Comparison
Cross stitch software, compared honestly
PIXVIX next to the pattern makers and stitch trackers stitchers know best — Stitchmate, Stitch Fiddle, WinStitch / MacStitch, PCStitch, Stitchly, Pattern Keeper, Markup R-XP and Knytstudio. Every competitor fact comes from the vendor’s own site or app-store listing, and we show where others are ahead too.
A stitching workspace that guides you
Numbered Journey sections with their own thread list, parking and single-colour focus — progress synced to every device.
Photo to finished stitch, in one app
Convert, edit, print and stitch in the browser. No PDF export–import step between the chart and your tracker.
Charts up to 2,000 × 2,000
Every paid chart goes up to 2 million stitches — Personal or Business.
Earn up to 40% for sharing
Join Earn and get 30–40% of credit purchases (20% on shop patterns and the Etsy plan) from people you refer, for 12 months after they sign up. Creators get a flat 40%.
Making the pattern
Pattern design software, feature by feature.
Access
Works in the browser — nothing to install
- PIXVIX
- Phone, tablet & desktop
- Stitchmate
- Plus desktop app (lifetime)
- Stitch Fiddle
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- Windows / Mac app
- PCStitch
- Windows app
- Stitchly
- iOS, Android, Mac app
Photo → chart → stitch, all in one app
- PIXVIX
- Create, edit, print and stitch
- Stitchmate
- Editor + tracker
- Stitch Fiddle
- Row counter & highlighter
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- Tracking via a separate app
- PCStitch
- —
- Stitchly
Create
Photo → chart
- PIXVIX
- AI background removal
- Stitchmate
- Confetti cleanup
- Stitch Fiddle
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- PCStitch
- Stitchly
Largest chart
- PIXVIX
- 2,000 × 2,000 · up to 2 million stitches
- Stitchmate
- 2,000 × 2,000
- Stitch Fiddle
- 1,000 × 1,000 (Premium)
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- 999 × 999
- PCStitch
- —
- Stitchly
- —
Thread brands
- PIXVIX
- 21 — DMC, Anchor, Madeira, Cosmo, Presencia, Weeks Dye Works…
- Stitchmate
- 50+
- Stitch Fiddle
- —
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- 30+ thread types
- PCStitch
- DMC, Anchor, Kreinik, Coats & more
- Stitchly
- DMC, Anchor & more
Backstitch & fractional stitches in the finished pattern
- PIXVIX
- Half, quarter, ¾, backstitch, French knots, blends — in PDF too
- Stitchmate
- Half, quarter, petite, knots, beads
- Stitch Fiddle
- Backstitch; fractional not stated
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- Half, quarter, petite, beads, knots
- PCStitch
- Half, ¼, ¾, petite, knots, beads
- Stitchly
- Backstitch, ¼ ½ ¾, French knots
Open files from other software (.OXS, .PAT)
- PIXVIX
- Not yet
- Stitchmate
- .PAT, .OXS, .XSD
- Stitch Fiddle
- —
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- .OXS, .PAT v4–7
- PCStitch
- —
- Stitchly
- —
Print & sell
Print-ready PDF
- PIXVIX
- Colour + B&W, skein counts, fabric sizes
- Stitchmate
- Pattern Keeper compatible
- Stitch Fiddle
- Also SVG, PNG and more
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- PCStitch
- Printing; PDF not stated
- Stitchly
Your brand on the PDF
- PIXVIX
- Logo, colours, links, white-label (Business)
- Stitchmate
- Logo & brandless (Seller Pass)
- Stitch Fiddle
- Removes Stitch Fiddle mention
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- Copyright text
- PCStitch
- Designer logo on info sheet
- Stitchly
- Store details
Clear right to sell your patterns
- PIXVIX
- Commercial license (Business)
- Stitchmate
- Seller Pass
- Stitch Fiddle
- —Not stated in terms
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- Selling encouraged; no formal terms
- PCStitch
- —
- Stitchly
PIXVIX extras
Guided stitch-along: numbered sections, section focus & thread list
- PIXVIX
- Journey sections, mini-map, parking
- Stitchmate
- —
- Stitch Fiddle
- —
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- —
- PCStitch
- —
- Stitchly
- —
Finish card + stitching certificate
- PIXVIX
- Share-ready card & printable certificate
- Stitchmate
- —
- Stitch Fiddle
- —
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- —
- PCStitch
- —
- Stitchly
- —
Gift chart credits to anyone by email
- PIXVIX
- Stitchmate
- —
- Stitch Fiddle
- —
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- —
- PCStitch
- —
- Stitchly
- —
Earn program: commission for sharing
- PIXVIX
- 40% of every purchase, for life
- Stitchmate
- None published
- Stitch Fiddle
- None published
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- —
- PCStitch
- —
- Stitchly
- —
Price
How you pay
- PIXVIX
- Per pattern from $2.49 · credits never expire
- Stitchmate
- Editor free · PDF from $2/pattern
- Stitch Fiddle
- $5.50/month or $33/year
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- £46 one-time (Premium)
- PCStitch
- $49.95 one-time
- Stitchly
- $39.99–$75 one-time, per platform
Free to try
- PIXVIX
- 1 free chart with PDF & Workspace
- Stitchmate
- Editor & tracker free, up to 10 patterns
- Stitch Fiddle
- Free plan: 15 charts, 50 colours
- WinStitch / MacStitch
- Demo
- PCStitch
- Evaluation — saving disabled
- Stitchly
- Limited free version
- Yes
- Partly
- No
- —Not stated by the vendor
Checked September 2026 from each vendor’s official website or app-store listing. Prices and features change — check the vendor for the latest. Product names are trademarks of their owners; PIXVIX is not affiliated with them.
Stitching it
Stitch trackers — the apps you keep open next to your hoop.
Devices
- PIXVIX
- Any browser — phone, tablet, desktop
- Stitchmate
- Any browser
- Pattern Keeper
- Android only (beta)
- Markup R-XP
- iOS & Android apps
- Knytstudio
- Any browser
Access
Photo → chart → stitch, all in one app
- PIXVIX
- Create, edit, print and stitch
- Stitchmate
- Editor + tracker
- Pattern Keeper
- Reads PDFs you bought
- Markup R-XP
- Reads PDF, image or paper charts
- Knytstudio
- Editor + tracker
Track a PDF chart you bought elsewhere
- PIXVIX
- Stitchmate
- —
- Pattern Keeper
- Many designers’ PDFs
- Markup R-XP
- PDF, image or paper chart
- Knytstudio
Guided stitch-along: numbered sections, section focus & thread list
- PIXVIX
- Journey sections, mini-map, parking
- Stitchmate
- —
- Pattern Keeper
- —
- Markup R-XP
- —
- Knytstudio
- —
Parking method
- PIXVIX
- Park the needle, progress fills up to it
- Stitchmate
- —
- Pattern Keeper
- Thread parking by corner
- Markup R-XP
- —
- Knytstudio
- By stitch & corner
Follow one colour at a time
- PIXVIX
- Only that colour shown & markable
- Stitchmate
- —
- Pattern Keeper
- Symbol highlight
- Markup R-XP
- Symbol finder
- Knytstudio
Track backstitch
- PIXVIX
- Stitchmate
- Pattern Keeper
- Markup R-XP
- Knytstudio
Progress synced across devices
- PIXVIX
- Stitchmate
- Pattern Keeper
- —
- Markup R-XP
- Manual backup & restore
- Knytstudio
Stitching stats
- PIXVIX
- Progress % · time on finish card
- Stitchmate
- —
- Pattern Keeper
- Stitches today & total
- Markup R-XP
- Daily stats & finish estimate
- Knytstudio
- Finish-date forecast
Finish card + stitching certificate
- PIXVIX
- Share-ready card & printable certificate
- Stitchmate
- —
- Pattern Keeper
- —
- Markup R-XP
- —
- Knytstudio
- —
Tracker price
- PIXVIX
- Included with every chart
- Stitchmate
- Free
- Pattern Keeper
- ~$9 one-time
- Markup R-XP
- ~$19.99 / year
- Knytstudio
- From €2.99/pattern or €4/month
- Yes
- Partly
- No
- —Not stated by the vendor
Checked September 2026 from each vendor’s official website or app-store listing. Prices and features change — check the vendor for the latest. Product names are trademarks of their owners; PIXVIX is not affiliated with them.
Where others are ahead
No tool wins every row. Here is what the others do better today.
Backstitch & fractional stitches
Stitchmate, PCStitch, WinStitch / MacStitch and Stitchly carry backstitch, half and quarter stitches into the finished pattern today. In PIXVIX you can draw them in the editor; PDF and Workspace support is on the way.
Thread brands & file import
Stitchmate lists 50+ thread brands and WinStitch 30+, against 21 in PIXVIX. Both also open .OXS and .PAT files from other software, which PIXVIX does not yet do.
Tracking PDFs you already own
Pattern Keeper and Markup R-XP read PDF charts bought from other designers. PIXVIX tracks charts made in PIXVIX. Stitchmate’s editor is also free until you download a PDF.
Questions
- Is PIXVIX a good Stitch Fiddle or Stitchmate alternative?
- All three run in the browser. PIXVIX puts the most weight on stitching: guided Journey sections, parking and single-colour focus, and a finish card and certificate. Stitchmate is stronger on thread brands, specialty stitches and file import.
- How is PIXVIX different from Pattern Keeper or Markup R-XP?
- Pattern Keeper and Markup R-XP are trackers for PDF charts you already bought. PIXVIX makes the chart and guides you while you stitch it, in one app that runs on any phone, tablet or computer.
- How large can a PIXVIX chart be?
- Every paid chart — Personal or Business — can be up to 2,000 stitches per side and 2 million stitches in total. The free trial chart is 80 × 80 (blank) or 120 × 120 (demo).
- Do I need to install anything, like with PCStitch or WinStitch?
- No. PIXVIX works in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android, and your charts and stitching progress sync through your account.
- Can I sell patterns I make with PIXVIX?
- Yes, with Business credits. Business includes a commercial license and branded PDFs, subject to your rights to the source artwork. Personal patterns are for your own use.
- How current is this comparison?
- It was checked in September 2026 against each vendor’s official website or app-store listing. Anything a vendor does not state is shown as “—” rather than guessed.
Sources
- Stitchmate — pricing
- Stitchmate — software compared
- Stitchmate — for sellers
- Stitch Fiddle — pricing
- Stitch Fiddle — download & print
- Ursa Software (WinStitch / MacStitch)
- Ursa Software — buy
- PCStitch — features
- PCStitch — product
- Stitchly — FAQ
- Stitchly — App Store
- Pattern Keeper
- Pattern Keeper — Google Play
- Markup R-XP
- Markup R-XP — App Store
- Knytstudio — vs Pattern Keeper
See it on your own photo
Try the demo chart free — no card needed.