For a first Cricut, buy the Cricut Explore 5. Cricut’s US store sells it for $199 machine only, or $249 with its Essential Bundle of tools and starter materials. It cuts vinyl, iron-on, cardstock and printable sticker paper, and cuts up to 11.7 inches wide with Cricut’s mat-free Smart Vinyl and Smart Iron-On, at the same rated top speed as the $349 Maker 5. The other picks follow what you want to make:
- Cards, labels and small decals: the Joy 2, $99 machine only, cuts Smart Materials up to 4.5 inches wide, or 4.2 inches on a mat.
- Vinyl decals, T-shirts, stickers and cards: the Explore 5, $199.
- Fabric, engraving and thick materials: the Maker 5, $349, works with 13 tools, most sold separately, and cuts and engraves compatible materials up to 3 millimeters (mm) thick.
Those are Cricut’s own prices on November 6, 2026. Amazon.com sells all three machines in their Essential Bundle versions. None of them needs a subscription: Cricut says its Design Space app “is free to download and use right away,” and the Cricut Access subscription, from $9.99 a month for its Standard plan, is optional.
The Cricut machines side by side
Cricut’s home cutting machines come in three families, Joy, Explore and Maker, and Cricut refreshed all three in 2026: the Joy 2 and Explore 5 went on sale on February 27 in the US and Canada, and the Maker 5 on September 4. Cricut also still sells the Joy Xtra, which sits between the Joy 2 and the Explore 5, and the $499 Venture, a wide-format machine for bigger jobs that this guide does not cover.
| Machine | Cricut price, machine only | With Essential Bundle | Widest cut | Longest cut (Smart Materials, no mat) | Compatible materials | Top cut speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cricut Joy 2 | $99 | $139 | 4.5 in | 4 ft | 75+ | 5.3 in/sec |
| Cricut Joy Xtra | $179 | No Essential Bundle (Everything Bundle $209) | 8.5 in | 4 ft | 75+ | 5.6 in/sec |
| Cricut Explore 5 | $199 | $249 | 11.7 in | 12 ft | 100+ | 14.1 in/sec |
| Cricut Maker 5 | $349 | $399 | 12 in | 12 ft | 300+ | 14.1 in/sec |
Cricut lists the widths and lengths for its Smart Materials, rolls of vinyl and iron-on that feed into the machine without a cutting mat, and says cut size may vary on a mat. The Maker 5 comes with a 12 by 12 inch mat, and on a larger mat, sold separately, it cuts up to 11.5 by 23.75 inches.
What each machine can do is where they split. Cricut’s chart says all four cut, write, draw and foil; the Joy Xtra is the one without scoring, the fold lines for cards and boxes. Only the Maker 5 also engraves, debosses and perforates. The Explore 5 and Maker 5 have the same 19.8 by 7.5 by 4.7 inch dimensions, while the Joy 2 measures 9.11 by 5.43 by 2.74 inches.
Best first Cricut: Cricut Explore 5
The Explore 5 is the middle machine and the one most first-time buyers want. Cricut pitches it for “vinyl decals, custom apparel, full-color stickers, cards, and specialty projects like magnets and rubber stamps,” and its launch release says it is compatible with six tools. Its compare chart lists kraft board, craft foam, leather, bonded fabric, felt and wood veneer among the materials it handles, on top of vinyl, iron-on (heat-transfer vinyl, or HTV) and cardstock. Cricut’s Deep Cutting Blade, sold separately, lets it cut materials up to 1.5 mm thick, such as rubber sheets and craft foam.
Creative Bloq’s reviewer, who used it for a month, called it “the easiest recommendation the range has seen in years” for a first Cricut, and found it smaller, faster and quieter than the Explore 4. The same review says it “isn’t designed for heavier-duty creative work” such as cutting fabric for quilting or engraving metal, and that Design Space “continues to lag behind the excellent hardware.”
Cricut’s $249 Essential Bundle adds starter materials and tools to the machine, and Amazon.com sells the Explore 5 Essential Bundle.
Small projects on a budget: Cricut Joy 2
The Joy 2 is Cricut’s smallest machine, which Cricut says is for “custom cards, labels, simple decals, and now, for the first time, full-color stickers” thanks to a new Print Then Cut sensor. Print Then Cut means you print a design on an inkjet printer and the machine cuts around it. It weighs 2.7 pounds and comes with a 4.5 by 6.5 inch mat; on a larger mat, sold separately, it cuts up to 4.2 by 11.7 inches. Cricut’s chart lists no leather, felt, fabric or wood veneer for it.
Tom’s Guide’s reviewer called it their “top recommendation for beginner crafters.” Creative Bloq’s tester found two catches: sticker sheets have to be designed across two Joy mats, which the tester said seemed to waste more material than Print Then Cut on a bigger machine, and the Joy 2 often became unresponsive after sitting idle for more than 10 minutes, until it was unplugged and reconnected. That tester advised “opting for one of the bundles available instead” of the $99 machine alone. Amazon.com sells the Joy 2 Essential Bundle.
Fabric, engraving and thick materials: Cricut Maker 5
The Maker 5 is the machine for projects the Explore 5 can’t do. Cricut says it works with over 300 materials and 13 tools, including a Rotary Blade for “cotton, fleece, denim, and more,” and an Engraving Tool for “metal, leather, plastic, and more.” Its Knife Blade cuts “materials up to 3 mm like leather & foam core board,” per Cricut’s Maker 5 page. Cricut says the 3 mm limit is “a 25% increase in clearance compared with the previous generation’s 2.4 mm limit.” Most of those tools are extras: Cricut says they are “sold separately depending on the bundle you choose.”
Tom’s Guide’s reviewer engraved an aluminum sheet; the design came out off-center through what the reviewer called a rookie error, but “in terms of the cut, the Maker 5 exceeded all expectations.” The same review says it is “very similar in functionality to its predecessor,” so a Maker 4 owner is “not missing out on much.” Cricut says the Maker 5 “is not intended for use by children 12 years of age and younger,” so it is not a gift for a young child.
On November 6, Cricut’s Maker 5 page showed the machine as out of stock, with a “Notify me when available” button. Amazon.com had the Maker 5 Essential Bundle in stock the same day.
What about the Joy Xtra, or an older Explore or Maker?
The Joy Xtra costs $179 machine only, $20 less than the Explore 5. For that $20, the Explore 5 cuts 11.7 inches wide instead of 8.5, cuts Smart Materials up to 12 feet long instead of 4, and scores fold lines, which Cricut’s chart says the Joy Xtra does not. The Joy Xtra is smaller and lighter, at 6 pounds against 10. If desk space is tight, that is the reason to pick it.
Cricut’s own refurbished store doesn’t save much on the previous models. A certified refurbished Explore 4 cost $199 on November 6, the same as a new Explore 5, and a certified refurbished Maker 4 was listed at $299 but out of stock. Cricut says its refurbished machines are tested to work like new, “may have minor cosmetic issues,” and carry a one-year limited warranty. The Maker 4, which Amazon.com still sells, tops out at 2.4 mm materials against the Maker 5’s 3 mm.
Do you need Cricut Access?
No. Cricut says Design Space “is free to download and use right away with your Cricut smart cutting machine,” and that you “can upload your own images and use your system fonts for free.” Cricut’s plans page lists what a free account includes:
- 3,000+ images, 100+ fonts and 250+ ready-to-make projects.
- Uploading your own images, plus your device’s system fonts.
- Limited commercial use under Cricut’s Angel Policy, which Cricut says lets you sell up to 10,000 finished projects a year, but not individual cuts, sticker sheets made with Design Space images, or items with licensed content.
Cricut Access is the paid tier. Standard costs $9.99 a month or $95.88 a year, and Premium costs $14.99 a month or $119.88 a year. Both add Cricut’s library of 1.5 million+ images, 1,000+ fonts and 100,000+ projects, and design tools the free tier lacks, such as the automatic background remover, Convert to Layers, Warp and monthly AI credits (20 on Standard, 200 on Premium). Both also take 10% off cricut.com purchases, including machines, capped at $50 per item on Standard and $100 on Premium, and Premium offers 20% off Cricut materials instead, since that discount can’t be combined with the 10%. Cricut says some paid features work only in Design Space for desktop, not the mobile apps.
You can cancel at any time. Cricut says you keep the benefits to the end of the billing cycle, after which “premium content and design tools will no longer be available.” Each machine’s box includes a free trial of Cricut Access for new subscribers. Cricut’s terms say that when a free trial ends, it converts to a paid plan and charges your payment method unless you cancel.
What a Cricut costs over two years
The machine is the smaller part of the bill if you subscribe. This table adds two years of Cricut Access, billed yearly at Cricut’s November 6 prices, to each machine-only price.
| Machine | Machine only | + 2 years of Standard ($191.76) | + 2 years of Premium ($239.76) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cricut Joy 2 | $99 | $290.76 | $338.76 |
| Cricut Explore 5 | $199 | $390.76 | $438.76 |
| Cricut Maker 5 | $349 | $540.76 | $588.76 |
A subscriber who buys the machine on cricut.com gets it for 10% less: Cricut listed Access members’ prices of $89.10, $179.10 and $314.10.
Paying Standard monthly for two years costs $239.76, the same as two years of Premium paid yearly. Materials and blades come on top. Cricut lists the replacement Premium Fine-Point blade (the Maker 5’s version is called a cutting tool) at $37.99 MSRP for both the Explore 5 and Maker 5, and the Maker 5’s Knife Blade at $49.99; both were half price on cricut.com on November 6. Tom’s Guide put a 4-foot roll of Cricut vinyl at about $8.99, and warned that after the bundle materials run out, Cricut-branded materials “can add up.”
Before you wrap one
Every machine here needs a phone, tablet or computer to run it. Cricut says you need “a compatible device and high-speed internet connection,” and its pages describe connecting to Design Space over Bluetooth. Tom’s Guide says to leave at least 10 centimeters of clearance behind the machine so the mat can slide out during a cut; its Joy 2 review converts that to 3.93 inches. The app also needs a Cricut account, and Cricut’s terms of use say users represent that they are of the age of majority, so set the account up yourself before giving a machine to a child.
Pick a bundle over the bare machine for a first Cricut. The machine-only box for the Joy 2, Explore 5 or Maker 5 includes the blade, a Scoring Tool, a dual-sided marker and one Light Grip mat, and the Explore 5 and Maker 5 boxes add materials for a practice cut. The Essential Bundle adds materials and basic tools, $40 more for the Joy 2 and $50 more for the Explore 5 or Maker 5 at Cricut’s prices. On November 6, Cricut also sold the bigger Ultimate Plus Bundle with one month of Cricut Access for $139 with the Joy 2 and $249 with the Explore 5, the same as the Essential Bundle; that subscription renews at $9.99 a month until you cancel.
Cricut questions
Which Cricut is best for beginners?
For most beginners, the Explore 5: at $199 machine only, it cuts vinyl, iron-on and cardstock up to 11.7 inches wide and scores fold lines. Creative Bloq’s reviewer called it “the easiest recommendation the range has seen in years” for a first Cricut. Tom’s Guide’s reviewer picked the Joy 2 for beginners instead, and if you only want cards, labels and small decals, the $99 Joy 2 covers those.
Does a Cricut require a subscription?
No. Design Space is free, and a free account can upload your own images, use your system fonts, and use 3,000+ Cricut images and 250+ projects. Cricut Access, from $9.99 a month, adds the full library and extra design tools.
What is the difference between the Explore 5 and the Maker 5?
Tools and materials. The Maker 5 works with 13 tools and 300+ materials, adding fabric cutting, engraving, debossing and materials up to 3 mm thick; the Explore 5 works with six tools, per Cricut’s launch release, and 100+ materials. Both have the same dimensions and the same 14.1 inches-per-second top speed, and the Maker 5 costs $150 more at Cricut’s prices.
Is Cricut Access worth it?
It depends on how much you use Cricut’s own library. Standard costs $95.88 a year and takes 10% off cricut.com purchases, including machines, up to $50 per item. If you design your own projects or upload your own images, the free tier does that, so start with the free trial in the box and cancel before it converts to a paid plan if you don’t use the library.
Is the Maker 5 worth it over the Maker 4?
For a first machine, yes, if you need a Maker: the Maker 5 handles 3 mm materials against the previous generation’s 2.4 mm, and Tom’s Guide’s reviewer called it “definitely worth it” as a first machine. If you already own a Maker 4, Tom’s Guide’s reviewer said you are “not missing out on much.”
Sources (18)
- cricut.com Machine comparison chart (November 6, 2026)
- cricut.com Cricut Joy 2 (November 6, 2026)
- cricut.com Cricut Explore 5 (November 6, 2026)
- cricut.com Cricut Maker 5 (November 6, 2026)
- cricut.com Cricut Joy Xtra (November 6, 2026)
- cricut.com Introducing Cricut Maker 5
- nasdaq.com Cricut press release: Cricut Joy 2 and Cricut Explore 5 (February 26, 2026)
- finviz.com Cricut press release: Cricut Maker 5 (September 3, 2026)
- cricut.com Cricut Access (November 6, 2026)
- cricut.com Subscription plans
- cricut.com Design Space app
- cricut.com Certified Refurbished Cricut Explore 4 (November 6, 2026)
- cricut.com Certified Refurbished Cricut Maker 4 (November 6, 2026)
- creativebloq.com Cricut Explore 5 review
- creativebloq.com Cricut Joy 2 tested
- tomsguide.com Cricut Joy 2 review
- tomsguide.com Cricut Maker 5 review
- amazon.com Cricut listings checked November 6, 2026
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