Cricut Maker 5 vs Explore 5: Which Cutter Should You Buy?

Short version: in 2026, Cricut put the Maker 5 and Explore 5 on the same compact 19.8 × 7.5 × 4.7 in body, at the same rated 14.1 in/s. What separates them is the tool system: 13 tools vs 6. That’s also the $150 price gap. For vinyl and stickers, the Explore 5 does the job. For fabric, wood, leather and engraving, you need the Maker 5.

We haven’t tested either machine. Everything below comes from Cricut’s own product pages and launch posts, linked in each section.

Spec comparison (current generation)

The tools: what the extra $150 buys

Explore 5 (6 tools), per Cricut:

• Premium Fine Point Cutting Tool (included)
• Scoring Tool (included)
• Pens and markers (included)
• Deep Cutting Tool (sold separately)
• Foil Transfer Tool (sold separately)
• Bonded-Fabric Blade (sold separately)

Maker 5 (13 tools), per Cricut: Fine Point, Deep Cutting, Scoring Tool, Knife Blade, Rotary Blade, Foil Transfer, Debossing, Engraving, Wavy Blade, Bonded-Fabric Blade, Single Scoring Wheel, Double Scoring Wheel and Perforation Blade.

The Maker-only tools, and whether a business needs them:

If none of those rows describe your products, the Maker’s extra tools won’t earn you anything.

For a vinyl, HTV or sticker business

The work these shops do day to day (decals, HTV shirts, print-then-cut stickers and labels) uses the Fine Point blade. Both machines drive it at the same rated speed and on the same mats:

• HTV and adhesive vinyl: identical on paper. Both cut Smart Materials up to 12 ft without a mat. Regular rolls need a mat on both (up to 11.5 × 23.5 in on the Explore, 11.5 × 23.75 in on the Maker 5).
• Print Then Cut stickers: both support it.
• Throughput: same rated 14.1 in/s. On real jobs, weeding and handling take more time than cutting.

Pair either cutter with a heat press for apparel. See best heat press for small business and DTF vs HTV for when vinyl stops making sense.

What about the Maker 4?

Cricut still sells the Maker 4, at $399. That’s more than the newer Maker 5. Cricut’s own comparison shows the Maker 5:

• is 30% more compact (22.1 × 7.1 × 6.2 in → 19.8 × 7.5 × 4.7 in)
• is over 4 lb lighter (15.4 lb → 10.9 lb)
• handles thicker material (2.4 mm → 3 mm)
• cuts wider Smart Materials (11.7 in → 12 in)
• switches from USB-A to USB-C and to Bluetooth Low Energy

Source: Cricut Maker 4 vs Maker 5. Unless you find a Maker 4 on a real discount, buy the Maker 5.

Running costs are the same

Both use Cricut Design Space. It’s free, with “3,000+ images, 100+ fonts, and 1,000+ projects.” The full library (“1,500,000+ images”) needs a paid Cricut Access subscription (Cricut). Blades and mats are consumables for both. Price your decals and shirts, including blade and mat wear, with the pricing calculator.

Our verdict

For most people starting a small vinyl business, we’d buy the Cricut Explore 5. Our reasoning comes from Cricut’s own numbers, not from hands-on testing. The things that make money in a decal, HTV or sticker shop are cut quality on thin films, the matless 12 ft cuts for long banners, and Print Then Cut. On all three, the Explore 5 matches the Maker 5 on paper. Same rated speed, same Smart Materials width and length, same body. Keep the $150 difference for a heat press upgrade, blanks, or a good supply of vinyl. For a new shop, those will make more difference than tools you may never use.

Buy the Maker 5 if your product list includes something only its tools can make: fabric pieces cut with the Rotary Blade, balsa or foam-core cake toppers cut with the Knife Blade, engraved tags, or scored packaging. In that case it’s the better long-term tool. At $349 it also costs less than the Maker 4 it replaces. Skip the Maker 4 unless it’s discounted well below the Maker 5. And if you mostly make small stickers and labels, a narrower cutter may be enough. That’s a question for another guide.

Verdict on paper

Who it suits

Consider it if

• Explore 5: you sell vinyl decals, HTV shirts, print-then-cut stickers or labels
• Explore 5: you want the lowest-cost 12 in Cricut with matless 12 ft cuts
• Maker 5: you cut unbonded fabric, balsa, foam core or leather, or you engrave
• Maker 5: you want room to add products that need its 13-tool system

Skip it if

• Maker 5: your products are all vinyl and paper (you are paying for unused tools)
• Explore 5: you need the Rotary Blade, Knife Blade, engraving or 3 mm materials
• Maker 4: it lists at $399, more than the lighter, newer Maker 5

Based on manufacturer specs, documentation and owner reports — not our own lab measurements yet.

Still weighing other brands, like Silhouette? Put them side by side in the compare tool, or let the Machine Matchmaker suggest a cutter from your product list. The startup cost calculator totals a cutter-plus-press setup.