ApS-Ethos vs DRAWings PRO XII

ApS-Ethos is a Windows embroidery software suite from CadCam Technology, divided into Organiser, Writer, Creative Writer, Innovator, Artisan Plus, and Virtuoso Plus levels. Digitising tools can load or scan image and vector artwork and convert it into embroidery designs automatically. AutoStitch handles image, AI, EPS, and DXF files, and designs can be sent from Corel Draw or Adobe Illustrator for conversion. Smart Text adjusts lettering for its selected size, including openings, underlay, and stitch density. The suite includes more than 150 lettering styles; Innovator adds over 90 emblem shapes and 180 fill, satin, and running-stitch patterns. Organiser stores, transfers, and monitors designs in a network-shareable MS Access-compatible database, imports and exports major industrial machine formats, and connects with embroidery machines. Virtuoso Plus is aimed at high-volume production, design departments, and colleges. Prices are available through main dealers. Registered users can download updates. Laser software development has stopped.

DRAWings PRO XII is graphics and production software for embroidery, textile and screen printing, computerized quilting, cut and stencil crafting, and fabric painting. It runs on Windows and macOS and imports vector and bitmap graphics, alongside support for many embroidery machine formats. Tools include automatic scaling to fit a design within a hoop, stitch-density adjustment within a 25% range, auto-digitizing, stitch simulation and appliqué. Version XII adds a patent-pending Sketch stitch engine, support for additional embroidery machine models and hoop sizes, and printouts that can include barcodes for compatible machines to load designs with stitch-count and color-change information. The package contains 204 embroidery-ready clipart items, 147 cut vector designs and more than 3,000 embroidery designs. Users can copy and paste designs from CorelDRAW or import CMX files exported from it, but DRAW-Stitch functionality is no longer available in this version. The full downloadable package costs $2,199, paid once. A free trial is available after submitting an evaluation form; review may take up to one business day. Activation and updates require an active internet connection.