Boldbobbin vs Embird
Boldbobbin
boldbobbin.com
Embird
embird.netSide by side
| Figure | Boldbobbin | Embird |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $21/mo | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 13 | 14 |
| Spec score · Embroidery Design Software | 9.4 (#1) | 8.8 (#4) |
| API and SDK | The public documentation describes the editor and file formats but does not publish a developer API or SDK. | The maker's product, download and manual pages describe plug-ins but do not document a public API or SDK. |
| Auto-digitizing | The software can turn images into editable embroidery stitches automatically. | Studio includes a trace tool that converts selected bitmap areas into vector objects and stitch-filled embroidery. |
| Company | The site identifies Boldbobbin GmbH as a Swiss limited liability company and says it is built in Switzerland. | BALARAD, s.r.o. is described as a family-owned private limited liability company registered in the Slovak Republic, and the maker says it has developed Embird since 1997. |
| Documentation | Documentation covers installation, tutorials, core concepts, reference tables, how-to guides and troubleshooting, but warns that some pages await human review. | The maker publishes FAQ pages, task tutorials, module manuals and a 348-page Studio Next user guide. |
| Lettering | Boldbobbin includes six digitized fonts, supports importing personal typefaces and provides a lettering editor. | Font Engine creates embroidery lettering from installed TrueType and OpenType fonts. |
| Security and privacy | The privacy policy says data protection follows Swiss nFADP and, where applicable, GDPR, with designs hosted primarily in Germany through Hetzner. | The privacy page says the site uses cookies and Google Analytics to track website interactions and does not sell, rent, or lease customer lists. |
| Support | Personal users receive Discord community support, while Pro adds email support and Business/Max add priority support. | The maker lists support and training resources, including text tutorials, video tutorials, and a contact page. |
| System requirements | Desktop releases target Windows and macOS; Linux is described as best-effort rather than an official release target, and the web app needs WebGPU for realistic rendering. | The product page lists Windows compatibility, at least 2 GB RAM and 1920×1024 display resolution; Mac use requires Wine or Parallels. |
| What it does | Boldbobbin converts artwork, lettering and imported designs into stitch files for embroidery machines. | Embird is modular software for machine embroidery digitizing, quilting, customization, editing, conversion and design management. |
Plans
Boldbobbin
- PersonalFree
- PersonalFree
- 500-credit pack$10, paid once
- Pro$21 a month
- 1,500-credit pack$25, paid once
- 3,500-credit pack$50, paid once
- Business$83.33 a month
- 8,000-credit pack$100, paid once
- Max$166.67 a month
- Pro subscription$252 a year
Embird
- Pre-digitized Alphabets$15, paid once
- Pre-digitized Alphabets$15, paid once
- Iconizer$20, paid once
- Iconizer$20, paid once
- Cross Stitch$75, paid once
- Cross Stitch$75, paid once
- Sfumato Stitch$90, paid once
- Sfumato Stitch$90, paid once
- Font Engine$145, paid once
- Font Engine$145, paid once
In their own words
Boldbobbin
Boldbobbin is an embroidery digitizing workspace for creating and editing machine-ready designs. Its auto-digitizing tool turns images into editable embroidery designs, and the software also offers photostitch and a pixel art editor. The editor supports parametric modeling, running stitch, satin columns, tatami fill, and special fills. Users can import their own fonts and adjust how each letter stitches. Exports include machine formats such as PES, PEC, DST, JEF, EXP, VP3, XXX, and U01, as well as SVG and PNG. The site lists compatibility references including Brother, Bernina, Janome, Elna, Pfaff, Husqvarna Viking, BAI, Tajima, Ricoma, and Baby Lock. Designs can be stored in the cloud and shared by URL for browser viewing. The free Personal plan is for non-commercial use, with six fonts and cloud storage for ten designs; image and video exports have a watermark, but machine files do not. Pro permits commercial sales of embroidered goods and exported machine files, but native.vemb project files cannot be resold standalone. Pro is $21 per month, billed yearly at $252.
Embird
Embird is modular software for machine embroidery digitizing, quilting and customization. Its Basic program resizes, splits, edits, displays, prints and converts embroidery designs. The maker lists support for more than 70 embroidery file formats and 20 home and industrial machine brands. Optional plug-ins add digitizing, lettering, cross-stitch design and conversion of TrueType fonts into embroidery. Embird Basic costs $149, paid once, with plug-ins sold separately; listed plug-in prices range from $15, paid once for Pre-digitized Alphabets, billed per alphabet, to $150, paid once for Digitizing Tools. The demo runs for up to 30 days or 100 runs, and some plug-in demos restrict saving or available characters. Embird is a 32-bit and 64-bit Windows application; the download page lists Embird 2026 for Windows 11 and previous versions. For Mac OS X, the maker describes using the Windows software with Wine or Parallels Desktop. Support resources include text and video tutorials, training and a contact page. One license password may be used on two computers owned by the license holder if no one else uses the software on them.