Ink/Stitch vs StitchConsole

Ink/Stitch is a machine embroidery design platform built around Inkscape and SVG, available as an extension for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It requires Inkscape 1.0.2 or higher and is free to use under GNU GPL version 3.0 or later. Designs can use running, bean, ripple, satin, fill, cutwork, redwork, and tartan stitches, with manual stitch placement also available. Lettering tools support typing with pre-digitized fonts or creating custom fonts. Users can preview an animated stitch-out or a stitch plan, then make a PDF with realistic rendering or line-drawing mode. Thread tools allow installation of palettes from more than 60 manufacturers, creation of custom palettes, and matching design colors to a selected palette. Ink/Stitch imports and exports embroidery formats including DST, EXP, JEF, PEC, PES, VP3, and XXX, and can export a detailed PDF view. It offers appliqué tools, vector import, and stitch simulation, but not auto-digitizing. Brother PEC and PES files cannot save more than 255 color changes.

StitchConsole is a browser-based studio for creating and editing embroidery designs. Its free plan includes run, satin, and fill stitch tools, editable pen and Bezier paths, underlay, pull compensation, density controls, and object auto-splitting. The image converter turns artwork into editable stitch objects; the first ten conversions are free, and images are read in the browser. It opens around thirty embroidery machine formats and exports DST, PES, JEF, EXP, VP3, PEC, XXX, U01, TBF, and PMV. Users can inspect stitch simulation, measurements, colour lists, and stitch counts before export. The free plan allows unlimited designs, with ten designs synced at a time and ten image conversions. Pro costs $19 a month and adds lettering, appliqué, motif fill and run, program split, unlimited auto-digitize, AI Assist, optimisers, bulk export, and an unlimited cloud library. The app runs in a browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS without an installer or plugin. Auto-digitizing works best with flat artwork; gradients and photographs do not convert well.