Purl vs StitchGrid
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Purl
Mark your PDF cross-stitch patterns directly on your device, track your progress with visual aids, and plan your projects. Features include a fabric calculator, skein estimator, and a stash manager with barcode scanning. It also offers row and round counters for knitting and crochet.
- PDF chart marking
- Stitch progress tracking
- Fabric and skein calculator
- Stash management with barcode scanner
- Row and round counter
- Project planning and scheduling
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Mark your cross-stitch chart right on your iPhone and never lose your place again. Purl opens your PDF pattern, reads its thread key and lets you mark stitches as you go: tap one stitch, swipe across a row or box-select a whole area. Your marks are saved to your account, so they are still there on your iPad or after you reinstall. MADE FOR PDF CHARTS ⢠Import a PDF from Files or a link, or scan a paper pattern ⢠Purl reads the thread key for you: DMC, Anchor and more ⢠Find a symbol: every stitch of one color lights up ⢠Full stitches, backstitch, French knots and fractionals ⢠Apple Pencil support, and the screen stays awake while you stitch SEE HOW FAR YOU HAVE COME ⢠Stitches left for every thread, sorted the way you like ⢠A stitch calendar, an optional timer and an estimated finish date ⢠Projects in progress, paused, finished or planned, with start and finish dates ⢠Progress photos with the date and percentage PLAN BEFORE YOU START ⢠Fabric calculator: design size and cut size for any count ⢠Skein estimate for every thread ⢠Your DMC and Anchor stash with a barcode scanner, and a shopping list for what is missing KNITTING AND CROCHET TOO ⢠Row counter for knitting, round counter for crochet ⢠Pieces and parts, imported from your PDF pattern YOUR WORK IS BACKED UP Sign in with Apple or Google and your projects, marks and PDFs are backed up to your Purl account. ONE PRICE Try everything free for 14 days. Then one purchase unlocks Purl for good. No subscription. Works in English, Turkish, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Polish, Russian and Japanese. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://qubillc.com/purl/privacy
StitchGrid
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StitchGrid is a cross stitch PDF pattern tracker for iPad and iPhone. Open the chart you bought, tap each stitch as you go, and never lose your place. Import a chart you already own, check the grid looks right, and start stitching. Tap each stitch as the needle comes through. Put the hoop down for a month and nothing is lost. Open the app and you are exactly where you stopped. ANY PDF CHART Charts drawn as shapes and text import in seconds. Picture charts work too: Canva exports, shop PDFs and clean scans where each page is an image of the grid. StitchGrid finds the grid lines on its own, and on Canva and shop PDFs the symbols too. THE KEY COMES ALONG StitchGrid reads the printed key and names symbols with their DMC numbers and colors where it can. Press and hold a symbol to name it yourself, merge two chips that show the same symbol, or move a cell to the right symbol. One fix, remembered. WHAT YOU CAN DO - Tap a cell to mark a stitch done. Tap again to undo. - Drag your finger to mark a whole row in one go. - Mark backstitch too. Tap a line, or drag along it to do a whole run. - Tap a color in the key to light up every stitch of that thread and see how many are left. - Park a thread with a long press. - See all your chart pages joined into one chart with rulers. - Chart numbers on every page, so the app matches the numbers printed on your chart. - Mark a whole page or a range of columns and rows at once when you bring progress over from paper or another app. - Night mode for stitching in the dark. - Daily stitch counts and progress for every project. - Export and import your progress as a file. GRIDS THAT ACTUALLY FIT StitchGrid finds the grid on its own and shows it to you before you start. If it sits wrong, drag the corner handles until the blue lines match the printed grid. You can redo this later for any page, or add a page the import skipped. NO ACCOUNT, NO SUBSCRIPTION Pay once and it is yours. The app works with the internet switched off. Your patterns are copied into the app and stay on your device. If you want your progress on both your iPhone and iPad, it syncs through your own iCloud. Nothing goes to me. The app collects no data at all. WHAT IT DOES NOT DO YET Photos of paper charts and tilted scans are not supported. The app tells you that at import instead of guessing and getting it wrong. If a chart will not open, email me from the support page. Charts that beat the importer are exactly what I want to fix next. Made by one person who thinks you should buy software once and keep it. Every update is included. Happy stitching.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Purl at Free against StitchGrid's $14.99. Purl also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). StitchGrid's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Purl is free to download; StitchGrid costs $14.99 up front. Purl sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. StitchGrid asks for nothing beyond the download.
Purl ships an update every 2 days, StitchGrid every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Purl | StitchGrid |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free ā better | $14.99 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | ā |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days ā better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No ā better |
| Monetization | Paid | ā |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 121 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | KADIR KARAKAS | Karolis Valatka |
In-app purchases
Purl
- Purl Lifetime$9.99
StitchGrid
No in-app purchases









