A Stitchmate Alternative for More Crafts
Stitchmate is a polished browser editor for cross stitch, needlepoint, diamond painting, C2C crochet and fuse beads. ArtPatt is the alternative when your craft is not on that list, knitting colourwork, tapestry or mosaic crochet, machine embroidery, punch needle, latch hook, or when you want a lower price per PDF: $2.99 a pattern against Stitchmate's $5.99.
Updated
Why stitchers look past Stitchmate
Knitting, crochet and embroidery from a photo
Stitchmate covers five crafts. ArtPatt covers 16, and sets each one up for its own stitches: knitting charts use the knitted stitch shape, tapestry and mosaic crochet charts count rows, and embroidery gives you PES, DST, JEF or EXP files for a machine.
A lower price per pattern
A Stitchmate PDF is $5.99 on its own, or $12 for five. An ArtPatt PDF is $2.99, and Pro is $6.99 a month for unlimited patterns and downloads.
Backstitch placed for you
Stitchmate gives you a backstitch tool in its editor. ArtPatt finds outlines in the photo, eyes, lettering, the edge of a pet against the background, and places the backstitch automatically.
Photo stays on your device
Like Stitchmate, ArtPatt converts the photo in your browser. Nothing is uploaded unless you save the pattern to your account.
Stitchmate and ArtPatt compared
- Price
- Stitchmate: Free to design and edit; PDF $5.99 each, 5 for $12, 10 for $20; Personal Pass $14.99 for 30 days or $99 lifetime
- ArtPatt: Free to make and preview one pattern a week, no sign-up. Printable PDF $2.99 per pattern, or Pro $6.99/month or $39.99/year
- Free limit
- Stitchmate: Up to 10 patterns kept at a time, PNG export free
- ArtPatt: One new pattern a week, full chart preview free
- Crafts
- Stitchmate: 5: cross stitch, needlepoint, diamond painting, C2C crochet, fuse beads
- ArtPatt: 16, adding knitting, tapestry, mosaic and filet crochet, machine embroidery, punch needle, latch hook and more
- Thread brands
- Stitchmate: 60+ brands, including DMC, Anchor, Cosmo and Madeira
- ArtPatt: DMC (489 colours); yarn and bead palettes for other crafts
- Backstitch
- Stitchmate: Backstitch tool in the editor
- ArtPatt: Placed automatically along faces, text and edges, editable
- Confetti
- Stitchmate: Low-confetti converter, FLOW score, one-click cleanup
- ArtPatt: Four confetti levels with the share of single stitches shown
- Largest chart
- Stitchmate: 2,000 × 2,000 stitches
- ArtPatt: 2,000 × 2,000 stitches
- Photo upload
- Stitchmate: Converted on your device
- ArtPatt: Converted on your device
- Files
- Stitchmate: Colour, black-and-white and Pattern Keeper PDFs, PNG
- ArtPatt: PDF, PNG, Pattern Keeper-compatible PDF; PES, DST, JEF and EXP for machine embroidery
- Desktop app
- Stitchmate: Mac and Windows, with a lifetime pass
- ArtPatt: Browser only, on phone, tablet or computer
| Feature | Stitchmate | ArtPatt |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to design and edit; PDF $5.99 each, 5 for $12, 10 for $20; Personal Pass $14.99 for 30 days or $99 lifetime | Free to make and preview one pattern a week, no sign-up. Printable PDF $2.99 per pattern, or Pro $6.99/month or $39.99/year |
| Free limit | Up to 10 patterns kept at a time, PNG export free | One new pattern a week, full chart preview free |
| Crafts | 5: cross stitch, needlepoint, diamond painting, C2C crochet, fuse beads | 16, adding knitting, tapestry, mosaic and filet crochet, machine embroidery, punch needle, latch hook and more |
| Thread brands | 60+ brands, including DMC, Anchor, Cosmo and Madeira | DMC (489 colours); yarn and bead palettes for other crafts |
| Backstitch | Backstitch tool in the editor | Placed automatically along faces, text and edges, editable |
| Confetti | Low-confetti converter, FLOW score, one-click cleanup | Four confetti levels with the share of single stitches shown |
| Largest chart | 2,000 × 2,000 stitches | 2,000 × 2,000 stitches |
| Photo upload | Converted on your device | Converted on your device |
| Files | Colour, black-and-white and Pattern Keeper PDFs, PNG | PDF, PNG, Pattern Keeper-compatible PDF; PES, DST, JEF and EXP for machine embroidery |
| Desktop app | Mac and Windows, with a lifetime pass | Browser only, on phone, tablet or computer |
Stitchmate details checked on stitchmate.app on 11 October 2026. See the ArtPatt pricing for what each plan includes.
Other Stitchmate alternatives
FlossCross suits you when you design charts stitch by stitch, want everything free, and work with OXS files from WinStitch or MacStitch. It is a capable editor for designers who already know what they want to draw.
Stitch Fiddle suits you when you design your own motifs stitch by stitch, want written row instructions for knitting or crochet, or like to share charts and work on them with friends. It also covers quilts, pixel macrame and latch hook as drawing grids.
Pic2Pat gives you a free photo to cross stitch PDF, with an optional floss and fabric kit.
PCStitch and WinStitch / MacStitch are paid desktop programs for designers who publish and sell patterns.
Stitchmate Alternative FAQ
What is the best app to turn a photo into a cross stitch pattern?
For cross stitch alone, Stitchmate, Pic2Pat and FlossCross are all good photo-to-chart tools. ArtPatt is the best fit when you want automatic backstitch and confetti control, or the same photo as a diamond painting, crochet graph or knitting chart. It runs in the browser on a phone, is free to make and preview, and the PDF is $2.99.
What is the best AI cross stitch pattern generator?
Most good converters, ArtPatt and Stitchmate included, do not use generative AI on your photo: they match each stitch to a real DMC colour, so the chart stays faithful to the picture. ArtPatt also has an optional "Make a picture with AI" step if you have no photo and want to describe one in words, then turns that picture into a chart.
Is Stitchmate free?
Designing, editing and progress tracking in Stitchmate are free, with up to 10 patterns kept at a time and free PNG exports. The printable PDF costs $5.99 per pattern, 5 for $12, 10 for $20, or comes with a Personal Pass ($14.99 for 30 days or $99 lifetime). Prices from stitchmate.app, October 2026.
Does ArtPatt support Anchor or other thread brands?
ArtPatt charts floss in 489 DMC colours, and has a DMC to Anchor conversion chart for stitchers who use Anchor. Stitchmate supports more than 60 thread brands, so it is the better pick if you stitch with Cosmo, Madeira or hand-dyed floss.