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.
Cricut Joy Xtra vs Cricut Joy 2
Research-based comparison. Neither machine has been hands-on tested by CraftGearGuide.
Short answer
Get the Joy Xtra if stickers or anything over 4.5 inches wide is part of the plan. Its print-then-cut area on a Letter page is more than twice as wide. Get the Joy 2 if you mainly make labels, cards and small decals and want the smallest, lightest machine.
Side by side
| Spec | Cricut Joy Xtra | Cricut Joy 2 |
|---|---|---|
| CraftGearGuide editorial score | 8.0/10 | 7.0/10 |
| Max cut width (matless) | 8.5 in (Cricut Smart Materials) | 4.5 in (Cricut Smart Materials) |
| Max length (matless) | 4 ft (Smart Materials) | 4 ft (Smart Materials) |
| Max cut area on mat | 8.2 x 11.7 in | 4.2 x 6.2 in (small mat); 4.2 x 11.7 in (large mat) |
| Print-then-cut max (US Letter) | 9.94 x 7.44 in | 9.94 x 3.19 in; Design Space splits a page across two mats |
| Max material thickness | Not stated by Cricut | Not stated by Cricut |
| Tools | Blade, Foil Transfer Kit, pens and markers (one tool clamp) | Cutting blade, Scoring Tool, pens (foil tool sold separately) |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth | Bluetooth |
| Subscription | Not required to cut; paid Cricut Access unlocks the full library and some features | Not required to cut; paid Cricut Access unlocks the full library and some features |
| Size (W x D x H) | 12.5 x 6 x 5.5 in | 9.1 x 5.4 x 2.8 in |
| Weight | 6 lb | 2.7 lb |
| Links | Check price on AmazonBundle listingCricut Joy Xtra review | Check price on AmazonBundle listingCricut Joy 2 review |
The difference that matters: width
The Joy Xtra cuts up to 8.5 in wide matless and 8.2 in on a mat. The Joy 2 cuts up to 4.5 in matless and 4.2 in on a mat. Almost everything else follows from that.
Print-then-cut area on a Letter page
Joy Xtra: 9.94 x 7.44 in = 74.0 sq in. Joy 2: 9.94 x 3.19 in = 31.7 sq in. The Joy Xtra's printable area is about 2.3 times larger, and the Joy 2 needs two mats per page.
Calculated from Cricut's help-center limits. Real sticker counts depend on sticker shape and spacing.
Where the Joy 2 wins
- Size: 9.1 x 5.4 x 2.8 in and 2.7 lb, versus 12.5 x 6 x 5.5 in and 6 lb.
- Box contents: Cricut lists a Scoring Tool, marker and mat with the machine-only Joy 2. Its Joy Xtra list has a pen and weeder but no mat.
- Scoring: supported on the Joy 2. Cricut's Joy Xtra tool list doesn't include a scoring tool.
Cricut lists slightly different claimed speeds (5.65 in/s for the Joy Xtra, 5.3 in/s for the Joy 2). That gap is too small to matter for most small jobs.