Comparison

Purl vs Cross Stitch Craft

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

Head to head
About

Purl

Features
Read full description

Finally, a pattern tracker that doesn't lose your work. Just your patterns, always where you left them. Purl is the cozy companion for cross-stitch, knitting, and crochet makers who are tired of losing their place or losing their data. Mark your progress, organize your threads, and keep every project safely backed up — all in one calm, beautiful app. NEVER LOSE YOUR PLACE Purl scans your PDF pattern and lets you mark stitches directly on the chart. Row by row, stitch by stitch — your progress is saved automatically. Come back a week later and pick up exactly where you stopped. ONE APP, THREE CRAFTS Cross-stitch. Knitting. Crochet. Track all your projects in one place, with craft-specific tools for each. No more switching between apps. YOUR THREAD STASH, ORGANIZED Log your DMC and Anchor threads, track stock levels, and scan barcodes to add new colors instantly. Know exactly what you have — and what you need — before you start a project. REAL BACKUP, REAL PEACE OF MIND Your projects sync automatically across iPhone and iPad via iCloud. Everything is backed up to the cloud — only you can access it. Even if you lose your phone, your patterns are safe. PROGRESS PHOTOS Photograph your work as you go. Purl saves each photo with its date and completion percentage, so you can watch your project grow from first stitch to finished piece. WORKS IN 12 LANGUAGES English, Turkish, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Polish, Russian, and Japanese. WHAT YOU GET - Unlimited pattern imports (PDF) - Cross-stitch chart viewer with stitch marking - Knitting row tracker - Crochet round counter - DMC & Anchor thread inventory with barcode scanner - Progress photo timeline - iCloud sync across all your Apple devices - Full backup & restore - 12 languages Purl. Your patterns, your progress, your peace of mind. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://qubillc.com/purl/privacy

About

Cross Stitch Craft

Create custom cross-stitch patterns from photos or design your own from scratch. Track your stitching progress, manage your pattern library, and export professional PDF charts. Perfect for both beginners and experienced crafters.

Highlights
  • Photo to pattern conversion
  • Custom pattern design
  • Automatic DMC thread matching
  • Stitch progress tracking
  • PDF chart export
  • Pattern library
  • Apple Pencil support
Features
Read full description

Crossie is an all-in-one app for cross-stitch lovers: a pattern maker, chart keeper, and stitch tracker. Turn any photo into a ready-to-stitch, counted cross-stitch pattern with matched DMC thread colors, or design your own from a blank grid. Save every pattern to your own library, export polished PDF charts, and mark up and track your stitching progress from the first stitch to the last, all on your phone or iPad. Whether you're picking up a needle for the first time or you've been stitching for years, Crossie keeps it simple: pick a photo, adjust your settings, and start stitching. From Photo to Pattern • Turn any photo into a full cross-stitch chart, choosing your fabric (Aida) count, pattern size, and number of colors • Automatic DMC floss matching from a complete color palette, so you know exactly which threads to buy • Cleans up stray, single-stitch flecks and blends colors smoothly, so your chart stays clear and easy to follow • Reshape your photo first, including a classic oval hoop crop • See your finished size estimate before you commit a single stitch Design It Your Way • Start from a blank grid and design your own pattern from scratch • A full editing toolkit for paint, fill, eyedropper, erase, replace or merge colors, and more • Add backstitch outlines and French knots for fine details • Mirror every stroke across the center lines, so you draw one quarter and get the whole design • Draw and edit your patterns with ease using Apple Pencil • Search and sort your palette by DMC code or color name • A grid ruler overlay to help you keep count as you chart • Jump straight into stitching with ready-made practice patterns Stitch With Confidence • Mark off stitches as you go and watch your progress fill in • "Find next stitch" keeps you moving without losing your place • See your stitch count and overall progress at a glance Keep and Share Your Work • Stitch the digital pattern PDFs you already own: import one, backstitch and French knots included, and track it like any other chart • Save all your patterns in one library • Sync your patterns and stitching progress between iPhone and iPad through your own iCloud • Export polished PDF patterns complete with a materials page and floss shopping list • Switch between a clean symbol chart and a realistic color preview anytime Terms of Use: https://www.isomem.com/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://www.isomem.com/crossie-privacy-policy

Screenshots

Purl4 screens
Cross Stitch Craft4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Purl at every 2 days against Cross Stitch Craft's every 3 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Purl sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Cross Stitch Craft sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Purl ships an update every 2 days, Cross Stitch Craft every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Purl versus Cross Stitch Craft: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPurlCross Stitch Craft
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (7 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—7 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size119 MB96 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKADIR KARAKASISOMEM, Inc.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Purl

One-time1
  • Purl Lifetime$9.99
2 purchases

Cross Stitch Craft

Subscriptions1
  • Crossie Pro$5.997 Days
One-time1
  • Crossie Pro$49.99

Questions

Is Purl free?
Purl is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cross Stitch Craft free?
Cross Stitch Craft is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Purl or Cross Stitch Craft have ads?
Neither Purl nor Cross Stitch Craft shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Purl or Cross Stitch Craft?
Purl ships an update every 2 days, and Cross Stitch Craft every 3 weeks. Most recently, Purl was updated on October 12, 2026 and Cross Stitch Craft on October 13, 2026.

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