Cross stitch software · free during the beta
The cross stitch software that’s free, online and works anywhere
Turn a photo into a chart, draw your design stitch by stitch, pick your DMC or Anchor floss and print a clear PDF pattern. In your browser, nothing to install, or on Windows.
- Free during the beta, PDF included
- Standard DMC and Anchor numbers
- Online or on Windows 10 and 11
Why this one
Cross stitch software made for stitching
What stitchers ask us most before choosing.
Free, for real
The whole studio is free during the beta, PDF pattern included, no credit card. No paying per pattern.
Your floss numbers
DMC, Anchor and six other brands with the numbers on your skein labels, and stitchers’ words: half stitch, three-quarter stitch, skein, Aida. The studio itself speaks French for now.
Online or on Windows
It opens in the browser, on a computer, tablet or phone, with nothing to install. There is also a Windows 10 and 11 app.
Made for stitching
Isolated stitches are flagged before you print, the skein list follows every edit, and stitching mode checks off your stitches as you work.
Features
Everything the software does
Simple mode to get started, Pro mode to fine-tune everything.
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Photo to pattern | A photo becomes a chart with 2 to 64 colors, using your brand’s threads, which you then edit. |
| Stitch-by-stitch drawing | Pencil, eraser, shapes, Bézier curves, paint bucket, eyedropper, symmetry and selection. |
| 21 stitch types | Full cross, half stitch, quarter and three-quarter stitch, petit point, backstitch, French knots and beads on the same grid. |
| Text and alphabets | Names, dates and quotes with the studio’s alphabets, your own, or a TrueType font. |
| 32 layers | Background, subject and text on separate layers. |
| 3,173 threads | DMC, Anchor, Madeira, Sullivans, Gamma, PNK Kirov, Splendor and Mandarin Floss, and one-click switching between brands. |
| Large charts | Up to 512 × 512 stitches. |
| PDF pattern | Symbols, thread key and skein count, in A4, Letter or A3, in color or black and white. |
| Your old files | PCStitch (.pat), Pattern Maker (.xsd), OXS and .wxs patterns open, as do scans and PDFs of symbol charts. |
| Stitch mode | Check off stitches with a finger or the mouse and pick up your progress on another device. |
Compare
Free and online cross stitch software
Prices and features taken from each publisher’s website between October 16, 2026 and November 1, 2026.
| Software | Price | In the browser | Windows | French interface | Photo to pattern | Free PDF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| stixiva | Free during the public beta, with an account, no credit card | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stitchmate | Free to design; printable PDF from $7.99 per pattern (5 for $12, 10 for $20), or a $99 pass ($149 to sell) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Stitch Fiddle | Free version (charts up to 300 × 300); paid Premium plan, price listed on stitchfiddle.com | Yes | No | Not stated | Yes | Not stated |
| FlossCross | Free, no sign-up | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pic2Pat | Free, PDF included (floss and fabric kits sold separately) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PCStitch | $49.95 one-time purchase; free evaluation with no time limit, no registration | No | Yes | Not stated | Yes | No |
| WinStitch and MacStitch | Premium: £46 or equivalent ($47 before tax), one-time purchase; free demo without printing or export | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Online or installed software?
Classic cross stitch programs install on your computer and are bought once. Online software opens in the browser: nothing to install, and your charts follow you from one device to another. stixiva does both: the online studio, and the same thing as a Windows app for those who prefer installed software.
How to make your chart with the software
- Create your free account and open the studio.
- Start from a photo, a name, a blank chart or an old file.
- Choose your thread brand and edit the chart stitch by stitch.
- Check isolated stitches and the skein list.
- Export the PDF pattern, then check off your stitches in stitching mode.
The detailed walkthrough is on the cross stitch pattern makerpage, and every tool is explained in the tools guide. For machine embroidery and PES or DST files, see the embroidery software.
Free tools, no account
For a quick job, the site’s free tools need no account: cross stitch name generator, alphabet, printable blank grid, DMC color chart and floss converter.
Our guides to help you choose
- How to make your own cross stitch pattern, step by step.
- Which free cross stitch software for Windows 10 and 11.
- KG-Chart alternative : free software in 2026.
- How to stitch a name in cross stitch : alphabet, size and centering.
What is the best free cross stitch software?
It depends on what you want to do. To convert a photo quickly, an online converter is enough. To draw, edit and print a real pattern without paying for the PDF, stixiva is free during the beta. The comparison puts the programs side by side, with prices taken from their own websites.
Is there free online cross stitch software?
Yes: stixiva opens in your browser, nothing to install. Create a free account, no credit card, and the whole studio is available, PDF pattern included.
Is the software in English?
This site and its guides are in English. The studio and the PDF pattern are in French for now, but floss numbers are the same in every language and the tools are mostly icons.
Does it work on Windows 10 and Windows 11?
Yes, in two ways: in your browser (Edge, Chrome, Firefox) or with the Windows 10 and 11 app (64-bit), available on the download page.
What about a Mac, a tablet or a phone?
On those devices, the studio opens in the browser. There is no app to install from an app store yet.
Do I need an account?
For the studio, yes: a free account keeps your patterns. The site’s 44 free tools (photo to pattern, names, alphabets, color charts…) work without an account.
Can I use DMC threads?
Yes: DMC, Anchor, Madeira, Sullivans, Gamma, PNK Kirov, Splendor and Mandarin Floss threads are in the studio with their numbers and names, 3,173 threads in all.
Can I turn a photo into a pattern?
Yes: choose the size and 2 to 64 colors. You can then edit the suggested chart stitch by stitch.
Can I open charts from other software?
Yes: PCStitch (.pat), Pattern Maker (.xsd), OXS and .wxs files open in the studio. .oxs export also lets you move on elsewhere.
Do I have to pay for the PDF pattern?
No: during the public beta, the PDF pattern is free, like the rest of the studio.
Can I sell the charts I make?
Yes, your designs belong to you. The pattern can carry your name, your logo and your shop’s address.
Does the software make machine embroidery files?
No: it is made for hand embroidery. It opens embroidery machine files (PES, DST, JEF…) to turn them into a chart, but doesn’t create them.
Try the software on your next chart
Create your free account, no credit card, and open the studio in your browser.
Open the software for freeFree during the beta, no credit card.