Beads Buddy vs Happy Beads
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Beads Buddy
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Turn any photo into a fuse bead pattern in seconds. Beads Buddy makes bead art easy. Pick a photo, choose the bead brand you already own, and get a clean, printable pattern ready to bead. No design skills needed. Features - Photo to pattern in seconds. Import any image and every color is matched to a fitting bead in your palette. - Works with the beads you have. Supports Perler, Hama, Artkal and Nabbi, with Midi and Mini sizes. - Full control. Adjust grid size, color count and contrast until the pattern looks exactly right. - PDF export. Print a perfectly sized guide and place it under a transparent pegboard. - Every pegboard shape. Squares, circles, hearts, hexagons and stars. - Free to use. Unlimited patterns and PDF export at no cost. How to make a pattern 1. Pick a clear photo. 2. Open it in Beads Buddy. 3. Choose your grid and bead brand. 4. Adjust until it looks right. 5. Export the PDF guide, bead it, and fuse. Whether you are a beginner or a pro, making a perler, hama or artkal pattern from a photo has never been simpler.
Happy Beads
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Happy Beads is a mobile creative studio for water-activated craft beads. Choose a base board, draw motifs directly on the grid, and turn your own photos into clear bead templates. For quick projects, the app includes a broad template library: animals, comic-inspired motifs, buildings, vehicles, food, symbols, objects, and tools. Mix colors and bead shapes, switch between board sizes, and build each idea step by step. Features: - More than 20 board sizes for small charms, classic squares, large posters, and wide designs - Many bead colors including bold, bright, metallic, and translucent looks - Multiple bead styles such as round, jewel, polygon, star, metallic, and marble - Motif library with cat, dog, panda, fox, bunny, owl, turtle, dolphin, dino, castle, rocket, camera, controller, and more - Photo import as a drawing guide or as a bead-grid conversion - German and English with quick language switching - Mobile-first design with a central board and floating tool menu Happy Beads is made for creative craft ideas, family projects, template planning, and small pixel-art designs. It helps you test ideas digitally before recreating them with real beads. Note: Happy Beads is an independent creative app and is not affiliated with any craft bead manufacturer.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Happy Beads at none against Beads Buddy's shown. Happy Beads also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Beads Buddy ships an update every 5 days, Happy Beads weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Beads Buddy | Happy Beads |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days โ better | Weekly |
| Ads | Yes | No โ better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 13.0 โ better |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 64 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Pocket factory AB | Markus Stadi |
In-app purchases
Beads Buddy
No in-app purchases
Happy Beads
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Beads Buddy free?
Is Happy Beads free?
Do Beads Buddy or Happy Beads have ads?
Which is updated more often, Beads Buddy or Happy Beads?
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