Comparison

PatternGenius vs Scrivener

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

Head to head
About

PatternGenius

Design intricate knit patterns with a comprehensive vector symbol set. Easily create charts, add custom images, and notes. Publish your designs as PDFs or to your camera roll. Unlock advanced features like color integration, larger chart sizes, and auto-generated written instructions through in-app purchases or a subscription.

Highlights
  • Vector-based symbol set
  • Tap and Paint modes
  • Undo/Redo functionality
  • Row/stitch numbering
  • Export to PDF and Camera Roll
  • Color integration
  • Auto-generated written instructions
Features
Read full description

Create knit patterns using a beautiful vector based symbol set that includes a large number of increases, decreases, texture, cables, variable symbols, and more. Publish to your camera roll or as a PDF. Generated patterns include the chart, key, custom images, notes and written instructions (in-app purchase). Free Basics: * Access all symbols including our unique variable symbols. * Tap and Paint modes, Undo/Redo, and row/stitch numbering. * Share charts and keys to Camera Roll and PDF. * Archive and sync with Dropbox. * Add your own picture and notes. * Unlimited number of projects. * 25x25 charts (larger charts available with in-app purchase). * Remove ads with any in-app purchase. AllGenius Subscription adds: * ColorGenius: Add color to your charts including colorwork, symbol color and fill. * ChartGenius: Change number of rows/stitches (up to 150x150), hide/show rows, Favorites Bar & more. * SelectGenius: Cut/Copy/Mirror/Fill/Replace a selection (region, row, column, entire chart) and mark repeat sections. * KeyGenius: Customize the abbreviation, short, and long descriptions for all symbols. * TextGenius: Auto-generated written instructions for any chart. * Privacy: https://www.patterngenius.com/about/privacy-policy/ * Terms of Use: https://www.patterngenius.com/about/terms-of-service/

About

Scrivener

This app is a comprehensive writing tool designed for long-form manuscripts. It allows users to compose text in any order, manage research materials alongside their writing, and export to various formats. It supports flexible outlining and restructuring of content.

Highlights
  • Manuscript composition in sections
  • Research material integration
  • Flexible outlining and reorganization
  • Export to multiple formats
  • Interactive tutorial
  • Project-wide search
Features
Read full description

“The biggest software advance for writers since the word processor.” —Michael Marshall Smith, bestselling author Typewriter. Ring-binder. Scrapbook. Scrivener combines all the writing tools you need to craft your first draft, from nascent notion to final full stop. Tailor-made for creating long manuscripts, Scrivener banishes page fright by allowing you to compose your text in any order, in sections as large or small as you like. Got a great idea but don’t know where it fits? Write when inspiration strikes and find its place later. Grow your manuscript organically, idea by idea. Whether you plan or plunge, Scrivener works your way: meticulously outline every last detail first, or hammer out a complete draft and restructure later. Or do a bit of both. All text sections in Scrivener are fully integrated with its outlining tools, so working with an overview of your manuscript is only ever a tap away, and turning Chapter Four into Chapter One is as simple as drag and drop. Need to refer to research? In Scrivener, your background material is always at hand. Write a description based on a photograph. Reference a video or PDF. Check for consistency with an earlier chapter. On the iPad, open two documents side-by-side; on the iPhone, flip between research and writing with just two taps. Once you’re ready to share your work with the world, simply compile everything into a single document for printing, or export to popular formats such as Word, PDF, Final Draft or plain text. You can even share using different formatting, so that you can write in your favorite font and still keep your editor happy. FEATURES Get Started • Interactive tutorial project • Keep each manuscript and supporting materials in a self-contained project • Import Word, RTF, Final Draft and plain text files • Easily split imported text into separate sections Get Writing • Write your manuscript in sections of any size • View all sections as a single text using the “Draft Navigator” (iPad only) • Quickly navigate sections using the “binder” sidebar • Format with fonts and presets • Comments, footnotes, links and highlights • Simple bullets and lists • Insert images • Pinch-zoom to resize text • Full-screen mode (iPad only) • Typewriter scrolling mode keeps typed text center-screen (iPad only) • Write a screenplay using scriptwriting mode • Live word and character counts • Set word and character count targets • Find and replace • Customizable keyboard row provides quick-access buttons for formatting, navigation and punctuation • Comprehensive keyboard shortcuts for external keyboard users • Dark mode Find Your Structure • Write in any order and reorganize later • Write a synopsis for any text section and see it in the outline • Expand, collapse and drill down into sections of your project • Rearrange sections as index cards on the corkboard (iPad only) • Project-wide search • Track ideas using labels and status • Apply custom icons to your sections Refer to Research • Import research material such as image, PDF and media files • View research files or other sections right alongside your writing (iPad only) • Every section has its own notes area for jotting down ideas • Supports multitasking split screen mode (supported devices only) Share Your Work • Compile to a single document for sharing or printing • Use different formatting in your exported or printed document • Export to Word, RTF, Final Draft, PDF or plain text • Convert rich text to Markdown for sharing with Markdown apps • Create and email zipped backups of your projects Work Anywhere • Use Dropbox to sync between devices and with the macOS and Windows versions of Scrivener* • Copy projects between devices via iTunes * Requires a Dropbox account (not compatible with iCloud). SUPPORT You can contact us at ios.support@literatureandlatte.com, visit our forums at http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum, or find us @scrivenerapp on Twitter.

Screenshots

Scrivener4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PatternGenius at Free against Scrivener's $23.99. Scrivener's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (2.6K vs 44). On rating, 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

PatternGenius is free to download; Scrivener costs $23.99 up front. PatternGenius sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Scrivener asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for PatternGenius against 4.2 for Scrivener. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Scrivener has 2.6K ratings behind it against 44, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 42% of PatternGenius's written reviews are positive against 46% of Scrivener's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PatternGenius ships an update every 2 months, Scrivener every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
PatternGenius versus Scrivener: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPatternGeniusScrivener
PriceFree — better$23.99
Rating4.2 (44 ratings)4.2 (2.6K ratings) — better
Positive reviews41.7% of reviews45.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings442.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#16 — better
DevicesiPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS13.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCreate2Thrive Inc.Literature & Latte

Customer experience

PatternGenius

All ratings42 ratings
Positive76.2%
Neutral9.5%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews48 reviews
Positive41.7%
Neutral20.8%
Negative37.5%

Scrivener

All ratings2,595 ratings
Positive77.6%
Neutral6.9%
Negative15.6%
Written reviews722 reviews
Positive45.6%
Neutral16.8%
Negative37.7%

Bugs and requests

PatternGenius

Reported bugs

21 issues
  • App crashes when opening after iOS update
  • App crashes when using paintbrush
  • App crashes when trying to undo
  • App crashes on near everything after update
  • Chart takes a long time to save
Show 16 more
  • Error message: chart unable to sync
  • Charts do not sync between devices
  • Program no longer allows copying patterns
  • Program crashes frequently, losing work
  • Backing up isn't working
  • Crashes delete work
  • Update ruined the app, crashes on everything
  • App crashes every time undo is hit
  • Tools not always doing what they are supposed to
  • App doesn't recognize paid add-ons after re-installing
  • No restore purchase option
  • Customer service unresponsive
  • Show/hide rulers changes magnification
  • Free version restricted to a handful of stitch symbols
  • Cannot use color function or multiselect tool in free version
  • Grid size limited to 30x30 stitches

Requested features

26 requests
  • Ability to copy patterns/sections between projects
  • Ability to flip patterns horizontally
  • Ability to make multiple charts in one project
  • Ability to duplicate charts/projects and rename
  • Ability to select a range and delete stitches
Show 21 more
  • Ability to specify square or rectangular grid boxes
  • Ability to change chart colours
  • Ability to change the name of a creation
  • Ability to print out designs
  • Ability to change grid to reflect stitch shape (not just square)
  • Ability to change ratios for fields to adapt to stitch shape/size
  • Ability to replicate a design by copying/pasting or renaming
  • Ability to make the grid larger than 30x30 stitches
  • More basic colors in the free version
  • Add module for crochet
  • Add a 'yarn over' symbol
  • Make symbols more universal
  • Get rid of ads or charge a one-time fee for the basic app
  • Add a save button for chart work
  • Improve manual/instructions
  • Allow adding custom stitches from knitting books
  • Add Apple Pencil support for drawing and selection
  • Rulers should not change magnification
  • True stitch/key customization
  • Ability to convert from text to chart and back
  • Ability to change the color of lines to demarcate pattern repeats

Scrivener

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

PatternGenius

Subscriptions2
  • All Genius7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • All Genius7 Days trial$24.991 Year
None

Scrivener

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PatternGenius free?
PatternGenius is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Scrivener free?
Scrivener costs $23.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PatternGenius or Scrivener?
Scrivener is rated higher. PatternGenius averages 4.2 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while Scrivener averages 4.2 from 2.6K ratings.
Do PatternGenius or Scrivener have ads?
Neither PatternGenius nor Scrivener shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PatternGenius or Scrivener?
PatternGenius ships an update every 2 months, and Scrivener every 3 months. Most recently, PatternGenius was updated on November 1, 2026 and Scrivener on November 1, 2026.

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