Comparison

Purl vs Hello CrossStitch

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

Hello CrossStitch

Features
Read full description

Hello CrossStitch keeps your cross-stitch projects moving — one stitch at a time. Follow your chart right on your iPhone/iPad, mark cells as you stitch, and watch your finished piece slowly appear. STITCH FROM YOUR OWN PDF CHARTS • Import PDF charts purchased from Heaven And Earth Designs (HAED), Artecy Cross Stitch, Golden Kite or Zanna Cross Stitch, and see the exact symbols from the printed chart • Multi-page charts join into one seamless pattern • More chart publishers are being added — write to us with the ones you use TURN PHOTOS INTO PATTERNS • Create a cross-stitch pattern from any photo in seconds • Every color is a real DMC floss you can buy • Choose the size (up to 900 stitches wide) and number of colors • Blend two flosses in one needle to reach the shades in between — more colors without buying more thread. Dithering and vivid color get you closer still WATCH YOUR PROGRESS BLOOM • Your picture emerges on the progress screen as you stitch • Progress %, stitches today, weekly stats and personal records • An estimated finish date that updates as you go • Timelapse: replay your project stitch by stitch and watch the picture appear MADE FOR SERIOUS STITCHING • Symbol highlight: light up every cell of the color you're working on • Jump to the next unstitched square of that color — work one thread from start to finish without hunting for what's left • Parking: mark the cells where you parked your thread, so you always know where to pick up • Zoom from a single cell all the way out to the whole design AND MORE • Back up your progress and restore it on a new device — backup files hold your progress only, never the chart itself • Diagonal and zigzag guide grids help you keep your place • Thread list shows remaining stitches for every DMC color • Thread usage: how many stitches each DMC color needs and how many skeins to buy, from your fabric count and strands • Started your project before getting the app? Mark the finished areas in one sweep FREE TRIAL, THEN FREE OR PREMIUM Every feature is free for your first 30 days — no purchase needed. After the trial, the essentials for following your chart and recording your stitches stay free (with ads), while the Premium subscription (monthly or yearly) unlocks all features and removes ads. Available in English, Japanese, Spanish and French. Terms of Use: https://hellocrossstitch.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://hellocrossstitch.com/privacy

Screenshots

Purl4 screens
Hello CrossStitch4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Purl at none against Hello CrossStitch's shown. Purl also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 days). On price, in-app purchases, 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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Purl sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Hello CrossStitch sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Purl ships an update every 2 days, Hello CrossStitch every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
Purl versus Hello CrossStitch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPurlHello CrossStitch
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 6 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size119 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKADIR KARAKASMichael Pettersson Solutions AB

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Purl

One-time1
  • Purl Lifetime$9.99
2 purchases

Hello CrossStitch

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Purl free?
Purl is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hello CrossStitch free?
Hello CrossStitch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Purl or Hello CrossStitch have ads?
Hello CrossStitch shows ads; Purl does not.
Which is updated more often, Purl or Hello CrossStitch?
Purl ships an update every 2 days, and Hello CrossStitch every 6 days. Most recently, Purl was updated on September 9, 2026 and Hello CrossStitch on September 24, 2026.

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