Comparison

Cross Stitch Journal vs Luca

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

Head to head
About

Cross Stitch Journal

This app helps you manage your cross stitch projects from initial idea to finished piece. Track progress, record stitching details, and visualize your accomplishments with various charts and summaries. It also includes a fabric calculator and data import functionality.

Highlights
  • Track projects from start to finish
  • Record date, time, and stitches
  • Built-in stitching timer
  • Project progress and status charts
  • Fabric size calculator
  • Data import from spreadsheet
Features
Read full description

Cross Stitch Journal is the best app for tracking your cross stitch projects from start to finish. When you find a design that you would like to stitch, create a project in the Wishlist. From there the project can be moved from the Wishlist through the Have Chart, Ready to Start, Started, and Finished stages as you collect supplies and stitch your project. The list of Finished projects can be used to documents all your stitching accomplishments. Features - Track projects from start to finish - Record date, time and stitches every time that you stitch a project - Use the built-in timer to record times when you start and stop stitching - Started project summary shows completed stitches, percentage complete, and number of remaining stitching days to completion - Project charts show project progress over time - Project status charts show percentage complete for each started project - Summary charts show projects stitched over a certain time period. - Dashboard view shows the number of projects in each stage - List projects in each stage (I think this belongs at the top of the list along with other general uses like track projects and record stitching days) - Project logs show when a project was stitched - Fabric calculator can be used to easily calculate fabric size for any fabric count - Pause projects to remove them from project lists. - Archived projects are permanently removed from project lists. - Deleted projects also remove logs for that project. - Previous data tracked using the Cross Stitch Journal spreadsheet can be imported into the app. Cross Stitch Journal can be used for free to track up to three projects. Unlocking the app will allow you to track an unlimited number of projects. Unlocking will also allow you to import data from the Cross Stitch Journal spreadsheet. Download Cross Stitch Journal and start tracking your cross stitching today.

About

Luca

Discover high-quality needlecraft kits for cross stitch and embroidery. Explore a diverse range of designs, from pillowcases to children's toys, using premium yarns and fabrics. Perfect for beginners and experienced crafters looking to create beautiful embroidered items.

Highlights
  • High-quality needlecraft kits
  • Cross stitch and embroidery designs
  • Premium 'Anchor' yarns
  • Premium 'Zweigart' fabrics
  • Kits for pillowcases, postcards, garments
  • Children's toys and Christmas ornaments
Features
Read full description

Embark on a creative journey with Luca-S Stitch Kits, your go-to app for high-quality needlecraft products. Founded in 1992, Luca-S is a renowned Moldovan company committed to delivering the finest cross stitch and embroidery kits. Discover a diverse range of kits featuring 'Anchor' yarns and 'Zweigart' fabrics, designed to inspire beginners and seasoned crafters alike. Explore our collection of embroidered items including pillowcases, postcards, and garments with ethnic flair. Perfect your craft with kits for children’s toys, Christmas ornaments, and more. Our dedication to quality, innovation, and convenience makes Luca-S a top choice for embroidery enthusiasts in over 50 countries. Join our community and transform your artistic vision into a beautiful reality with Luca-S Stitch Kits!

Screenshots

Cross Stitch Journal4 screens
Luca4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Luca at none against Cross Stitch Journal's 1. Luca also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.6). Cross Stitch Journal's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (27 vs 9). On price, rating, 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. Cross Stitch Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Luca asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Cross Stitch Journal against 4.9 for Luca. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27 and 9 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cross Stitch Journal ships an update every 3 weeks, Luca every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Cross Stitch Journal versus Luca: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCross Stitch JournalLuca
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (27 ratings)4.9 (9 ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings27 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.614.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB48 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBlitstitch Labs LLCEndoplazmik

Customer experience

Cross Stitch Journal

All ratings26 ratings
Positive96.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative8.3%

Luca

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Cross Stitch Journal

One-time1
  • Unlock Full Application$5.99
None

Luca

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cross Stitch Journal free?
Cross Stitch Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Luca free?
Luca is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Cross Stitch Journal or Luca?
Luca is rated higher. Cross Stitch Journal averages 4.8 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while Luca averages 4.9 from 9 ratings.
Do Cross Stitch Journal or Luca have ads?
Neither Cross Stitch Journal nor Luca shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cross Stitch Journal or Luca?
Cross Stitch Journal ships an update every 3 weeks, and Luca every 2 months. Most recently, Cross Stitch Journal was updated on November 3, 2026 and Luca on November 5, 2026.

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