Purl vs knitCompanion: Project Memory or Pattern Tracking?
Purl vs knitCompanion for knitters: compare row tracking, PDF tools, project notes, sharing, and the workflow behind multiple WIPs.
By Purl
You put down a chart halfway through a repeat. The pattern is open, but the marker has moved. You need to know your row, the next instruction, and the change you made to the sleeve last week.
knitCompanion and Purl answer different parts of that pause. knitCompanion puts tools on the pattern page. Purl keeps the wider project record in one place.
How we compared
We compared the tools at three points in a knitting session: operating the pattern, recording the wider project context, and returning after a break. We used knitCompanion's official product site, pricing information, and supported-device documentation, then compared those capabilities with Purl's current web app. The comparison separates pattern execution from project memory so a tool is judged by the job it is designed to do.
Two different knitting sessions
knitCompanion works at the chair where you knit. It supports PDF patterns, row and stitch markers, counters, highlights, scribbles, reminders, chart tools, notes, and calculators.
Purl works before and after that session. You can set a project to active, paused, or completed, record manual percentage progress, save photos and notes, add yarn and needle details, record decisions, and attach the source PDF. Purl does not track rows, rounds, repeats, or current pattern steps.
Use knitCompanion when the pattern is the thing you need to operate. Use Purl when you need to remember the project around it.
Pick up a project after a break
knitCompanion helps you settle into a live pattern. You can move a marker, count rows, mark a chart, and add a reminder for the next shaping instruction.
Purl helps you decide which project to pick up. Its project list can show an active sweater, a paused sock, and a completed gift. Open the sweater and you can check the yarn, needle, photo, progress, decision, and PDF before you cast on again.
Suppose you changed the rate of sleeve decreases. Record the change in knitCompanion if it affects the pattern page. Record it in Purl if you want to find the reason when the sleeve returns from the project basket.
Context, progress, files, and sharing
| Need | knitCompanion | Purl |
|---|---|---|
| Read a pattern | PDF viewer with tools for setup, editing, and knitting | Open the original attached PDF |
| Row and stitch work | Row markers, stitch markers, one-tap markers, counters, reminders, and guided chart tools | No row, round, repeat, or current-step tracking |
| Project context | Project info, notes, project image, and multiple projects | Status, manual percentage, notes, photos, yarn, needles, decisions, and source PDF in one project record |
| Pattern changes | Highlight, scribble, add notes, join pages, and customize pattern views | Record decisions as ordinary project notes; no PDF parsing or editing claim |
| Sharing | Share projects and PDFs to other apps or the file system | Private, shared, or public project pages with comments |
| Platform | Official documentation lists iOS, macOS, Android, and FireOS support | Web app |
knitCompanion turns a pattern into a working surface. Purl keeps the original PDF beside the project history. Purl does not read the file or generate instructions.
knitCompanion's documented sharing tools move a project or PDF to another app or file system. Purl gives a project its own public page with selected details, photos, and comments. The original PDF stays private to its owner.
The better fit depends on the snag
knitCompanion suits a knitter who:
- loses their place in charts or written instructions
- wants counters and markers beside the pattern
- works from a phone or tablet
- needs annotations during a difficult pattern
Purl suits a knitter who:
- keeps several WIPs in rotation
- records fitting changes and material choices
- wants photos and notes beside the project
- wants to share the process on a project page
The two tools can share a routine. Work through a complex chart in knitCompanion. Leave Purl a short note about the change that will matter next time. There is no integration between them, so keep the project name and PDF consistent by hand.
More from Purl
Purl vs Ravelry for WIP workflows covers pattern discovery and community. Purl vs YarnBuddy looks at counters, stash, and Apple device support. Purl vs Knit&Note compares an all-in-one knitting service with a focused project record. The Purl feature overview explains the project fields.
Conclusion
Choose knitCompanion when you need to operate a pattern with markers, counters, charts, or annotations. Choose Purl when you need to remember the project around that pattern, including its materials, decisions, photos, and next step. They can work together when each tool keeps a different part of the knitting session clear.
Purl is a web app, not a pattern execution tool. Join Purl's waitlist if that project-level companion sounds useful.