BeadApp › Comparisons › Loomerly
BeadApp vs Loomerly
Loomerly is an iPhone, iPad and Mac app for loom, peyote and brick patterns, sold as a one-time purchase. BeadApp is a free bead pattern studio that runs in any browser, with 700+ free patterns in 1,500+ colorways, freeform design, 3D preview and Step-by-Step weaving.
A fair comparison from an interested party. We make BeadApp, so we're not neutral. We've checked every fact and named where Loomerly has an edge. Last checked: loomerly.com and its App Store listing, 9 October 2026. Features change — please try both and decide for yourself.
BeadApp vs Loomerly, side by side
| BeadApp | Loomerly | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free · Pro $9.99/mo ($79.99/yr) | One-time $75 (offer $29.99) |
| Stitches on the free plan | Almost all 20+ | Trial only |
| Free patterns & starters | 700+ patterns / 1,500+ colorways | None |
| Stitches supported | 20+ incl. peyote variants, herringbone, RAW, St. Petersburg, rope, kumihimo, knitting, fuse | 3 (loom, peyote, brick) |
| Freeform (off-grid) design | Yes — Open Studio | Not offered |
| Realistic finish (matte, metallic, AB, lined) | Yes — in the chart and the 3D preview | Not stated |
| 3D preview | Yes, free | No |
| Step-by-step while beading | Yes, free | Progress tracking |
| Photo → pattern | Yes, free | Yes |
| Printable pattern | Free (small watermark; Pro removes it) | Yes (full version) |
| Real bead product photos | Yes | No |
| Devices | Any browser; installs as an app | Apple only (Mac needs M1+) |
| Ads | None | None |
| Order the exact beads | Yes — shopping list of real Delica codes | No |
Green = free or a strength · red = paid-only, missing or a weakness.
The details
Price
Free to try, then a one-time purchase: $75 list, with a $29.99 offer showing. BeadApp is free, with Pro at $9.99/mo for higher limits and clean exports.
Devices
Loomerly runs only on Apple devices, and the Mac build needs an M1 chip or later. BeadApp runs on Windows, Chromebook, Android, iPhone and iPad and syncs between them.
Stitches
Loomerly covers loom, peyote and brick. BeadApp covers 20+, plus freeform.
Colour and finish
Loomerly says nothing about rendering bead finish, and one App Store reviewer calls the colours muddy. BeadApp draws matte, metallic, AB, silver-lined and transparent beads differently, in the chart and in 3D.
Patterns
Loomerly has no library. BeadApp has 700+ free patterns in 1,500+ colorways.
Why beaders choose BeadApp
- Start from 700+ free patterns in 1,500+ colorways — open one, change anything, print it.
- Freeform Open Studio: place beads anywhere, off the grid. None of the other apps here offer that.
- Finish is drawn, not flattened: matte, metallic, AB, silver-lined and transparent beads look different on the chart and in 3D.
- Real product photos of the beads, plus a 3D preview of the finished piece — both free.
- Step-by-Step mode shows one row at a time and keeps your screen awake, free.
- Photo to pattern, printable chart, word chart, colour key and finished size — all on the free plan.
- Every colour is a real, orderable Miyuki Delica code, with a one-tap shopping list.
- 20+ stitches and techniques, including circular and tubular peyote, St. Petersburg, kumihimo, bead crochet, bead knitting and fuse beads.
- Line, rectangle and gradient drawing tools; bead substitution; import an existing PDF pattern.
- No ads. Works on any device with a browser, installs like an app, syncs through the cloud.
Where Loomerly has an edge
- One-time purchase. No subscription.
- Offline Apple app. Rated 4.8 stars from 805 App Store ratings.
Verdict
Choose Loomerly if you're all-Apple, only do loom, peyote and brick and want to pay once. Otherwise choose BeadApp.
Try BeadApp freeBrowse 700+ free patterns in 1,500+ colorwaysVisit Loomerly
Every bead app we compared
| BeadApp | PlanBead | Beadographer | Loomerly | BeadTool 4 | BeadBrush | MakeBead | Loomet | JBead | Beadifier | Pixel-Beads | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free · Pro $9.99/mo ($79.99/yr) | Free · $9.99/mo or $49.99/yr | Free · $14.99/yr | One-time $75 (offer $29.99) | $49.95 one-time | Free · $5/mo ($45/yr) | Free | Free · Maker $49/yr or $5.99/mo | Free, open source | Free, browser-based | Free |
| Stitches on the free plan | Almost all 20+ | Basic grids | ~17 (no saving on free) | Trial only | No saving without licence | 7 layouts, last 3 files reopenable | Peyote, brick, loom, RAW + fuse | Square/loom; peyote, brick beta | 1 | Fuse only | Fuse only |
| Free patterns & starters | 700+ patterns / 1,500+ colorways | 100+, many locked | None | None | None | None | Community gallery | None | None | None | None |
| Stitches supported | 20+ incl. peyote variants, herringbone, RAW, St. Petersburg, rope, kumihimo, knitting, fuse | Loom, peyote, brick, herringbone, leaf, fringe, triangle, star, tubular peyote, rope, more | 17 layouts incl. Huichol, medallion, warped square, RAW | 3 (loom, peyote, brick) | 6 families (loom/square, brick, peyote 1-9 drop, tubular peyote, gourd, RAW) | 7 (loom, peyote, brick, warped square, triangle, star, kaleidocycle) | Peyote, brick, loom, RAW; fuse, kandi, other crafts | Square, loom; peyote, brick, double brick in beta | 1 (bead crochet rope) | Fuse beads only | Fuse beads only |
| Freeform (off-grid) design | Yes — Open Studio | Not offered | Layout editor in Beadographer 5, in development | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| Realistic finish (matte, metallic, AB, lined) | Yes — in the chart and the 3D preview | Real Miyuki bead images (MatchBead) | Yes — matte/gloss, transparent, inside-colour, metallic tint | Not stated | Not stated | Yes — matte, metallic, AB, transparent, glossy, lined | Flat averaged colour (its site says lined and AB differ in person) | Finish names only | Flat colour and symbols | Flat palette colours | Flat palette colours |
| 3D preview | Yes, free | Premium (unlimited 3D previews) | No | No | No | No | No | No | Rope simulation | No | No |
| Step-by-step while beading | Yes, free | Yes — Weaving Mode | Yes, free | Progress tracking | No | Paid | Numbered rows + tracker | Yes (Build Mode, beta) | No | No | No |
| Photo → pattern | Yes, free | Yes; some modes premium | Yes, free | Yes | Yes | Yes, free | Yes, free | Square/loom; others beta | No | Yes | Yes |
| Printable pattern | Free (small watermark; Pro removes it) | Premium only | Membership only | Yes (full version) | Yes (licence) | Paid | Free, watermarked | Free with watermark | Yes | PDF, SVG, PNG, XLSX | PDF, Excel |
| Real bead product photos | Yes | Yes (MatchBead) | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Devices | Any browser; installs as an app | iOS, Android, Windows apps | Browser: Windows, Mac, iPad | Apple only (Mac needs M1+) | Windows; Mac is Intel-only, not macOS 26 | Browser | Browser | Browser | Windows, Mac (Apple silicon), Linux | Browser | Browser |
| Ads | None | None seen | None | None | None | None | Yes | None | None | None | None |
| Order the exact beads | Yes — shopping list of real Delica codes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Green = free or a strength · red = paid-only, missing or a weakness. Every app rechecked on 9 October 2026.
Questions
Is BeadApp better than Loomerly?
Choose Loomerly if you're all-Apple, only do loom, peyote and brick and want to pay once. Otherwise choose BeadApp.
How many free patterns does BeadApp have?
700+ free patterns in 1,500+ colorways in the marketplace, free to open, edit and print. The current exact count is on our FAQ.
Which bead apps support freeform design?
BeadApp's Open Studio lets you place beads anywhere, off the grid. None of the other apps we compared offer freeform design today.
How much does Loomerly cost?
One-time $75 (offer $29.99).
Can I try BeadApp without an account?
Yes. Open a pattern, a blank grid or a photo and start designing in your browser.
Who wrote this comparison?
The BeadApp team. We're not neutral, so we name where Loomerly has an edge and link to it so you can try both.
Spotted something wrong or out of date? Email support@beadapp.io and we'll fix it. Loomerly is a trademark of its owner; BeadApp is not affiliated with it. All comparisons.