A WinStitch and MacStitch Alternative for iPad and the Browser
WinStitch (Windows) and MacStitch (Mac) from Ursa Software are full desktop design programs, £46 for the Premium edition. ArtPatt is the alternative when you want to work on an iPad or phone, mainly turn photos into charts, or pay per pattern instead of buying software: it runs in the browser, places backstitch automatically and makes patterns for 16 crafts, with the PDF at $2.99.
Updated
Why stitchers look past WinStitch
You stitch from an iPad or phone
Ursa Software notes that iPads cannot run Mac software, so MacStitch needs a Mac and WinStitch a Windows 10/11 PC. ArtPatt runs in the browser on iPad, iPhone and Android as well as on computers.
A photo in, a chart out
WinStitch and MacStitch are built for designers: layers, motifs, colourways, onion skin, stock lists. ArtPatt is built around the photo — DMC matching, confetti control and backstitch placed along edges for you — and keeps the editor for fixing what the conversion missed.
Pay per pattern
The Premium edition is £46 (or local equivalent) and pays off for regular designers. For a few patterns, ArtPatt's free preview and $2.99 PDF cost less.
More crafts set up for you
WinStitch also exports crochet and knitting charts. ArtPatt goes further with diamond painting drill counts, tapestry and mosaic crochet, Perler beads, latch hook, punch needle and machine embroidery files — 16 crafts in all.
WinStitch and ArtPatt compared
- Price
- WinStitch: Premium edition £46 or local equivalent, one-time; Mac + Windows bundle and lifetime upgrades optional
- 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 version
- WinStitch: Demo with almost all features; cannot print or export your own charts
- ArtPatt: One new pattern a week, full chart preview free
- Runs on
- WinStitch: Windows 10/11 (WinStitch), macOS 10.14+ (MacStitch); not iPad
- ArtPatt: Any browser: Mac, Windows, iPad, Android, iPhone, Chromebook
- Photo to chart
- WinStitch: Image import with colour choice, petit point detail option
- ArtPatt: Photo to chart with DMC matching, confetti control and automatic backstitch
- Largest chart
- WinStitch: 999 × 999 stitches, 254 colours
- ArtPatt: 2,000 × 2,000 stitches
- Stitches
- WinStitch: Full, half, quarter, backstitch, knots, beads, chain stitch, bugle beads
- ArtPatt: Full, three-quarter, half and quarter stitches, backstitch, French knots
- Files
- WinStitch: Print, PDF (one-click Pattern Keeper), PNG; opens PCStitch .pat v4–7
- ArtPatt: PDF, PNG, Pattern Keeper-compatible PDF; PES, DST, JEF and EXP for machine embroidery
- Crafts
- WinStitch: Cross stitch, plus crochet (incl. C2C, Tunisian), knitting, canvas and diamond painting output
- ArtPatt: 16, including tapestry and mosaic crochet, Perler beads, latch hook and punch needle
| Feature | WinStitch | ArtPatt |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Premium edition £46 or local equivalent, one-time; Mac + Windows bundle and lifetime upgrades optional | 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 version | Demo with almost all features; cannot print or export your own charts | One new pattern a week, full chart preview free |
| Runs on | Windows 10/11 (WinStitch), macOS 10.14+ (MacStitch); not iPad | Any browser: Mac, Windows, iPad, Android, iPhone, Chromebook |
| Photo to chart | Image import with colour choice, petit point detail option | Photo to chart with DMC matching, confetti control and automatic backstitch |
| Largest chart | 999 × 999 stitches, 254 colours | 2,000 × 2,000 stitches |
| Stitches | Full, half, quarter, backstitch, knots, beads, chain stitch, bugle beads | Full, three-quarter, half and quarter stitches, backstitch, French knots |
| Files | Print, PDF (one-click Pattern Keeper), PNG; opens PCStitch .pat v4–7 | PDF, PNG, Pattern Keeper-compatible PDF; PES, DST, JEF and EXP for machine embroidery |
| Crafts | Cross stitch, plus crochet (incl. C2C, Tunisian), knitting, canvas and diamond painting output | 16, including tapestry and mosaic crochet, Perler beads, latch hook and punch needle |
WinStitch details checked on ursasoftware.com on 29 October 2026. See the ArtPatt pricing for what each plan includes.
Other WinStitch 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.
Stitchmate suits you when you stitch with Anchor, Cosmo, Madeira or hand-dyed floss, sell patterns and want your own branding on the PDF, or want a desktop app that works offline. Its FLOW score and confetti cleanup are well made.
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.
PCStitch suits you when you design original cross stitch on a Windows PC and want specialty stitches, Mill Hill beads, a big motif and font library, and DMC, Anchor, Kreinik and Coats floss in one program you own outright.
Pic2Pat gives you a free photo to cross stitch PDF, with an optional floss and fabric kit.
WinStitch Alternative FAQ
What is a good alternative to WinStitch or MacStitch?
PCStitch is the other long-running desktop designer, Windows only. For turning photos into charts without installing software, ArtPatt runs in any browser including iPad, places backstitch automatically and makes crochet, knitting and diamond painting patterns too; the preview is free and the PDF $2.99. FlossCross is a free browser editor for drawing charts by hand.
Is there a WinStitch or MacStitch app for iPad?
No. Ursa Software states that iPads cannot run Mac software; MacStitch needs macOS 10.14 or later and WinStitch Windows 10 or later. Ursa's iPad app, XStitch Markup, is for marking up charts, not designing. ArtPatt runs in the iPad browser.
Is WinStitch free?
There is a free demo with almost all features: you can design, import and save, but you cannot print or export a chart you made until you buy the full version (£46 Premium or local equivalent, from ursasoftware.com, October 2026).
Do WinStitch and ArtPatt both make Pattern Keeper PDFs?
Yes. WinStitch and MacStitch Premium have a one-click Pattern Keeper PDF; ArtPatt Pro PDFs include a Pattern Keeper-compatible profile.