Comparison

ShiWen vs Pluck

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

Head to head
About

ShiWen

Transform any image into unique geometric patterns and seamless designs. This tool offers over 20 pattern styles, real-time previews, and AI-enhanced upscaling for high-resolution exports. Create kaleidoscope art, repeat designs, and transparent assets for various creative projects.

Highlights
  • Create patterns from photos and textures
  • Over 20 geometric and kaleidoscope styles
  • Real-time sampling and preview
  • 70+ color palettes
  • AI HD image enhancement
  • High-resolution PNG export
  • One-tap background cutout
Read full description

Turn any photo into a seamless pattern, mandala, or kaleidoscope design. ShiWen is a pattern maker for designers, illustrators, crafters, and visual creators on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Import a photo, drawing, lettering, or everyday texture, then move the sampling frame to create kaleidoscope art, symmetrical patterns, mandalas, repeats, and seamless tiles. 【Turn Images into Patterns】 Import from Photos or Files, or shoot with the camera. Drag the sampling frame to discover new compositions. Photos, illustrations, traditional motifs, natural textures, fabrics, and handmade artwork can all become patterns. 【20+ Pattern Styles】 Explore more than 20 kaleidoscope and geometric styles based on symmetry, rotation, reflection, interlocking, and repetition. One image can become entirely different mandalas, symmetrical patterns, repeat designs, and seamless textures. 【Real-Time Sampling】 Drag the sampling frame and adjust its width, height, rotation, and output size. Every change appears directly in the preview. 【70+ Color Palettes】 Choose from more than 70 palettes and quickly explore new color combinations. 【Visual Styles】 Switch between the original image, watercolor, oil painting, rubbing, and sand effects to give the same pattern a different texture and mood. 【Layered Mandalas】 Adjust the number of petals and combine up to six concentric layers to create richer mandala compositions from the same source image. 【14 Product Mockups】 Preview the real result on 14 real objects before you download. 【One-Tap Cutout】 Remove the background from a source image or pattern to create a transparent PNG. Refine the result with the brush, eraser, and invert tools while preserving the original colors and details. 【AI HD】 Enhance small or blurry source images on-device, or apply AI HD to the finished pattern, preserving more detail for pattern creation and high-resolution export. 【Print-Ready Export】 Export PNG, JPG, PDF, layered PSD, or TIFF. Supports millimeters, centimeters, inches, and pixels, A-series and US paper sizes, and social image presets. 【Signature Watermark】 Add your own signature watermark to PNG and JPG exports. 【Local Gallery】 Source images, saved patterns, and cutout assets are organized separately. Image processing happens on your device. No account is required, and your images never leave the device. 【Perfect For】 • Pattern design and seamless repeats • Procreate brush and texture assets • Fashion, textile, fabric, and print design • Wallpapers, packaging, and pattern backgrounds • Illustration textures and digital collages • Stickers and transparent elements • Journaling and craft projects 【ShiWen Pro】 ShiWen Pro is available as a one-time purchase, or as a monthly or annual subscription. Pro unlocks all Pro pattern styles, 70+ color palettes, visual effects, AI HD, one-tap cutout, all 14 mockups, print presets and custom sizing, PDF / PSD / TIFF export, and high-resolution tile and full-pattern exports. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled. Manage or cancel your subscription in Settings → Apple Account → Subscriptions. Previous purchases can be restored in ShiWen. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://alinefan.github.io/shiwen-privacy/

About

Pluck

This app lets you capture and collect typography from the real world. You can then use these found letters to create playful collages and spell words. Your collection serves as a personal visual diary of typographic discoveries.

Highlights
  • Capture or import typography
  • Crop and adjust letters
  • Build a personal type library
  • Remember discoveries by date and location
  • Explore collection on a map
  • Spell words with collected letters
  • Create collages
  • Export creations as images
Features
Read full description

Pluck is a visual collection for typography you find in the real world. Spot a letter you love on a sign, poster, book cover, package? Take a photo and pluck it into your personal collection. Build your own library of found letters, remember when and where you discovered them, and use them to create playful collages made entirely from typography you’ve collected yourself. Your collection stays personal to you—a visual diary of the letters that caught your eye. Pluck letters from the world. Make something with what you find.

Screenshots

ShiWen4 screens
Pluck3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Pluck at free against ShiWen's free with in-app purchases. ShiWen's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ShiWen ships an update every 9 days, Pluck fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
ShiWen versus Pluck: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShiWenPluck
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer广俊 张鹤凝 王

Customer experience

ShiWen

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Pluck

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

ShiWen

No in-app purchases

None

Pluck

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ShiWen free?
ShiWen is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pluck free?
Pluck is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ShiWen or Pluck have ads?
Neither ShiWen nor Pluck shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ShiWen or Pluck?
ShiWen ships an update every 9 days, and Pluck fortnightly. Most recently, ShiWen was updated on October 14, 2026 and Pluck on October 8, 2026.

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