There are loads of really great paid cross stitch pattern generators out there, but what about the free ones? Do they stack up?
Updated April 2021.
 
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Free Online cross stitch generators:

stitchfiddle.com – 10/10

Based on 3467 reviews
Long been our favorite free pattern generator, with a really large 2000×2000 size stitching area and the ability to have both DMC and Anchor threads its a great option for anyone.
 

myphotostitch.com – 6/10

Based on 492 reviews
With a limited 150×120 stitch area its a little annoying, but the real beauty of myphotstitch.com is the ease of use. Select your image, and it does it all for you. The only options you get are changing the size (it defaults to maximum), but it’s the easiest of all pattern makers around.
However, that said, I would suggest using the advanced version (also free), which gives a few more options.
 

patternsforyou.com – 6/10

Based on 3465 reviews
All online pattern makers have one big problem: limitations. However, of all the online pattern makers I’ve used, patternsforyou.com has the least. With a large 300×300 stitching area, quite good image editing and color selection, it’s the best one.
 

FreePatternWizard – 5.5/10

Based on 31 reviews
Photo2CrossStitch, or FreePatternWizard as it’s now known has come a long way recently, and whilst it initially looks quite simplistic, just become a member (also free) to see a whole bunch of advanced features!
 

pixel-stitch.net – 5.5/10

Based on 125 reviews
A simple image upload pattern creator, might not have and advanced features you’re looking for as a full-time designer, but with great color picking and no size limits, it’s a nice choice.
 

FlossCross – 5.5/10
Based on 5 reviews
The biggest issue with FlossCross is the size limitations. With only a 300×300 stitching area it’s often just a bit too small for most people. However, it does have some good image creation, so as long as you only want a small pattern, this is a great choice.
 

I’ll Do It Myself – 5/10
Based on 8 reviews
A slightly confusing name, this online generator does a good job at converting images, but lacks some of the features you’d expect from other systems like volume of colors.
 

Free PC cross stitch generator:

BlendThreads – 8/10
Based on 542 reviews
BlendThreads is fantastic as s gree program. It isn’t super user-friendly, however with some really great advanced features, including blending threads (something you don’t see on many paid programs), and a thread selector that uses only the threads you already own, this program is great. It truly is a great alternative to paid programs.
However, be aware it isn’t tested on Windows 8 or 10; it should work, but if you have issues there’s no support.
 

Stitch Art Easy! – 6/10

Based on 242 reviews
Free is sadly not what you first expect here. It’s free but comes with limits. If you want to make only one pattern and never look at pattern creation again, this is a nice option, but if you need more features, or want to use it more than once, a paid alternative is probably best. If you do upgrade, WinStitch or MacStitch is most similar in design.
 

Ryijy Stitch Designer – 3/10
Based on 23 reviews
Ryijy is a Finnish program used to make rugs, however, it can also do cross stitch patterns. It currently only works with DMC threads, however, most other cross stitch programs out there use code from this program. Does that make it worth getting? Not for us, newer programs have built on this in a big way.
 

Crosti – 2/10
Based on 12 reviews
The Crosti app is a great little program, however, the PC version is a pale imitation, and really struggles to even create the most basic of patterns.
 

Free Mac cross stitch generators:

stitchfiddle.com – 10/10
Based on 3467 reviews
If you wanted a free mac cross stitch pattern maker, I have some bad news; there isn’t one. But that doesn’t mean Mac users can’t make patterns for free. We’d suggest stitchfiddle.com a great free online application that does a great job. Does it compete with the likes of MacStitch? No. But its a great beginner program if you’re interested in pattern making.
 

Free iPad & iPhone cross stitch generator:

Magic Needle – 9/10
Based on 794 reviews
When we first tried Magic Needle we were expecting something bad, but it really surprised us. It’s a basic image upload pattern generator, however don’t think that makes it bad. It produced truly stunning patterns with a super easy interface.
 

Free Android cross stitch generators:

xStitching – 8/10
Based on 396 reviews
Android devices still struggle on the cross stitch pattern making front compared to other devices, however xStitching does a good job. Its had a bit of a spotty development though, and PDF saving still isn’t an option.