Guide
How to Choose a Row Counter App (A Checklist)
Counter apps are cheap to install and expensive to leave. Once forty rows of a blanket live in one app, switching means retyping counts and abandoning your notes — none of these apps export to each other.
So it is worth ten minutes up front. This is the checklist, roughly in order of how much trouble each item saves you.
Short answer
What should you look for in a row counter app?
Check eight things: that the count survives a force-quit, that there is a one-tap undo, that you can have more than one counter per project, that it works with no connection, where your data is stored and whether you can get it out, what the free tier actually limits, whether the tap target is big enough to hit without looking, and whether it will still be maintained next year. The force-quit test is the one that matters most.
1. Does the count survive a force-quit?
This is the single most important test and it takes thirty seconds. Count ten rows, swipe the app away from the app switcher, then reopen it.
A well-built counter writes every tap to storage immediately and shows ten. An app that only saves when it closes gracefully shows zero — and will do exactly the same thing on row 240 of a blanket, or when iOS kills it in the background to reclaim memory. If an app fails this test, nothing else about it matters.
2. Is there a one-tap undo?
Double taps are the most common way a count goes wrong, particularly when you are counting without looking at the screen. An app without undo turns a slip into mental arithmetic and a permanent doubt about the number.
Check how far back undo goes, too. One step covers the common case; several steps covers the moment you notice a problem three rows later.
3. Can you have more than one counter per project?
Rows and pattern repeats are two different numbers, and repeats are the ones people actually lose. If an app gives you one number per project, it is a scarf app.
Check the free tier specifically — several apps allow multiple counters but cap them until you pay, and the cap is usually one extra counter.
4. Does it work with no connection at all?
Turn on airplane mode and count ten rows. Crafting happens on trains, planes and in gardens with no signal, and an app that needs a connection to save a tap will eventually lose one.
Most counter apps pass this. The ones that do not usually fail because they sync to a server rather than the device.
5. Where does your data live, and can you get it out?
There are three models and none is wrong. Device-only storage means no dependency on anyone's servers, but also one device and no backup beyond your phone backup. iCloud sync means several devices, at the cost of depending on the app's continued existence. An account-based service means access anywhere and a company holding your data.
Pick deliberately rather than by accident. And check for an export — few counter apps have one, which is exactly why switching later hurts.
6. What does the free tier actually limit?
"Free" usually means one of three things: ads, a cap on projects or counters, or a specific feature withheld — most often sync or an Apple Watch app.
Find the limit before you start a project rather than after. If you habitually have five works-in-progress, a two-project cap is a wall you will hit in week one; if you knit one thing at a time, the same cap is irrelevant.
7. Can you hit the button without looking?
Your hands are full and your eyes are on your work. The tap target should be large — ideally a good part of the screen — and there should be haptic, audible or spoken confirmation so you do not need to check the screen after every row.
Small buttons in a corner mean looking away from your work at the end of every row, which is the thing you were trying to avoid.
8. Will it still be here next year?
Check the last update date on the App Store listing. An app not updated in two years is a risk: iOS releases eventually break unmaintained apps, and your counts live inside it.
The monetisation model is a signal too, not a verdict. A subscription funds ongoing maintenance but can be cancelled by the developer. A one-off purchase costs less over a decade but funds nothing after the sale. Voluntary tips depend on goodwill. None of these guarantees longevity — but an app with no revenue at all and no updates in three years is telling you something.
Frequently asked questions
How do I test whether a counter app saves reliably?
Count ten rows, swipe the app away in the app switcher, then reopen it. If it shows ten, it writes every tap to storage. If it shows zero, it only saves on a graceful close and will lose counts when iOS closes it in the background.
How many counters do I need per project?
At least two: one for rows and one for pattern repeats. A third is useful for increases, decreases or colour changes. Check whether the free tier of the app you are considering allows that many.
Should I pick an app with iCloud sync?
If you craft across an iPhone and an iPad, yes — it is the only way to have one project on both. If you only ever use one device, device-only storage is simpler and means your data does not depend on a sync service continuing to work.
What is the most common mistake when choosing a counter app?
Choosing on features rather than on the free tier's limits and the saving behaviour. Both only reveal themselves after you have committed a project to the app, which is precisely when switching becomes painful.