KV SoftwareCross stitch on iPad and iPhone
Best cross stitch apps for iPad and iPhone, compared
The apps worth knowing for stitching from a PDF chart on an iPad or iPhone, with real App Store prices, checked on 24 October 2026.
I make one of them, StitchGrid, and it is marked as mine. Every other app is described from its own App Store page, prices in US dollars.
Quick answer
- The most used, and you are fine with a subscription: Markup R-XP.
- Pay once and stitch your PDF charts: StitchGrid, Stitchwork or Filomi.
- Your charts are Pattern Maker, PC Stitch or MacStitch files: Cross Stitch Saga.
- You want to design your own patterns: Stitchly.
- You knit or crochet too: knitCompanion.
- You want to track stash and projects, not mark charts: XStitch Plus or Cross Stitch Journal.
Side by side
| App | What it is for | Price | US ratings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Markup R-XP | Mark up PDF, paper and book charts | Free 14 day trial, Yearly Access $19.99, also lists Markup R-XP Full $9.99 | 3,069, 4.7 |
| StitchGrid (mine) | Stitch from PDF charts, picture charts and scans | $14.99 once | None yet |
| Stitchwork | Stitch from PDF charts or a photo of a chart | First 3 patterns free, Unlimited Patterns $12.99 once | 7, 5.0 |
| Filomi | Stitch from PDF charts, reads grid and key | Free, Filomi Pro $9.99 | None yet |
| Cross Stitch Saga | Interactive charts from XSD, PAT, OXS and similar files | $15.00 | 58, 4.3 |
| Stitchly | Design patterns, convert photos | Free to try, pay once to unlock | 2,294, 4.8 |
| knitCompanion | Pattern tracking for knitting and other crafts | Free basics, paid upgrades | 6,901, 4.8 |
| XStitch Plus | Stash inventory and project journal | Free, annual subscription | 1,042, 4.8 |
| Cross Stitch Journal | Project tracking from wishlist to finished | Free, paid unlock | 26, 4.9 |
The PDF chart apps
Markup R-XP
The long-standing choice on iPad, with the most ratings by far. It turns PDF, paper, book and magazine patterns into charts you can zoom, highlight and mark off. It runs on a subscription after a 14 day trial.
StitchGrid (mine)
Opens the PDF chart you bought, finds the grid, lights up every stitch of one thread when you tap it in the key, and marks stitches with a tap or a drag. Picture charts like Canva exports work too, and scanned charts import for marking. Works offline, $14.99 once, no subscription. It is new, so it has no US ratings yet.
Stitchwork
Lays a tappable grid over a pattern PDF or a photo of a chart, with progress that syncs. Your first 3 patterns are free, then a one-time $12.99 for unlimited patterns.
Filomi
Reads the grid, symbols and color key of a PDF chart on the device and joins multi-page charts into one. Free to start, Filomi Pro is $9.99. Very new, no ratings yet.
Cross Stitch Saga
Works from pattern software files such as Pattern Maker, PC Stitch and MacStitch formats, and charts converted to its own format. A good fit if your designer sells those files rather than a plain PDF.
Not sure your PDF will work?
Charts are built in different ways: drawn in pattern software, saved as pictures, or scanned from paper. The free PDF chart check tells you which kind yours is and roughly how big the grid is, right in your browser, without uploading the file.
Questions
Is Pattern Keeper on iPad or iPhone?
Not yet. It is Android only, and its website says the iOS version is in early development with no date. More on that in Pattern Keeper for iPhone and iPad.
Can I just use a PDF reader?
Yes. Apple's Markup in the Files or Books app is free and lets you highlight over the PDF. You lose thread highlighting, stitch counts and a saved place on big charts.
Which apps avoid a subscription?
From this list: StitchGrid, Stitchwork, Filomi, Cross Stitch Saga and Stitchly are one-time purchases or free with a one-time unlock. Markup R-XP and XStitch Plus list subscriptions.
Prices and ratings were read from the US App Store on 24 October 2026 and can change. StitchGrid is made by Karolis Valatka, who wrote this page. Spot something wrong about another app? info@kv-software.com, and I will fix it.