The apps actually worth your time
There are dozens of crochet apps in the App Store. Most of them do one small thing, and a handful do several things well. This guide covers the five categories where an app genuinely helps, with one or two picks in each. You do not need all of them. By the end you will know which one to download first.
The categories are: pattern libraries and trackers, AI pattern generation, row and stitch counters, chart makers, and video tutorials.
1. Pattern libraries and trackers: Ravelry and LoveCrafts
Ravelry
Ravelry is the largest crochet and knitting pattern database in the world, with several million free and paid patterns. The search filters let you narrow by stitch, yarn weight, difficulty level, and construction style. You can save patterns to a queue, log your finished objects, and record which yarn you used.
Free vs paid: Ravelry itself is free to join. Individual patterns vary. Many are free, and paid ones typically cost two to eight dollars.
Best for: Anyone who wants to browse a huge library of patterns, keep a project log, and connect with other crafters. It is less a step-by-step tool and more a well-organized catalogue you dip into regularly.
LoveCrafts
LoveCrafts is a smaller, more curated marketplace. The patterns tend to be well-photographed and well-formatted, which makes them easier to follow than some older Ravelry PDFs. The site also sells yarn and ships worldwide.
Free vs paid: Some patterns are free, but the selection skews paid. Yarn purchases often come with pattern credit.
Best for: Buying a specific, well-formatted pattern when you know what you want to make. Less useful as a day-to-day tracker.
2. AI pattern generation: CrochetZen
CrochetZen is a free iOS app built specifically for crochet beginners who want to generate patterns rather than hunt for them. You tell it what you want to make (a granny square, a simple bag, an amigurumi animal), choose your yarn weight and hook size, and the app produces a written pattern with stitch counts adjusted for your inputs.
What makes it different from a pattern library is that the output is made for you: your gauge, your yarn, your project size. There is no sizing mismatch to solve before you can start.
Free vs paid: The app is free with core features available at no cost.
Best for: Beginners who feel overwhelmed searching a pattern library, anyone working with yarn they already have at home and need a pattern built around it, and crafters who want to design their own simple projects without writing a pattern from scratch.
CrochetZen also includes a built-in stitch chart maker (more on that below) and a row counter, which means you can plan, track, and visualize a project in one place. If you only download one app from this guide, start here.
3. Row and stitch counters: Row Counter by Anaïs
Once you are mid-project, a row counter is the most useful thing on your phone. Losing your place in a pattern means either frogging rows you cannot verify or finishing a piece that is the wrong length.
Row Counter by Anaïs is the simplest and most reliable dedicated counter app. You create a project, add counters for each section you want to track (rows, rounds, repeats), and tap the plus button every time you finish one. It supports multiple counters running at the same time, which is useful for amigurumi work where you track round count and total piece count separately.
Free vs paid: Free with a paid upgrade for additional features like pattern notes and unlimited projects.
Best for: Any project where you need to track more than one number at once. Especially useful for amigurumi, where the round count is the only way to know your shape is correct.
If you are already using CrochetZen, its built-in counter handles the same job without switching apps.
4. Chart makers: Stitch Fiddle
A stitch chart is a grid diagram where each symbol stands for a stitch. Charts let you see the whole shape of a section at a glance, which written instructions cannot always give you. They are especially helpful for colorwork, filet crochet, and any pattern with a repeating motif.
Stitch Fiddle is a browser-based chart editor with a free tier that covers most needs. You draw on a grid, assign stitches from a standard symbol library, and export or print the result. The interface is straightforward once you understand that each square represents one stitch.
Free vs paid: The free tier allows chart creation, saving, and export. A paid plan adds unlimited saved charts and collaboration features.
Best for: Designing your own colorwork or motif patterns, or converting a written pattern into a visual chart so you can follow it more easily.
For a faster alternative that integrates with your pattern planning, the CrochetZen stitch chart maker lets you generate and edit charts without leaving the app. See our full comparison in the Stitch Fiddle alternative guide.
5. Video tutorials: YouTube
YouTube is not technically a crochet app, but it belongs on this list because nothing teaches hand position and stitch motion as clearly as video. Written descriptions of hook angle and yarn tension only go so far. Watching someone's hands at normal speed, then at half speed, closes the gap.
A few channels are worth bookmarking for beginners: Bella Coco Crochet for calm, well-lit tutorials; Yarntopia for technique deep-dives; and The Crochet Crowd for project walkthroughs at a relaxed pace. Search the specific stitch or technique you are trying to learn and filter by upload date to find current videos.
Free vs paid: YouTube is free. No subscription needed for basic tutorial watching.
Best for: Learning new stitches, fixing technique problems, and following along with project tutorials in real time. Use it alongside a tracker or counter app rather than as a standalone tool.
Which app to download first
If you are just starting out, download CrochetZen first. It generates patterns tailored to your materials, counts your rows, and shows you stitch charts. That covers the three things beginners most often search for separately.
Once you have a few projects under your belt, add Ravelry to browse the wider pattern library. When you want to design your own motifs or colorwork, Stitch Fiddle fills that gap. Row Counter by Anaïs is worth adding if you work on amigurumi or any project with multiple independent section counts.
You do not need all five. Start with one, use it until it feels natural, and add the next one when you notice a gap it would fill.