| Ink/Stitch | Broderly | |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | Open source community | Broderly, France |
| Price | Free (an extension of Inkscape, which is also free) | €0 Discovery · €9.99/month · €19.99/month · €29.99/month |
| Installation | Inkscape + extension, Windows, Mac, Linux | None: browser, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPad |
| Language | English, French and others | French, English, Spanish, Italian, German |
| Formats written | Every common format | DST, PES, EXP, JEF, VP3, HUS |
| Auto-digitizing | No: from vectors (bitmap tracing via Inkscape) | Yes, with a detail slider and shape preview; photos with density gradient |
| Manual digitizing | Yes, complete, inside the Inkscape interface | Yes: nodes, Bézier, booleans, stitch styles, two-rail satin |
| Shop production | No | Multi-head, needles, stops, run sheet, machine sheet, quote, series |
| Patches | Manual | Placement, tack-down, background, border, following outline, SVG/DXF cut line |
Where Ink/Stitch is better
It is free and will stay so. It is open source: nobody can take it away from you. It runs offline on every system. It offers vector precision and advanced features (rail satins, fill patterns, path stitching, lettering with its own fonts) that an Inkscape user masters well. Its community answers on forums and YouTube.
Where Broderly is better
The learning time: Ink/Stitch assumes Inkscape, its layers, paths and nodes; the first stitchable logo takes hours, with us five minutes with a live stitched preview. Image digitizing: Ink/Stitch starts from vectors; we vectorise a bitmap image with colour reduction and a detail slider. The quality check, the per-fabric settings, the density test. All of shop production and the quote. Patches in a single operation. The guided mode. And the iPad.
Verdict
If you already know Inkscape and stitch for yourself, stay with Ink/Stitch. If you want a result in five minutes without learning a drawing program, or if you sell and need run sheets, quotes and series, Broderly is made for you. Many of our users tried Ink/Stitch and gave up: it is not their fault, it is a tool for graphic designers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I open an SVG made in Inkscape?
Yes: filled shapes become fills, outlines become satins or running stitches depending on their width, and colours are kept.
Does Ink/Stitch digitize a photo?
No, it must first be vectorised in Inkscape, with poor results on a photo. Broderly has a photo mode with density gradient.
Is Ink/Stitch available in my language?
Yes, the extension and its documentation are translated into many languages.
Go further
The studio is free to draw, open and check designs. Your first machine file takes five minutes.
Updated 2026-09-24.