The best replacement for purl is knit.

The best alternatives to purl are rated as following:
★★★★★  knit
★★  knit stitch
★  knit row
  garter stitch

Your alternative for purl is not listed? Suggest!
Speaking about purl, one probably shouldn't forget about yarn in back.

Other search terms related to purl and their ratings are:
★★★★★ yarn in back
★★ yarn over
You have in mind a companion for purl and it is not yet here? Propose!



Google Trends

Scale is based on the average worldwide traffic of purl in all years. Click on graph for more.
purl
knit
knit stitch