How to choose a crochet app in 2026
Last updated · by Cihan Akgül, maker of Yarny
Crochet apps look similar in the App Store and behave very differently once you start a project. This guide explains what the main categories actually do, which features matter for your skill level, and where Yarny fits.
What is a crochet app?
A crochet app is a phone app that helps you find, follow and track crochet projects. Most fall into three groups: trackers that count rows and manage your yarn stash, pattern libraries that give you projects to make, and teaching apps that explain stitches step by step. Many apps do one of these well and the others barely.
The three kinds of crochet app
| Type | What it is for | Best if you… | Common limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project tracker | Counting rows, logging yarn, managing works in progress | Already know how to crochet and juggle several projects | Brings no patterns and teaches nothing — you supply the project |
| Pattern library | Browsing projects to make | Want inspiration and something new to start | Patterns often assume you can already read crochet notation |
| Teaching app | Explaining stitches and techniques | Are learning, or hit a technique you have never done | Usually stops at the basics; no real projects to apply them to |
The friction most people hit is the gap between these. You find a pattern you love, it says “sc2tog, ch3, turn”, and the app that gave you the pattern cannot tell you what that means. So you leave the app to search for a video, and lose your place.
Seven things worth checking before you commit
- Does it teach, or only track? If you are still learning, a row counter does not help when you are stuck on a stitch.
- Can it explain a pattern you did not get from the app? Most of the patterns you will want live on Ravelry, in a blog post, on Etsy, or on paper.
- How does it handle notation? Crochet abbreviations differ between UK and US terms, which quietly ruins projects for beginners.
- Is the free tier permanent or a trial? Several apps in this category are free to download but effectively unusable without a subscription.
- Does it work in your language? Most crochet apps ship in English only, which matters more than people expect for technique names.
- Is there anywhere to ask a question? Getting stuck at 11pm on a stitch is the most common reason a project gets abandoned.
- Does it cost anything to just browse? You should be able to see the pattern library before paying.
Where Yarny fits
Yarny was built for the gap above: it is a pattern library and a teaching app in the same place, with the tracking tools included rather than sold separately.
| Capability | Yarny | Typical in this category |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern library | 29 patterns across amigurumi, blankets, clothes, accessories, toys and seasonal, broken into 250 individual steps | Common — usually the core of the app |
| Technique tutorials | 25+ techniques taught step by step, from magic ring to corner-to-corner | Less common; often a short glossary instead |
| Import your own pattern | Photograph a paper pattern or drop in a PDF; it becomes a step-by-step tutorial | Emerging — a few apps now offer something similar |
| Generate a new pattern | Describe a project in a sentence and get a generated design | Rare |
| Help while you are stitching | Ask a question on any individual step and get an answer in context | Rare; usually you leave the app to search |
| Row counter and gauge calculator | Included in the free tier | Common, sometimes the whole product |
| Languages | 30 | Usually English only |
| Free tier | Permanent, no ads, no time limit | Varies widely — check before installing |
The honest version: if you already crochet confidently and only want the tidiest possible project tracker, a dedicated tracker will probably suit you better. Yarny is built for the case where you want to make something and might get stuck partway.
What Yarny costs
Free to download and use, permanently — the whole pattern library, all technique tutorials, the row counter, the gauge calculator and the community feed cost nothing and carry no ads. Cozy Plus is optional and adds the AI pattern designer, pattern import and the in-context stitch helper: $4.99 per week or $39.99 per year in the US, converted by Apple for other countries. There is no free trial because the free tier is not time-limited.
The full breakdown is in pricing.md.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best crochet app for beginners?
The one that explains stitches where you are working, rather than sending you to a video. Look for step-by-step technique tutorials and a way to ask a question mid-project. A row counter is useful but will not help when you do not recognise an abbreviation.
Can an app teach you to crochet from scratch?
It can teach the mechanics — how to hold the hook, the magic ring, the basic stitches — and give you small projects to practise on. Tension is the part that only comes from doing it, and no app shortcuts that.
Do crochet apps work offline?
Pattern browsing and counters usually work offline once loaded. Anything AI-powered, including Yarny's pattern designer and import, needs a connection because the work happens on a server.
Is there a free crochet app with no ads?
Yes. Yarny's free tier is permanent and ad-free: the full pattern library, all 25+ technique tutorials and the tools are included without paying. Only the AI features sit behind Cozy Plus.
What is the difference between UK and US crochet terms?
They use the same words for different stitches — a US single crochet is a UK double crochet, and so on down the list. A pattern that does not state which system it uses is a common reason a first project comes out wrong.
Can I use a pattern I found somewhere else?
In Yarny, yes — photograph a paper pattern or import a PDF and it becomes a step-by-step tutorial you can follow and ask questions about. This is generally the weakest spot across the category, so it is worth testing with your own pattern before committing to any app.