gesture shortcuts, and high-speed connectivity for efficient digital art creation on Mac and PC.
- Wireless or USB connectivity
- Customizable gesture shortcuts
- Keyboard support
- Pressure curve customization
- Second display functionality
- Optimized for Apple Pencil
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Go beyond a drawing tablet with Astropad Studio. Start a free 14-day trial today! Astropad Studio is the ultimate wireless drawing tablet, designed for the most demanding creative work. With complete workspace customization, Studio allows artists to work faster and more efficiently, with the freedom to work in the studio, at home, or on-the-go. Built for creative professionals with features like: · Wifi or USB connectivity · Built in 2nd display · Crystal clear & ultra-fast · Gesture shortcut customization · Keyboard support · Customizable pressure curves · Magic Gestures: Create your own gesture shortcuts with touch-Pencil combinations · Shortcut Sets: Sidebar shortcuts automatically adapt to match whatever Mac app you’re working in · Unlimited upgrades · Works on Mac and PC $14.99 monthly or $79.99 annually ___ STREAMLINED PRODUCTIVITY · Pinch to Zoom: Pinch to zoom and pan in Mac or PC Apps · Liquid Extreme: Up to 5x faster than baseline Liquid · Wifi & USB: Use your iPad as a drawing tablet plugged in or wirelessly · Keyboard Support: Access our built-in keyboard or use your own Bluetooth keyboard · Velocity Control: Analyzes network conditions dozens of times per second to balance image quality and latency COMPLETE CUSTOMIZATION · Magic Gestures: Create your own gesture shortcuts with touch-Pencil combinations · Shortcut Sets: Sidebar shortcuts automatically adapt to match whatever Mac app you’re working in BUILT FOR CREATIVES · Apple Pencil Optimized: Designed exclusively for the precision of Apple Pencil · Color Corrected: True to your source material with color corrected output and retina resolution ___ SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS · Mac: OS X 10.14 or later · PC: Windows 10 64-bit, build 1809 or later · iPad iOS 13.1 or later: iPad Mini 4 (2015+), iPad Air (2014+), iPad Pro (2016+), iPad 5th generation (2017+) · Optimized for iPad Pro and Apple Pencil SUBSCRIPTION TERMS · $14.99 monthly or $79.99 annually · Price may vary by location. ___ Subscriptions will be charged to your credit card using your iTunes account. Your subscription will automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. ___ MORE RESOURCES Download the free desktop companion app: astropad.com/downloads FAQ: astropad.com/faq Support: support@astropad.com Twitter: @astropad Instagram: @astropadco Facebook: facebook.com/astropadco ___ Privacy Policy: http://astropad.com/studio/privacy.html Terms of Use: http://astropad.com/studio/terms.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet at 4.7 against StitchBuddy HD's 4.1. Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet also leads on ratings volume (3.8K vs 296) and iOS requirement (13 vs 17.0). StitchBuddy HD's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and review sentiment (63% vs 46%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. StitchBuddy HD sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet has 3.8K ratings behind it against 296, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of StitchBuddy HD's written reviews are positive against 46% of Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.
| Parameter | StitchBuddy HD | Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (296 ratings) | 4.7 (3.8K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 63.3% of reviews — better | 46.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 296 | 3.8K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 13 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 103 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Matthias Arndt | Astro HQ |
Customer experience
StitchBuddy HD
Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet
User reviews
StitchBuddy HD
From 296 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Great app for beginners
- 💡 Excellent storage management
- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive
- 👍 Syncs between devices
- 👍 Affordable pricing
Room to improve
- 🐛 Difficult to use
- 🐛 Doesn't work as described
- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Limited functionality
- 🐛 Cannot create designs
Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet
From 3.8K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Works great
- 🚀 Fantastic drawing experience
- 🚀 Seamless integration with desktop apps
- 👍 Customizable shortcuts and gestures
- 👍 Pressure sensitivity and cursor preview
Room to improve
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Crashes and connection issues
- 🐛 Laggy performance, especially over Wi-Fi
- 💡 Lacks dual-screen functionality
Bugs and requests
StitchBuddy HD
Reported bugs
3 issues- Cannot open certain file formats (e.g., HUS)
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Unexpected behavior when importing designs
Requested features
4 requests- Add ability to create designs from scratch
- Improve file transfer options (e.g., AirDrop)
- Enhance color editing capabilities
- Provide more comprehensive tutorials and documentation
Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet
Reported bugs
3 issues- Frequent crashes and disconnects
- Compatibility issues with certain apps
- Unresponsive or glitchy input
Requested features
3 requests- Ability to use iPad as a secondary display
- More affordable one-time purchase option
- Improved stability and performance
In-app purchases
StitchBuddy HD
- StitchBuddy Go$19.99
Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet
- Subscription14 Days trial$14.991 Month
- Subscription14 Days trial$99.991 Year
- Astropad Studio Annual14 Days trial$99.991 Year
Questions
Is StitchBuddy HD free?
Is Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet free?
Which has better reviews, StitchBuddy HD or Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet?
Do StitchBuddy HD or Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet have ads?
Which is updated more often, StitchBuddy HD or Astropad Studio Drawing Tablet?
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