Stitchmate vs Stitchly
First things first: they're different products — the similar names trip everyone up. Stitchly is a well-rated native app for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Android with a one-time unlock. Stitchmate is a browser-based editor with pattern import, 60+ thread brands, quality analysis, and five crafts in one editor. Here's an honest comparison.
The short version
Don't have time for a deep dive? Here's the quick take.
Choose Stitchly if you...
- Work primarily on an iPad and want a native app feel (Apple Pencil included)
- Want one offline app that designs, tracks progress, and exports PDF and Pattern Keeper PDF charts
- Prefer offline, on-device storage with no account anywhere
- Like a single one-time unlock ($75, or $39.99 on the current App Store offer) for unlimited patterns on one platform
Choose Stitchmate if you...
- Switch between devices — browser-based with cloud sync, including Windows and Chromebook
- Need to open existing patterns — .OXS, .PAT, or .XSD files, plus .stitchly files via our Stitchly file opener
- Want FLOW scoring and confetti cleanup for photo conversions you'll actually enjoy stitching
- Work across crafts in one editor — cross stitch, needlepoint with tent stitch rendering and mesh sizing, diamond painting, C2C crochet, and fuse beads
- Use thread brands beyond DMC and Anchor (60+ catalogs, one-click remapping)
Platforms & pricing
The fundamental difference: Stitchly is a native app you install; Stitchmate is a website you open. Everything else follows from that. Stitchly details from Stitchly's site and the US App Store as of September 2026.
| Feature | Stitchmate | Stitchly |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Any browser — Mac, Windows, iPad, iPhone, Android, Chromebook | iPhone, iPad, Mac (M1+), Android 8+ (beta) |
| Install required | None | App Store / Google Play |
| Pricing model | Free editor; PDF $7.99 single, 5 for $12, or 10 for $20; 30-day passes from $14.99; lifetime from $99 | Free with limits; one-time unlock: $75.00 Full Version or $39.99 Special Offer (US App Store), $29.99–$75.00 on Google Play |
| Purchase works across platforms | ✓ (one account, any browser) | — (iOS and Android purchases are separate) |
| Pattern storage | Cloud sync across devices (local-first on desktop app) | On-device only; move via Stitchly file or full backup (AirDrop, Quick Share, Files) |
| Works offline | Desktop app (Mac, Windows, with a lifetime pass); browser needs a connection | ✓ (fully offline, data stays on device) |
Threads & stitch types
| Feature | Stitchmate | Stitchly |
|---|---|---|
| Thread brands | 50+ (DMC, Anchor, Cosmo, Madeira, Appleton wool, hand-dyed, and more) | DMC, Anchor, Madeira, Gamma, DMC specialty lines, and wool (DMC Tapestry, Appletons), plus custom palettes |
| Max pattern size | 2000 × 2000 | 300 × 300 default; up to 500 × 500 in settings (photo conversions can go larger) |
| Brand remapping | ✓ (one click, whole palette) | Not advertised |
| Fractional stitches (¼, ½, ¾) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Backstitch & French knots | ✓ | ✓ |
| Blended threads | ✓ (2–4 strands) | Not advertised |
| Layers | ✓ | Not advertised |
Photo conversion & quality
Both convert photos with guided settings. Stitchmate adds analysis tools that predict how the result will feel to stitch — the difference shows most on busy photos.
| Feature | Stitchmate | Stitchly |
|---|---|---|
| Photo import | ✓ (real-time preview while tuning) | ✓ (settings wizard) |
| Trace over a background image | ✓ | ✓ |
| FLOW score | ✓ (0–100 stitchability rating) | — |
| Confetti cleanup | ✓ (automatic, adjustable, global or brush) | ✓ (manual Clean Up brush for isolated pixels) |
| Progress tracking while stitching | ✓ Free progress tracker: any device, syncs, tracks backstitch | ✓ (built in — highlight symbols, mark stitches, track by section) |
Import, export & interoperability
The biggest practical difference. Stitchly saves patterns in its own format and exports PDF, Pattern Keeper PDF, and images, but it doesn't open other programs' files. Stitchmate is built to exchange patterns with the rest of the software world — and our free Stitchly file opener reads .stitchly files and saves them as OXS.
| Feature | Stitchmate | Stitchly |
|---|---|---|
| Open other software's patterns | ✓ (.OXS, .PAT, .XSD — drag & drop; .stitchly via the file opener ) | — (Stitchly files only) |
| PDF export | ✓ (every paid option; symbols + thread key, Pattern Keeper compatible) | ✓ (full version; skein counts, Pattern Keeper PDF option) |
| PNG export | ✓ (free) | ✓ (incl. 1:1 canvas printing) |
| Realistic mockup previews | ✓ (frame/hoop) | ✓ (realistic 3D thread-look image export; no frame/hoop mockups advertised) |
Needlepoint
Stitchly is genuinely popular with needlepointers and widely recommended in the needlepoint community, and it has added needlepoint settings: wool palettes, a Half Cross option, and 1:1 canvas printing. The difference is between a cross stitch editor needlepointers use and a mode built for needlepoint.
| Feature | Stitchmate | Stitchly |
|---|---|---|
| Needlepoint approach | Dedicated craft mode | Cross stitch editor with needlepoint settings (Half Cross, wool palettes, 1:1 canvas print) |
| Tent stitch rendering | ✓ (charts draw as diagonals, like the finished piece) | Half Cross setting for single stitches (chart rendering not documented) |
| Mesh-count sizing | ✓ (10–28 mesh; legend says canvas, not fabric) | Not advertised (1:1 finished-size export for printing on canvas) |
| Wool thread brands | ✓ (all 430 Appleton shades; DMC floss for mixed media) | ✓ (DMC Tapestry Wool, Appletons, Pepper Pot, and DMC Soft Cotton palettes) |
| Petite stitches (fine detail) | ✓ | Not advertised |
| Convert cross stitch chart to needlepoint | ✓ (one step) | — |
Stitchly vs Stitchmate: yes, the names are confusing
We hear it constantly, so let's settle it: Stitchly and Stitchmate are unrelated products from different developers. Stitchly (by Subtlabs) is a native app on the App Store and Google Play. Stitchmate is this site — a browser-based editor at stitchmate.app. Neither is a rebrand, fork, or version of the other; the names just landed close.
If a friend or a forum comment recommended "Stitchly" for charting, they may have meant either one — the recommendation threads mix them up too. The practical tiebreaker: if they mentioned an iPad app with progress tracking, that's Stitchly. If they mentioned a website with photo conversion, thread brand remapping, or needlepoint mode, that's here.
How they compare in practice
Stitchly earns its 4.8-star App Store rating. As a native app it feels immediate on a tablet — drawing with an Apple Pencil, tracking progress stitch by stitch, everything stored on your device with no account. The one-time unlock is fair, there's a genuine community of tutorial creators around it, and recent updates added Pattern Keeper PDF export, a Clean Up brush for stray pixels, and an Android app (in beta). Its limits show at the edges: patterns default to 300×300 stitches (500×500 in settings), files live in Stitchly's own format that other design software can't read, there's no way to import a PDF chart or another program's files, and an iOS purchase doesn't carry to Android (or vice versa) — Stitchly's own FAQ is upfront about that.
Stitchmate is built around the opposite instinct: openness. It opens .OXS, .PAT, and .XSD files from other software, reads .stitchly files through our free Stitchly file opener , and remaps palettes across 60+ thread brands — your patterns arrive from anywhere and leave in formats the rest of the stitching world reads. On top of that sit the quality tools — FLOW scoring and confetti cleanup — and the needlepoint mode with true tent stitch rendering and mesh sizing, plus diamond painting (round and square drills), C2C crochet , and fuse bead modes in the same editor.
The honest split: Stitchly is the better stitching companion — design and track progress in one offline app. Stitchmate is the better pattern workshop — more brands, more formats, more analysis, on more devices.
For needlepointers specifically: Stitchly works, as many canvas stitchers can attest, and its needlepoint settings keep growing. Stitchmate is built for it — tent stitch rendering, mesh sizing, petite stitches, and one-step chart conversion . Both appear in our review of 8 needlepoint chart programs .
The best way to compare? Try both.
Stitchly has a free version on the app stores; Stitchmate is free to try in the browser you're already using. See which fits your workflow.
Works on any device — phone, tablet, or computer. No download required.
All comparisons · All features · 12-program review · Needlepoint pattern maker · Diamond painting pattern maker · Photo converter · vs Stitch Fiddle · vs WinStitch · vs FlossCross
Published by Stitchmate, one of the tools compared. Last updated Sep 18, 2026; competitor details are checked against each vendor's own site.
Actively developed — 85 updates in the past year, most recently . See what's new →
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Stitchly and Stitchmate the same app?
No — and the similar names confuse people constantly. Stitchly is a native app for iPhone, iPad, Mac (M1+), and Android, developed by Subtlabs. Stitchmate (stitchmate.app) is a browser-based pattern editor that runs on any device, including Windows and Chromebooks. Different developers, different products, different platforms.
What's the difference between Stitchmate and Stitchly?
Stitchly is a polished native app: photo conversion, drawing tools, built-in progress tracking, PDF and Pattern Keeper PDF export, and offline local storage, unlocked with a one-time purchase. Stitchmate is a browser editor: pattern file import (.OXS/.PAT/.XSD), 60+ thread brands, FLOW quality scoring, automatic confetti cleanup, cloud sync across devices, a free progress tracker that syncs and tracks backstitch, and five crafts in one editor: cross stitch, needlepoint (with tent stitch rendering and mesh-count sizing), diamond painting, C2C crochet, and fuse beads.
How much does Stitchly cost?
Stitchly has a free version with limitations; the full version is a one-time in-app purchase with no subscription. As of September 2026 the US App Store lists a $75.00 Full Version and a $39.99 Special Offer, and Google Play shows $29.99–$75.00. One caveat from Stitchly's own FAQ: purchases don't transfer between iOS and Android — the platforms use separate payment systems.
Can Stitchly open PDF patterns or files from other software?
No — besides photos for conversion, Stitchly imports only its own Stitchly files and backups (shared via AirDrop, Quick Share, or the Files app). It cannot open PDF charts or patterns from MacStitch, PCStitch, or other software. Stitchmate opens .OXS, .PAT, and .XSD files by drag and drop.
Is Stitchly or Stitchmate better for needlepoint?
Stitchly is popular with needlepointers. Its FAQ lists DMC Tapestry Wool, Appletons Wool, DMC Soft Cotton, and Planet Earth Pepper Pot palettes, a Half Cross setting for single stitches, and 1:1 image export for printing on a canvas. It is still a cross stitch editor with needlepoint settings rather than a dedicated needlepoint mode. Stitchmate charts needlepoint natively: true tent stitch rendering on a canvas grid, mesh-count sizing from 10 to 28, petite stitches, Appleton crewel wool (all 430 shades) alongside 60+ floss brands, and one-step conversion of existing cross stitch charts.
Does Stitchmate have progress tracking like Stitchly?
Yes. Stitchmate's progress tracker is built into the editor and free on every pattern: mark stitches by tap or drag, highlight one color, park threads, and track backstitch per segment. It runs in the browser on any device and syncs across them, which Stitchly's device-local tracking does not. Stitchly's in-app tracking is still genuinely good on an iPad, and both apps export Pattern Keeper compatible PDFs if you would rather track in Pattern Keeper on Android.
Can I move my patterns between Stitchly and Stitchmate?
Yes, one way. Stitchmate's free Stitchly file opener (stitchmate.app/tools/open-stitchly-file) opens .stitchly files in the browser and can save them as OXS for desktop software. Going the other way, Stitchly can't open Stitchmate or OXS files; it imports only its own files and photos.