Cricut Explore vs Cricut Maker: Which One Should You Buy?

Cricut explore vs cricut maker side by side

Specifications are manufacturer rated, as published on each listing and collected 3 November 2026. Where a listing leaves a figure unstated, the table says so.

Materials and tools

The Explore listings precision-cut 100+ popular materials, including vinyl, iron-on, cardstock and printable materials, and work with six tools. The Explore machines write, draw, foil, score and cut intricate designs, and the Deep Cutting Tool, sold separately, works with foam and rubber. The Maker 5 listing precision-cuts 300+ materials, including vinyl, iron-on, cardstock and fabric, plus thicker materials up to 3 mm such as leather and foam core board, and works with 13 tools. The Maker 5 listing also engraves materials up to 3 mm like metal and acrylic, and lists cutting, engraving, writing, drawing, foiling, scoring and debossing. The Maker 4 listing works with 300+ materials, including leather, wood, vinyl, iron-on HTV, cardstock and stickers, and lists cutting, drawing, foiling, scoring, engraving, debossing and perforation, but states no tool count and no thickness.

Cutting width and size

Both Explore 5 listings and the Maker 5 listing give the same dependable 12 in (30.5 cm) cutting performance, and both the Explore 5 and Maker 5 listings describe their machines as 30% more compact than previous models. The Maker 4 listing states no cutting width and no compactness figure, and gives machine dimensions of 7.1 in x 22.1 in x 6.2 in.

Bundles and content

The Explore 5 Essential bundle includes supplies for 65 projects, and the Explore 5 Ultimate bundle includes supplies for 135 projects plus a Cricut EasyPress Mini LT heat press. The Maker 5 Essential bundle includes supplies for 65 projects. The Maker 4 bundle includes a materials sampler plus 30 bonus images. Both Explore 5 bundles include 25 additional premium-quality images with purchase, plus 1 font, and the Maker 5 bundle does the same. The free out-of-the-box library on the Explore 5 listings holds 3,000+ images, 100+ fonts and 1,000+ projects, and the Maker 4 free library holds 3,000+ images and 100+ fonts. The larger libraries need a Cricut Access Subscription: the Maker 5 listing cites 1.8 million+ images, 1,500+ fonts, 300,000+ projects and 50,000 templates with a subscription, and the Maker 4 listing cites 1,500,000+ images, 1,000+ fonts and 100,000+ projects with a paid subscription.

Support and warranty

None of the 4 listings states a warranty term with a length, so no pick earns warranty points. The Explore listings state a Limited Warranty with no term, and the Maker listings state no warranty term at all. All four machines connect to Design Space, the free app, with Bluetooth connection on the Explore listings. No listing here states a safety certification, so no pick earns safety points either.

Choose the Cricut Explore 5 if

Choose the Explore 5 if the work is vinyl, iron-on, cardstock and printable materials for decals, apparel, stickers and cards. The Explore 5 listings give the same 12 in (30.5 cm) cutting width as the Maker 5 listing, the same free image and font counts as the Maker 4 listing, and bundles of 65 or 135 projects. Skip the Explore 5 if the work needs leather, engraving on metal or acrylic, or debossing, which the Explore listings do not name.

Choose a Cricut Maker if

Choose a Maker if the work runs past vinyl and cardstock into leather, wood, foam core board and engraving. The Maker 5 listing gives 300+ materials, 13 tools and engraving up to 3 mm, and the Maker 4 listing gives 300+ materials with engraving, debossing and perforation. The Maker 4 listing leaves tool count, cutting width and thickness unstated, so a buyer who wants those figures stated should weigh the Maker 5 listing instead.

FAQ: lasers and CNC

Is Cricut Maker better than Explore?

Not for everyone. The Maker listings state more materials and more functions, including engraving, while the Explore listings match the Maker 5 listing on cutting width and match the Maker 4 listing on free image and font counts. Pick the Maker side for leather, engraving and thicker materials, and the Explore side for everyday vinyl, iron-on and cardstock work.

Can the Explore 5 cut leather?

The Explore listings do not name leather. They name vinyl, iron-on, cardstock and printable materials, plus foam and rubber with the Deep Cutting Tool, sold separately. Leather is named only on the Maker listings, along with wood, fabric and foam core board.

Do these machines need a subscription?

No. Design Space is a free app, and the Explore listings describe connecting a mobile or desktop device through Bluetooth, while the Explore listings and the Maker 4 listing describe free content libraries. A Cricut Access Subscription is optional and unlocks the larger libraries cited on the Maker listings.

Which bundle should I pick?

Match the bundle to the project count. The Explore 5 Essential bundle and the Maker 5 Essential bundle include supplies for 65 projects each, the Explore 5 Ultimate bundle includes supplies for 135 projects plus a Cricut EasyPress Mini LT heat press, and the Maker 4 bundle includes a materials sampler plus 30 bonus images.

Can these machines print then cut?

The Explore 5 listings describe print-then-cut with a home inkjet printer, and the Maker 4 listing describes it with most inkjet printers: print the design, and the machine recognizes and precision-cuts around the printed image. The Maker 5 listing does not mention print-then-cut.

Related: the cutting machines category, the heat presses and sublimation category, the best t shirt heat press machine and the laser engraver vs heat press.