Cricut Maker 4 vs Maker 5
Same blades, same width, same capability. One is faster and one is usually cheaper.
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Both are current machines and both take the rotary and knife blades. The Maker 5 is faster on long cuts; the Maker 4 is usually cheaper. For a hobbyist cutting a few projects a week, take whichever costs less. For anyone batching work, the speed is worth paying for.
Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cricut Maker 5The machine to buy only if you have a specific material in mind that an Explore cannot cut — rotary-blade f... | Cutting in volume | Check price on Amazon #ad · affiliate link · we never show a price we cannot verify |
| 2 | Cricut Maker 4Still sold alongside the Maker 5 and still fully supported — worth a look purely because the older model in... | The same capability for less | Check price on Amazon #ad · affiliate link · we never show a price we cannot verify |
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. We do not publish prices — they move constantly, and a stale number is worse than none.
What is identical
Nearly everything that decides whether a Maker is the right machine for you in the first place.
| Maker 4 | Maker 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rotary blade (unbacked fabric) | Yes | Yes |
| Knife blade (wood, thick leather) | Yes, sold separately | Yes, sold separately |
| Adaptive tool system | Yes | Yes |
| Cut width | 11.5 in | 11.5 in |
| Print then cut | Yes | Yes |
| Matless Smart Material cutting | Yes | Yes |
| Design Space support | Full | Full |
| Speed on long cuts | Slower | Faster |
| Availability | Varies — older model in a current line | Consistent |
Does the speed actually matter?
Honestly, for most people, no. On a single shirt design or one decal, the difference is seconds and you will not notice it. The Maker 5's speed advantage shows up on long cuts and batches — a sheet ganged with thirty small decals, a long banner run, an evening of production work.
So the test is about volume rather than capability. If you sit down to make one thing, buy on price. If you sit down to make twenty, buy the faster machine.
The availability caveat
The Maker 4 is the older model in a current line, which in practice means stock is less predictable. It has not been discontinued and Design Space supports it fully, but you may find it in and out of availability in a way the Maker 5 is not. If you see it at a good price and you have decided you want Maker capability, that is a reason to act rather than wait.
The verdict, and the bigger question
The Maker 4 wins on value and the Maker 5 wins on throughput, and for a hobbyist the value argument is usually the stronger one. Neither is a bad purchase.
But the more important question is whether you should be buying a Maker at all. The rotary and knife blades are the only reason either machine costs what it does, and if your project list is shirts, decals, stickers and cards, an Explore 5 cuts all of them identically for less. Settle that first; this comparison only matters once you have.
1. Best for cutting in volume
Cricut Maker 5
Cricut · Currently sold · Verified 2026-09-27
The faster machine, and the one to buy if you are running batches where cutting time is a real part of your evening. Same rotary and knife blade capability as the Maker 4, more consistently available, and the current flagship of the mainstream line.
What works
- Rotary blade cuts quilting cotton with no backing, which no Explore can do
- Knife blade opens basswood, chipboard and thick leather
- Adaptive tool system takes every Cricut blade and tip
- Same matless Smart Material workflow as the Explore line
What does not
- Materially more expensive than an Explore for capability most beginners never use
- The knife blade is a separate purchase on top of the machine
- Knife-blade cuts are slow — a thick basswood cut can run well over an hour
Not for you if
Your project list is shirts, decals, stickers and cards. Every one of those cuts identically on an Explore 5, and the difference in price is roughly a full starter set of materials.
Key specs
- Cuts
- 300+ materials including unbacked fabric, leather, basswood
- Max material width
- 12 in (11.5 in cut width)
- Matless cutting
- Yes, with Smart Materials
- Rotary blade
- Yes — cuts fabric without a stabilizer backing
- Knife blade
- Yes — sold separately
#ad · affiliate link · we never show a price we cannot verify
2. Best for the same capability for less
Cricut Maker 4
Cricut · Currently sold · Verified 2026-09-27
Still current and still fully supported, with identical blade compatibility and cut width. If it is meaningfully cheaper on the day, you are paying less for the only thing that makes a Maker a Maker — and giving up speed you may never notice.
What works
- Rotary and knife blade capability, the same reason anyone buys a Maker
- Frequently the cheaper route into the Maker line
- Fully supported in Design Space — this is not a discontinued model
What does not
- Slower than the Maker 5 on long cuts
- Being the older model in the line, stock can be patchy
- Same caveat as every Maker: most beginners never use the rotary blade
Not for you if
You are buying your first machine and have no fabric or wood project in mind. The Explore 5 does your projects for less.
Key specs
- Cuts
- 300+ materials including unbacked fabric, leather, basswood
- Max material width
- 12 in (11.5 in cut width)
- Rotary blade
- Yes
- Knife blade
- Yes — sold separately
- Status
- Current line, sold alongside the Maker 5
#ad · affiliate link · we never show a price we cannot verify
Common questions
Is the Cricut Maker 4 still current?
What is the actual difference between the Maker 4 and Maker 5?
Which Maker should I buy?
Do both Makers cut wood?
Sources
- Cricut official product catalog — Maker 4 and Maker 5 current availability and specifications, verified 27 September 2026
How we picked
We verify every product is currently sold by reading the manufacturer's own catalog, compare published specifications rather than marketing copy, and rank on what a first-time buyer has to decide. We do not run lab tests and we do not claim to, and commission never affects the order.
Read this next
Cricut Maker 4 Review
Full Maker capability, often at a lower price — what you give up against the Maker 5 and what you do not.
Cricut Maker 5 Review
The top of the mainstream line: what the extra blades do, and why most beginners will not use them.
Cricut Explore 5 vs Maker 5
The Explore-versus-Maker question settled: what the extra blades do, and who will never use them.
The Best Cricut for Beginners
One safe default pick, plus the specific cases where a different Cricut — or no Cricut — is the better buy.
Back to Cutting Machines.