Craft cutting machines, clearly compared
CraftGearGuide helps you pick a cutting machine for stickers, vinyl, cards and bigger projects. Every spec is checked against the maker's own pages, and every review says plainly that it is research-based.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. CraftGearGuide may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Best cutting machines for beginners
- Best first machine overallCricut Explore 5CraftGearGuide editorial score: 8.5Check price on AmazonBundle listing
- Best for small spacesCricut Joy XtraCraftGearGuide editorial score: 8.0Check price on AmazonBundle listing
- Best without Cricut's appSilhouette CAMEO 5 AlphaCraftGearGuide editorial score: 7.5Check price on Amazon
Best cutting machines for stickers
- Best overall for sticker sheetsCricut Explore 5CraftGearGuide editorial score: 8.5Check price on AmazonBundle listing
- Best compact sticker makerCricut Joy XtraCraftGearGuide editorial score: 8.0Check price on AmazonBundle listing
- If you also need thick materialsCricut Maker 5CraftGearGuide editorial score: 8.0Check price on AmazonBundle listing
Best cutting machines for vinyl and iron-on
- Best overall for vinylCricut Explore 5CraftGearGuide editorial score: 8.5Check price on AmazonBundle listing
- Best compact vinyl cutterCricut Joy XtraCraftGearGuide editorial score: 8.0Check price on AmazonBundle listing
- Vinyl plus thick materialsCricut Maker 5CraftGearGuide editorial score: 8.0Check price on AmazonBundle listing
Large-format cutting machines for bigger projects
- Fastest claimed speedCricut VentureCraftGearGuide editorial score: 7.5
- 24-inch SilhouetteSilhouette CAMEO PRO MK-IINot scoredCheck price on Amazon
- Middle ground at 15 inchesSilhouette CAMEO 5 Alpha PlusNot scoredCheck price on Amazon
Latest reviews
- Cricut Explore 5 review
Full 12-inch-class cutter for vinyl, iron-on, cards and stickers, with scoring tool and mat in the box.
- Cricut Joy Xtra review
Letter-width sticker and decal cutter that fits on a shelf.
- Cricut Maker 5 review
Cuts and engraves up to 3 mm with 13 compatible tools, in a smaller body than earlier Makers.
- Cricut Venture review
24-inch-class, desktop-driven cutter for long runs of vinyl and big print-then-cut sheets.
- Silhouette CAMEO 5 Alpha review
12-inch cutter with two tool mounts, 3 mm clearance and no subscription needed to design.
Buying guides
- Do cutting machines need a subscription? Design Space vs Silhouette Studio
What you can do free in Cricut Design Space and Silhouette Studio, what Cricut Access and the Designer Edition add, and file-format and offline limits.
- How to choose a craft cutting machine
A plain decision guide to picking a Cricut or Silhouette cutter by project width, materials, stickers, software and space, with links to our picks.
- Print then cut size limits, machine by machine
The maximum print-then-cut image size for each current Cricut machine on Letter, A4, Tabloid and more, with sticker math and what Silhouette publishes.