Pattern Keeper vs. MarkUp Rx-P: The Ultimate Cross Stitch App Comparison (2025 Review)

If you’re a digital cross stitcher, you’ve probably heard the same two app recommendations over and over when it comes to reading and marking your charts: Pattern Keeper and MarkUp Rx-P. And if you’ve ever wondered which one is easier to use, more intuitive, faster, or better for your stitching style… you’re in the right place.

Now, I’ve been a loyal Pattern Keeper user for years, so yes, I’m biased! But I’ve spent the past week diving into MarkUp Rx-P so I can give you my honest, unfiltered thoughts. This post is based on my experience as of November 2025, so features may evolve over time, but this should give you the clearest picture of how these apps stack up right now. So let's go ahead and dive into this in-depth comparison of these two highly recommended cross stitch apps!

Availability & Device Compatibility

One of the biggest and most immediate differences between the two apps is where you can actually use them.

Pattern Keeper

Pattern Keeper is available exclusively through the Google Play Store, meaning it only runs natively on Android devices. There are workarounds (like using Bluestacks to run it on a computer or Amazon Fire tablet) but they’re exactly that: workarounds.

MarkUp Rx-P

MarkUp Rx-P is available on both the Google Play Store AND the Apple App Store.That means you can use it on:

• Samsung tablets

• iPads

• Android phones

• iPhones

Just like Pattern Keeper, you can use it on a computer with an emulator like Bluestacks.

Syncing Across Devices

Both apps allow you to run projects on multiple devices, but neither supports automatic syncing. You’ll need to manually export and import chart progress each time.

Winner: MarkUp Rx-P

For its availability on both major app ecosystems, MarkUp wins this category hands down.

Pricing

Both apps offer a free 2-week trial, which is great if you want to test them side-by-side.

Pattern Keeper Pricing

After the trial, Pattern Keeper charges a one-time fee of about $9 USD. Since it’s a Swedish app, the exact amount fluctuates with exchange rates.

MarkUp Rx-P Pricing

Markup charges an annual subscription fee of around $20 USD. The exact number also varies depending on your local currency, since it’s a UK-based app.

Markup explains that the subscription supports ongoing development and active feature updates. While I fully support developers being paid for their work, Pattern Keeper is also consistently updated (without an annual cost).

Winner: Pattern Keeper

A one-time fee vs. a recurring subscription is hard to beat.

Upload Process & Speed

To compare each app fairly, I created my own compatible PDF chart in MacStitch and uploaded it to both apps.

Speed

MarkUp Rx-P felt slightly faster when importing a pattern, but that was before I realized there were two different upload options (standard and extra).

Ease of Upload

The upload process is fairly similar between the two. Both require choosing your PDF and letting the app analyze it. MarkUp has a more standardized question process for each chart import, while Pattern Keeper may ask different questions each time based on the chart inputs. Both apps let you manually set things like the chart overlap, symbol key and grid lines in the case that the chart import is not working perfectly.

Winner: Tie

Each app performs well and allows for manual adjustments in the scenario that the chart import is not perfect.

Pattern Compatibility

This is often one of the biggest deciding factors for stitchers.

Pattern Keeper Compatibility

Pattern Keeper has a list of supported designers, meaning their PDFs are structured in a way PK can read flawlessly.

You can use unsupported charts, but:

• You may need to manually enter floss numbers.

• You may have to manually assign symbols.

• You may need to set grid numbers page by page.

It works (most of the time), but it’s a labor-intensive setup.

MarkUp Rx-P Compatibility

Markup claims compatibility with nearly any PDF chart, including many that PK can’t read.

And if something doesn’t import correctly, you can send the chart to the developers for review.

However, during my testing, MarkUp struggled to correctly identify some symbols. The app includes a “symbol sensitivity” adjustment, which seems to exist because the parsing isn’t always perfect.

My Experience

With Pattern Keeper, I’ve consistently had good results even with unsupported charts (as long as I’m willing to manually set things up). With MarkUp, I noticed symbol inconsistencies right away. However, these inconsistencies seem to vanish as long as you're uploading your charts in extra mode and adjusting the symbol sensitivity bar.

Winner: MarkUp

If MarkUp RX-P's claims to work with any PDF chart is wholly accurate, I don't think you can argue the win for them here. However, at least in my experience, Pattern Keeper handles unsupported charts fairly well with a clearer symbol read. If MarkUp's symbol read inconsistencies are a true issue and not just a learning curve for I encountered during my testing process, I would call this category a tie.

User Interface & Ease of Use

This is the most subjective category, but it’s also one of the most important.

After navigating both apps extensively, here are my thoughts:

Pattern Keeper

• Extremely intuitive

• Clean, clear user interface

• Symbol clarity is outstanding

• Search + mark function is effortless

• Thread parking is quick with shortcut double-tap

I never needed a tutorial when I first downloaded PK — everything just made sense.

MarkUp Rx-P

• Solid functionality

• Some features require multiple steps

• Search + mark function feels less intuitive

• I found myself mis-selecting symbols often

• Needed several tutorials to understand certain actions

• Symbol clarity isn’t as sharp as PK, especially for large charts

• Thread parking requires a long-press + menu selection each time

Where MarkUp Shines

One interface feature I really loved in MarkUp is the ability to quickly access the full pattern image and original pattern key. Pattern Keeper makes this a bit clunky. I would also be remiss not to mention that MarkUp really does have more customization options and way more functionality than Pattern Keeper. However, I fear the higher degree of capabilities within MarkUp hinders the interface a bit, making it less intuitive to use overall.

Winner: Pattern Keeper

Pattern Keeper feels faster, clearer, and more intuitive.

Backstitching & Specialty Stitches

Neither app currently supports marking backstitching directly, which is a bummer.

Half Stitches

Both apps display and handle half and quarter stitches well.

French Knots & Backstitching

• Pattern Keeper: You need to view the full PDF separately to reference them.

• MarkUp: No need to navigate to a separate view, french knots and backstitching are visible in the native chart view.

Winner: MarkUp Rx-P

Because it keeps more specialty stitch information visible without having to navigate through the home page to view the original chart PDF like Pattern Keeper requires.

Stat Tracking

This is where MarkUp truly shines!

Both apps track:

• Percentage complete

• Total stitch count

But MarkUp goes further.

MarkUp Rx-P Stats

• Daily stitch count (and it saves historical data!)

• Daily time spent stitching

• Average stitches per day

• Average stitching time per day

• Estimated completion time

Pattern Keeper does track how many stitches you complete in a day, but it resets every morning and does not store the data.

Winner: MarkUp Rx-P

No contest. MarkUp’s analytics are outstanding!

Final Thoughts: Which App Wins?

The truth is that both apps are excellent, and both play an important role in the world of digital cross stitch.

Here’s the breakdown:

Pattern Keeper Wins For:

• Price

• Intuitive user experience

• Symbol clarity

• Thread parking shortcuts

• Working cleanly with supported PDFs

MarkUp Rx-P Wins For:

• Availability on both iOS and Android

• Impressive customization features

• Broader PDF compatibility

• Better specialty stitch visibility

• Incredible stat tracking features

My Personal Choice

Because I’ve used Pattern Keeper for so long, and because of its clarity and ease of use, Pattern Keeper is still my go-to option (for now). But MarkUp Rx-P has some seriously impressive features, and I fully expect it to continue improving. With just a few tweaks to the interface, I could see MarkUp overtaking my top spot in no time.

In the end, the “best” app is the one that matches your stitching style, device, and workflow. Thankfully, both apps offer a free trial, so you can test them side-by-side and see what feels right for you!

Check out my complete, in-depth video review below for a full side-by-side comparison!

Now it’s your turn! Which app do you use? Drop your thoughts, tips, or experiences in the comments!