Pattern Keeper vs Knytstudio: Progress Tracking on Any Device (2026)
Pattern Keeper is the app that taught cross stitchers to ditch the highlighter and stitch from a tablet — and it has earned its devoted following. It is also Android-only, which leaves every iPhone and iPad stitcher searching for an alternative. Knytstudio's progress tracker runs in the browser on any device, tracks backstitch and parked threads, and keeps your progress in sync. Here is an honest comparison.
The short version
Choose Pattern Keeper if you...
- You stitch from purchased PDF patterns — Pattern Keeper's PDF chart parsing is its superpower
- You are on Android and want fully offline tracking
- You want no account at all - Pattern Keeper needs none
- You prefer a one-time purchase over accounts and apps in the cloud
Choose Knytstudio if you...
- You use an iPhone, iPad, or computer — Pattern Keeper is Android-only
- You design patterns or convert photos, and want design and stitching in one app
- You want your progress synced, so the couch tablet and the bus phone always agree
- You track backstitch and outlines, not just full crosses - Pattern Keeper never has
- You use the parking method and want each parked needle remembered by corner, synced across devices
- You want to try tracking free (your first pattern is included) and pay per pattern or a small monthly Pro, not per platform
- You stitch community patterns, remixes, or your own designs
Platform and pricing
| Feature | Knytstudio | Pattern Keeper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | First pattern free; then from 2.99 EUR per pattern or Pro at 4 EUR/month | One-time purchase (Google Play) |
| Platform | Any browser: iPhone, iPad, Android, desktop | Android phones and tablets |
| Works offline | Marks made offline sync later (open the pattern online first) | |
| Account | Free account (keeps progress synced) | None needed |
Tracking while you stitch
| Feature | Knytstudio | Pattern Keeper |
|---|---|---|
| Mark stitches as completed | ||
| Follow one color at a time | ||
| Progress percentage | ||
| Progress synced across devices | ||
| Parking technique tools | Park by stitch, needle corner remembered, synced | |
| Backstitch tracking | ||
| Mark whole 10x10 blocks | ||
| Finish date forecast and target pace | ||
| Night stitching theme | Limited | |
| Replay your marking history | ||
| Fractional stitches | Beta |
Where your patterns come from
This is the real difference between the two: Pattern Keeper reads charts you bought elsewhere, Knytstudio tracks patterns made in Knytstudio.
| Feature | Knytstudio | Pattern Keeper |
|---|---|---|
| Purchased PDF charts | Parses PDF charts into interactive patterns | |
| Design your own patterns | Full editor included | |
| Photo to pattern | ||
| Community patterns and remixing | ||
| Generate a pattern from a description |
Respect first
Pattern Keeper deserves its reputation. Its PDF parsing — taking a chart bought from any designer and turning it into a tappable, highlightable pattern — is genuinely hard to do and nobody does it better. If you are an Android stitcher with a folder of purchased PDFs, it remains the tool to beat, and this page will not talk you out of it.
The iOS-shaped hole
The trouble is everyone else. Pattern Keeper has never shipped on iPhone or iPad, and a large share of stitchers live there. Knytstudio’s progress tracker runs in the browser, so the device question simply disappears: mark stitches on the iPad on the couch, check your percentage on the phone at lunch, and everything stays in sync through your account.
The tracking covers the whole chart: tap or drag to mark crosses, a search mode that highlights one color at a time with the thread number in place, backstitch marked line by line, parked threads remembered by stitch and corner, whole 10x10 blocks marked in one tap, a lock against stray taps, a projected finish date with a target pace, a night theme for evening sessions, and a replay of your marking history. Backstitch deserves underlining: Pattern Keeper has never tracked it, and it is the gap its own users mention most.
Different starting points
The deeper difference is where your pattern comes from. Pattern Keeper starts from a PDF someone else made. Knytstudio starts from the pattern itself: convert a photo, design from scratch, generate from a description, or remix a community pattern — then stitch it with the tracker, no export-import step in between.
So the honest summary: if your stitching life is purchased PDFs on Android, stay with Pattern Keeper. If you make, convert, or remix your patterns — or you simply own an iPhone — try the tracker free and see how it fits your stitching rhythm.
Try Knytstudio for free
The full editor is free to use — design up to three patterns without paying anything, right in your browser.
Start designingFrequently asked questions
Can Knytstudio track a PDF pattern I bought from a designer?
No, and we will not pretend otherwise — parsing purchased PDF charts is Pattern Keeper's home turf. Knytstudio tracks patterns in your Knytstudio library: your own designs, photo conversions, generated designs, and community patterns you have remixed.
Does Knytstudio's progress tracker work on iPhone and iPad?
Yes. It runs in the browser, so iPhone, iPad, Android, and computers are all first-class. This is the single most common reason stitchers come to us from Pattern Keeper.
Is the progress tracker free?
Your first pattern tracks free forever after you sign up, PDF export included. After that, unlock individual patterns from 2.99 EUR or go Pro at 4 EUR/month for unlimited tracking. One account covers iPhone, iPad, Android and desktop - there is no separate purchase per platform.
Does Knytstudio track backstitch?
Yes. Switch the tracker to the Backstitch target and tap a line when it is stitched, or drag along a run of lines. Backstitch counts toward your progress and gets its own rows in the per-color list. Pattern Keeper has never tracked backstitch.
Does Knytstudio support the parking method?
Yes. Park a thread at the stitch where the needle comes up next and record which corner it sits in. Parked needles show on the chart, are listed with their row and column, and one tap jumps you back to any of them. Parks sync with your progress across devices.
Is Pattern Keeper still maintained?
It remains available on Google Play and works well for many stitchers, though updates have been infrequent in recent years — one reason so many people search for alternatives. We recommend checking its store page for the current state before buying.
Facts about both products last reviewed August 31, 2026. Spotted something outdated? Email us at hello@knytstudio.com.