mySewnet Embroidery vs Octostitch

mySewnet Embroidery is now presented under the CREATIVATE name, with former mySewnet subscriptions renamed Essential, Extra, and Elite. The embroidery offering includes software, ready-made designs, tutorials, and project inspiration. Tools cover design adjustment and editing, lettering, embroidery wizards, digitizing, stitch editing, embellishments, custom shapes, and appliqués. The embroidery catalog advertises more than 9,600 designs and fonts in multiple formats. The maker says the software works with embroidery machines of any brand, though premium designs are limited to mySewnet-enabled and CREATIVATE-enabled machines. Desktop, mobile, and tablet software is offered for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Vault/Cloud can organize and store designs and send files to CREATIVATE-enabled machines. Basic is free with 100MB of Vault storage; each paid membership shown includes 2GB. Essential costs $99.99 a year, Extra costs $199.99 a year, and Elite costs $399.99 a year. Windows and Mac have stated minimum requirements, including 4GB RAM and internet access.

Octostitch is desktop embroidery digitising software for craft businesses and hobbyists, with tools to create designs and prepare them for embroidery machines. Stitches appear as you draw, and a sew-out playback lets you review the design. Stitch options include satin with automatic underlay, tatami and guided fills, appliqué, bean stitch, and cut lines. Guided auto-digitising lets you crop artwork, choose threads, remove the background with a brush, and assign stitches. The thread library covers Madeira, Isacord, Robison-Anton, Sulky, Gunold, and Brother. You can also make and share reusable fonts, decorative patterns, and tatami fills. Octostitch imports and exports PES, DST, JEF, VP3, EXP, XXX, HUS, and TAP formats, and runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. The free trial lets you explore the digitising workflow, but saving projects and exporting machine formats require a licence. The one-time price is £40. The purchase includes commercial use with no extra licence or per-design fees.