Buy the Cricut Explore 4 if your projects are vinyl decals, iron-on shirts, cardstock, labels, cards and Print Then Cut stickers. Buy the Cricut Maker 4 only if you can name a Maker-only job: cutting fabric with the Rotary Blade, cutting chipboard or balsa with the Knife Blade, or engraving and debossing. Cricut lists the same cut size and speed for both machines, so the extra money buys tools and materials, not a bigger or faster cut.

The 2026 lineup changes the shopping answer. On October 3, 2026, Cricut sold the Explore 4 only as an under-$200 certified refurbished machine, listed the new Explore 5 at the same price, and listed the new Maker 5 at $300 to $350, below the Maker 4’s sale price of $350 to $400 (MSRP slightly higher). Compare the 5-series before buying either 4.

Side-by-side specifications

Spec (Cricut) Explore 4 Maker 4
Max cut on machine mat 11.5 x 23.5 in. 11.5 x 23.5 in.
Max cut with Smart Materials 11.7 in. x 12 ft 11.7 in. x 12 ft
Cut speed Up to 14.1 ips Up to 14.1 ips
Listed materials 100+ (vinyl, iron-on, cardstock and more) 300+ (adds leather, wood, matboard and more)
Effects Writes, draws, foils, scores Adds engraving, debossing, perforating
Print Then Cut Yes, with a home inkjet Yes, with a home inkjet
Dimensions 22.2 x 7 x 5.9 in. 22.1 x 7.1 x 6.2 in.
Weight 11.1 lb 15.4 lb
Cricut price band, Oct. 3, 2026 Under $200, certified refurbished only $350 to $400 sale (MSRP slightly higher), new

Same mat size, same Smart Materials width, same speed. If 11.7 inches is too narrow for your project, neither machine solves that.

Why the Explore is enough for most first machines

Cricut describes the Explore 4 as working with more than 100 materials, including vinyl, iron-on and cardstock, and as able to write, draw, foil and score. That covers T-shirts and tote bags with iron-on, permanent or removable vinyl decals, labels, greeting cards and full-color stickers printed on an inkjet and then cut.

Those projects don’t get better because a machine can engrave metal. The money you save goes further on mats, materials, a weeding tool and a heat press.

Search Amazon for the Cricut Explore 4 . This is a labeled search, so confirm whether an offer is new or refurbished.

When the Maker earns its price

Choose the Maker 4 when one of these Maker tools is already on your project list. Cricut’s comparison chart describes them, and all are sold separately:

  • Rotary Blade: Cricut says it cuts cotton, fleece, denim and similar fabrics.
  • Knife Blade: Cricut says it cuts thicker, denser materials up to 2.4 mm, such as chipboard and balsa wood.
  • Engraving, debossing and perforating tips: Cricut lists these effects for the Maker 4.

The Maker 4 Digital Content Bundle was sold by Amazon.com when checked. Cricut’s box includes only the Premium Fine-Point Blade, a Fine Point Pen, a Light Grip Mat and a Mini Weeder, so price the specialty tool and its mat into the comparison.

The catch: “300+ materials” is a compatibility list. Dense materials need the right tool, mat and settings, so budget for test cuts on scrap.

How the Explore 5 and Maker 5 change the answer

  • Explore 5: Cricut lists it at under $200 new, says it works with 100+ materials and six tools, including a Deep Cutting Tool (sold separately) for thicker materials like foam and rubber, and says it is 30% more compact than previous models. It showed out of stock on Cricut’s site when checked; Amazon.com sold the Explore 5 Essential Bundle .
  • Maker 5: Cricut lists it at $300 to $350, with 13 compatible tools, 300+ materials, cutting and engraving of materials up to 3 mm, a 10.9 lb weight and an 11.5 x 23.75 inch mat cut size. Amazon.com sold the Maker 5 Essential Bundle .

If you want an Explore, a new Explore 5 at the same price beats a refurbished Explore 4. If you want a Maker, the Maker 5 lists for less than the Maker 4 and adds the 3 mm rating, so buy the Maker 4 only at a clear discount.

Three checks before you buy

  1. List your first ten projects. All vinyl, cardstock, iron-on and stickers? Choose an Explore. Fabric, chipboard, leather or engraving? Choose a Maker.
  2. Price the whole workflow. Add mats, blades, transfer tape, weeding tools, a printer for stickers and a heat press for apparel.
  3. Plan the space. Both 4-series machines are about 22 inches long and need clear space front and back for a 24-inch mat or long Smart Materials. For weeding small vinyl pieces, see our craft tweezers guide .

Changes in this update

This version adds Cricut’s October 2026 pricing and availability (the Explore 4 sold only refurbished; the Explore 5 and Maker 5 now current), adds weights and dimensions from Cricut’s pages, and drops tool counts for the 4-series that Cricut’s current pages no longer state.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Cricut Maker 4 faster or wider than the Explore 4?

No. Cricut lists the same cut speed (up to 14.1 inches per second), the same 11.5 x 23.5 inch maximum cut on a machine mat and the same 11.7 inch x 12 foot maximum with Smart Materials for both machines. The Maker’s extra cost buys tools and materials, not size or speed.

Should I buy the Explore 4 or the Explore 5 now?

Cricut sells the Explore 4 only as certified refurbished at under $200, and lists the new Explore 5 at the same price. Unless you find a 4 for much less, the Explore 5 is the better buy for the same money.

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