The question on every crafters’ lips right now — Silhouette Cameo 4 vs Cricut Maker: which is the best cutting machine?
These two big shots are the latest flagship cutters from industry powerhouses: Cricut and Silhouette America.
The Cameo 4 was first released in Fall 2019, while the latest iteration of the Cricut Maker followed in 2021. When we take a good look at the machines, you’ll see that the differences are subtle — and yet enough to generate tribal discussion between ‘Cricut fans’ and ‘Cameo fans’ as to which machine is the best.
At VCM, we have a marginal preference for the Cricut Maker. It’s the machine that we’ve chosen for most of our projects (and the tutorials on this site). While the Cameo 4 had a slight performance advantage over the original Cricut Maker, the release of the latest Cricut Maker 3 has erased that edge. We particularly love that the latest Maker is compatible with Smart Materials, allowing us to work mat-free on projects up to a super-impressive 12 feet in length.
With that said, the Cameo 4 comes in three packages. The original machine, the Plus or the Pro models. For the purpose of this comparison, we’ve stuck with the original model. But the Cameo 4 Pro has a cutting width of 24 inches (vs. the Maker’s 13 inches), which makes it by far the superior choice if you have a burning desire to work on larger projects.
In short: both the Cameo and the Maker are powerful, fast and more versatile than you could ever imagine from a desktop machine. They are two of the best home-use vinyl cutters in the world today.
But which one is best? Which one deserves your hard earned cash?
Here’s a sneak peek at how the two compare, before we dive in to the details:
Cameo 4 PLUS: 15″ x 10′
Cameo 4 PRO: 20″ x 10′
Cameo 4 PLUS: 15″ x 10′
Cameo 4 PRO: 20″ x 10′
Cameo 4 vs Cricut Maker
Power
One of the easiest ways to compare the Cameo 4 against the Cricut Maker is by how powerful both machines are.
Let’s be upfront about it: both machines are incredibly powerful — much more so than your average desktop cutter — and it’s highly unlikely you’d even notice a great deal of difference, unless you were cutting very high volumes of thick materials that require such power.
But, nevertheless, the Cameo 4 does inch ahead of the Maker with 1000 extra grams of downward force than its rival.
The Cameo 4 has 5kg of downward force, while the Maker has 4kg.
Note: If you’re using the Maker, you can refer to Cricut’s cut pressure chart which is very handy when tackling new materials.
In this round, the advantage undoubtedly goes to the Cameo 4, but it’s worth considering: how much power will you actually need? And what materials will you be working with?
1-0 to Cameo
Speed
Similarly, both machines are very fast cutters — especially for standard materials like paper, cardstock and vinyl.
The Cameo 4 is advertised as being 3 times as fast as its predecessor, the Cameo 3, while the Cricut Maker benefits from ‘Fast Mode’ that works at double Cricut’s speed for standard materials.
This is one area where the latest Cricut Maker 3 improves on the original Maker: it’s twice as fast.
We’d estimate them being about neck and neck for the majority of materials you’ll be using — there’s certainly not enough of a difference to choose one over the other.
When it comes to more complex and thicker materials like fabric and chipboard, for instance, we’ll be conducting speed tests between the two once Silhouette have released the necessary tools.
At the moment, however, we’d award the speed category as a draw between the two machines. A point each.
Cameo 2 – 1 Maker
Versatility
We know that we’re not the only crafters to value versatility as one of the most important features of any cutting machine that we’re likely to buy.
So, what contributes to versatility? We look out for features like the following:
- Power
- Ability to work with multiple tools
- Ability to work with multiple materials
- A dual carriage that allows for two tasks to be carried out at once (like sketching and cutting, for example)
- Huge library of images, projects and designs
Both machines boast all of these features and can definitely both be described as versatile.
But the Cricut Maker just inches out ahead of the Cameo 4 here.
Probably because it’s already been on the market for a couple of years, it’s got access to a lot more tools. Not only game changers like the Rotary Blade and Knife Blade, but more specialist stuff like the engraving and debossing tips, wavy and perforation blades, scoring wheel and more.
The Cameo 4, in contrast, has only just been joined by tools like the High Pressure Rotary Blade and High Pressure Kraft Blade.
Aside from the tools, the Maker also benefits from the absolutely massive sewing pattern library that makes it a must-buy for crafters passionate about sewing.
See our guide here: 49 Things To Make With The Cricut Maker
Both Silhouette Studio and Cricut Design Space thankfully have huge image, font and project libraries for you to find practically any design you can think of. Plus, of course, you can create your own designs within both programs.
Point to the Maker — the score currently stands at 2-2.
Software
One of the most important things to consider when choosing between the Cameo 4 and the Cricut Maker is how much you like working within the design software they provide.
We know that more experienced designers choose to use their own, more sophisticated programs — like CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator, for instance — but the truth is that most people find it easier to stick with the included software.
For the Cameo 4 that’s Silhouette Studio.
Silhouette Studio has really improved in the past year or so, thanks to some much-needed updates, so it’s now intuitive to use and has plenty of opportunities to really grow your design skills. It can still be buggy, however, which definitely causes some frustration.
Cricut Design Space is probably slightly better set up for beginners and doesn’t seem to suffer from the same number of bugs as Silhouette Studio but can be a little limiting for more experienced designers.
It’s hard to award one program over the other as it really will come down to personal preference — beginners and lower-level users tend to prefer Cricut Design Space whereas Silhouette Studio has more to offer the more advanced.
Looks like it’s another draw… 3-3!
Cutting Space
Another feature that’s super important to a small section of users is just how much space you have to cut your designs on both machines.
While most crafters were perfectly happy to work within the confines of the 12″ x 24″ cutting space that the original Cricut Maker provided, others would be looking for something a little less restrictive.
Particularly if you’re running a craft cutting business or tend to work mostly on larger projects.
The Cameo 4 has traditionally been the answer if that sounds like something you need.
The standard size cuts 12″ wide, but can deal with designs up to a whopping 10 feet long.
And that’s not all — 2020 saw the release of the Plus and Pro versions of the machines, which will be able to cut 15″ and 20″ wide respectively.
This category was previously a major win for the Cameo 4… but then along came the Cricut Maker 3.
The flagship feature of the Maker 3 is that it is now compatible with Cricut’s Smart Materials, meaning you can work on your projects mat-free up to a length of 12 ft. Game changer.
In addition, the new Cricut Maker has marginally increased the cutting width from 12 inches to 13 inches. Probably as a way of winning direct comparisons like this!
A Silhouette fan might argue that the Pro and Plus models of the Cameo offer a significantly wider cutting width (15 in or 24 in), but that wouldn’t be a fair comparison in our opinion. They are more expensive and not considered ‘direct competition’.
So, we’re rowing back on our original decision. This is now a point to the Cricut Maker.
4-3 to the Maker.
The Look
Of course, aesthetics is lower down the list of priorities when it comes to choosing the best cutting machine, but we thought it may still be worth considering. After all, whichever machine you choose, it’s likely to be sitting proudly in the centre of your craft room.
Our preference is for the Cricut Maker — it’s sleek, shiny and well contained.
While the original Maker came in a number of colors (including Champagne, Lilac, Mint, Rose, Blue), the Maker 3 comes in just one choice: what we could best describe as muted blue.
We also like that the Maker has a mobile/iPad docking station within the machine lid. This is a really underrated feature and particularly useful if you’re not working with a lot of space.
The Cameo 4 looks a little clunky and industrial in comparison — although it does offer some choice for personalisation.
It’s currently available in three colors: white, black or blush pink. Our preference is for the white, but clearly there’s a demand for blush pink too!
How the machine looks is probably not going to keep you awake late at night, but we do give a slight edge to the Cricut Maker for that extra cosmetic appeal.
Plus, it’s a true unboxing delight:
That’s taken the score to 5-3 — a close fought win for the Cricut Maker!
Pros & Cons of Cricut Maker
The Positives
- A truly excellent cutter that can be relied on for accuracy
- New ability to work with Smart Materials means you can take on projects up to 12 feet in length (mat-free!)
- Very easy to use after mastering the small learning curve
- Loads of tools that ensure this machine is super versatile
- Fast and powerful
- A machine for life thanks to the adaptive tool system that ensures it’ll stay compatible with all past and future tools
- Wireless cutting capability
- Access to a huge sewing pattern library — a must buy for sewists!
- Beautiful aesthetics
- Cuts through fabric like butter thanks to the Rotary Blade (which is included)
- Can cut materials up to 2.4mm thick with the Knife Blade (you’ll need to buy this separately)
- Cricut Access membership gives you access to a huge number of ready-to-make projects, fonts and other designs
The Negatives
- Not everyone will love Cricut Design Space
- More expensive than the Cameo 4
- Less powerful than the Cameo 4
>> Read our full Cricut Maker 3 review.
>> Check price on Amazon
Pros & Cons of Silhouette Cameo 4
The Positives
- An excellent cutter that’s both fast and accurate
- Very powerful — with 1,000 grams of additional downward force over the Maker
- Easy and intuitive to use thanks to features like the Single Tap AutoBlade, Smart Tool System, and the built-in roll feeder
- Much bigger cutting width than the Cricut Maker — but only if you upgrade to the Pro or Plus options.
- Cheaper than the Cricut Maker
- Promises to be very versatile once the new tools are released
- Allows for matless cutting with some materials
- Comes with access to plenty of designs if you buy from Swing Design
- Bluetooth connectivity for wireless cutting
The Negatives
- Not as good-looking as the Maker
- Not everyone will love Silhouette Studio software
- Dual carriage can be a little inefficient
- We’re still waiting on lots of tools so it’s hard to judge how well they all stack up (stay tuned!)
>> Read our full Silhouette Cameo 4 review.
>> Check price on Amazon
Silhouette Cameo 4 vs Cricut Maker: Which Is Best?
It’s really hard to choose a winner between the Cameo 4 and the Cricut Maker as truthfully they’re both fantastic machines that are really at the top of the market.
We’re leaning slightly towards the Cricut Maker at the moment although we reserve the right to change our minds once we’ve seen the full spectrum of the Cameo 4’s capabilities.
As the Maker has been out for several years at this point, we’ve had a long time to play with it and take advantage of all the Cricut tools that have been released so far.
The release of the newer upgraded Cricut Maker 3 tips the argument in favor of Cricut’s machine — but that’s just our opinion, and there is no shortage of Silhouette fans who will beg to differ!
Check out the best deals on these popular machines on the Cricut Store or on Swing Design, or you can find them on Amazon below
- Built-in roll feeder allows you to easily load and cut rolled materials like vinyl and heat transfer. Built-in crosscutter lets you trim vinyl or heat transfer right from the roll.
- Full 12-inch cutting width (when using a cutting mat). Cut up to 10 feet in length (with select materials). Matless cutting capabilities (see Tech Specs for full details).
- LET’S MAKE - Make more than you ever dreamed possible with Cricut Maker 3, the ultimate smart cutting machine. With the ability to cut more than 300 materials, and compatible with more than 13 tools to cut, score, write, deboss, engrave, and more.
- ACCESS TO BEGINNER’S GUIDES, EXPERT-LED COURSES & WORKSHOPS – Build the skills to create w/ confidence w/ the Learning Plan built into Design Space upon registering your machine. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get started on day 1.
Cameo 4 vs Cricut Maker: which do you think is the best?
Still can’t decide which cutter is right for you? Be sure to check out the rest of our detailed machine comparisons, as well as our complete guide to the best vinyl cutters.
The silhouette 4 also has a built in roll feeder!!!
I recently moved from a Silhouette cameo 3 to the maker. I knew the 4 was coming out, but was impatient and hooked in by the amazing tools of the maker. I sort of regret it now. The biggest reason was the software.
You declared that one a draw: I massively disagree.
Cricut’s Design Space is a terrible piece of software. Both the in-browser and downloaded versions are the same – there are no differences between them – point of note, you need an internet connection to be able to upload anything in the desktop version. It is clearly designed for iOS devices and has very limited capabilities and capacity. I make my own designs in adobe illustrator. I used to do that even when I used Silhouette Studio, but here is where the two differ so much. The studio is a powerful piece of software (I had the pro version which made it even more so – with the cricut, there is no option to have a more advanced piece of software) – you can import a large variety of file types, the print and cut was highly versatile and customisable and the in-software tools were meant for designers. The Cricut Design Space is not at all made for designers. It is made for crafters, not for people who make their own designs. You can’t import vectors. The print and cut is incredibly restrictive (you can’t decide where you are going to cut, it just does it automatically depending on the image – awful). And the biggest let down for me recently was when I tried to upload and cut a tiny file (less than 4kb), but it had hundreds of lines – it was a model of my house that I was trying to build as an advent calendar and I wanted to score the lines of the bricks – the software kept freezing when I tried to upload it, telling me the file was too big (it was 4kb), and then whenever I tried to do anything with it (i.e. attach, or make) it would have another meltdown. I had to give up. What is the point in this powerful machine with these awesome tools if the software isn’t fit for use?
One other issue is the restrictive settings on the tools – in the Silhouette Studio, you can very specifically set the depth, the pressure, the speed, the passes. There are standard materials, but everything is customisable. In the Design Space, you only see the materials which are preset. You can’t see any details as to what the pressure, depth, speed, passes are. You can edit these, but you can only edit the number of passes and the pressure – you can’t edit the speed. I was trying to cut a somewhat intricate design on their faux leather yesterday using their own settings and it was going too fast and kept pulling up the material. I really really really needed it to slow down, but couldn’t find a single way to get it to do so. In the Silhouette Studio, that would have been easy.
I have kept my Silhouette Cameo 3, which I didn’t mean to do. I wanted to sell it, but I find I need it for the things that the Design Space won’t let me do – the stickers I make for instance (the print and cut is a nightmare in the design space). I am going to save up and buy a Cameo 4 to use them side by side as I do still love the tools in the maker and for simple pieces, it works well. It is such a shame, because other than the software, it is an excellent piece of kit.
thank you for your detailed response. it really helps as i navigate this new marketing minefield.. so good that you are a designer too.. with more specific needs and you took the time to respond. thanks so much.
Thank you for the explicit details between the two! I am getting back into this and have worked with the larger professional plotters and cutters 20+ years ago. I don’t have the room for one of those or the patience to try to learn how to operate specialized software and prefer to use Illustrator for my custom design work. That is exactly what I needed to know, which would be easier to work with my existing software. I was torn between the two and only hearing from crafters, not designers on which was better. I am glad I found this site and your review of the two.
Curious to know if you have bought the Cameo 4 yet? If so, do you love it or hate it? I’m intruiged by the Cameo 4, but a bit scared by some of the trouble people have had with it… any thoughts? How is it for cutting fabric? Thank you!
Thank you for this!!! I have a Cameo 3 and was considering a switch to Cricut. You convinced me to stick to the brand I’m familiar with and probably saved me a ton of money.
Thank you for all this information. I’ve been reading sooo many reviews, and going back and forth. I was leaning towards the silhouette, but waffling until I saw your comment here. Thx for posting it. I’m heading out to get a silhouette 4. If you lived nearby, I’d share it with you. 🙂
The Cricut Maker is absolutely stunning for cutting fabric, especially hard to cut fabrics like felt, hessian and organza. Perhaps your review of both machines could have emphasised this fact, as a lot of quilters and sewers like to use a machine to cut their fabric, especially without having to use a backing or stabiliser (especially if they are running a craft business).
I agree that the software for the Maker is dreadful and much prefer using Silhouette Studio ( I still have the original Cameo!). I am holding out for the Cameo 4 Pro, as I make, primarily, 18″ cushion covers and want to cut whole stencils for painting the cover fronts, rather than having to cut smaller stencils with a repeatable design.
I was hoping that the rotary blade for the Cameo would be as stunning as the Maker’s rotary blade, but the few demos I have seen so far indicate that it is not. Having said that, it’s early days for the Cameo 4, so I will keep an eye out for more demos/tutorials.
I can see myself using both the Cameo 4 Pro (for the larger stencils etc.) and the Maker (for cutting felt appliques etc.). I just have to wait a few months until the Pro is available!
Hi,
I will choose Cameo 4 plus. Thanks for advices. 😉 have a nice day.
Well, darn. Got a lot of great information from this blog, so thank you for posting and thank you to those who commented with more info as well. I’m glad I’m taking my time deciding which machine to invest in — I have never used a cutter before, but I’m pretty confident in my abilities to figure out how to operate whichever one I choose and think I will wait for the Silhouette Pro 20″ to come out.
I’ve been looking for it online expecting it to be released (it’s now later in May 2020) and can’t seem to find any information on its release. I did see that the new tools for the Cameo 4 are now available on the market, so that probably would’ve made me jump to buy it if I didn’t read about the Cameo Pro…
Although, I’ve just read some of the reviews on the Cameo 4 and found that many people are upset having found out AFTER purchasing it that it does not indeed cut up to 15″ — it maxes at 14.5″ish. This will make me look for actual cutting size of the 20″ Pro when I can find reviews.
thanks scarlette, i am looking to buy also, and thank you for your input here.. marion
I’m about to jump into to world of cutting machines and have been hard pressed to make a decision. I wish I would have come across your review much sooner! Your straightforward and unequivocal review is the best! Thank you!!
I’m about to jump into to world of cutting machines and have been hard pressed to make a decision. I wish I would have come across your review much sooner! Your straightforward and unequivocal review is the best! Thank you!!
It is also my understanding that Cricut is now changing $96 annually (or $10 monthly – $120 annually) for more than 10 designs in the Maker Studio. That’s a huge way to incentivize the competitor.
thanks for this great comparison. much appreciated
Thank you for the very helpful comparison.
Have you any experience or good information about how the Cameo 4 and Maker will cut real wood veneers? I am not referring to the limited number (it could be as low as 3) wood veneers that are supplied by Cricut. These are 0.5mm thick compared to 0.6mm for normal wood veneers but probably more significant is that the Cricut veneers are made of two pieces sandwiched together. In case you are not familiar with wood veneers there are several hundred available with different cutting properties. It is certain that it will not be sensible to use all particularly those which are relatively hard and/or have a strong grain. However, there may well be a larger enough number of different colours and texture to be useful. There are some videos about cutting wood veneers but for a variety of reasons not as helpful as they may be. I know some ‘early’ machines of these brands have been used with some variable results. The maximum cutting force for these was around 0.31kg. The new models having cutting forces of 4kg (Maker) and 5kg (Cameo 4) so that I would hope this will make a significant difference. So I would be very grateful if you can help.
I have the Cameo 3 and nearly upgraded to the Cameo 4 but ended up with the Maker instead. As much as I like the Cameo, it feels cheap. It’s made of cheap plastic (the tool drawer lid catch broke on me the first day I had it). Thus, I opted for the Maker. The Maker feels very solidly made. I much prefer Silhouette Studio and will continue to use it and import my designs. I just wish Cricut would get their act together with their software – it really is woefully inadequate when you compare it to Silhouette Studio.
I am a new crafter. I did a little researching and I decided on the Cameo 4. I have never used the Cricut or anything other than my Cameo. I absolutely love it. I did buy the Cricut heat press to go with it. I love love love my new toys.
I’m brand new to the cutting space but my mom suggested looking into purchasing a cutting machine since I love to craft. I don’t have much experience with designing things though. I honestly don’t know what I plan to do with it; I don’t even know what I really can do! I was thinking maybe vinyl for personalizing stuff, possibly paper, but after reading a few things, cutting fabric for sewing might be fun too. I heard that the Cricut software (being web-based) goes down a lot, preventing you from working on projects. Is that no longer the case, or has that been solved with the iOS app? I like the idea of having the best, but as a beginner, does the silhouette have a much bigger learning curve? I also read that the cricut accessories last longer than the ones for silhouette. Have you found that to be the case? Thank you so much for any advice!
I have both Machines, the cricut is a good machine but with one caveat, the maker studio print and cut can only cut up till a certain length, and this is very limiting, i have tried various hacks online for this problem, but honestly all these are work-arounds that gives you many headaches, and also it doesn’t cut as accurately with these workarounds. Because of this fact, i would choose the Cameo 4, only because the software is not as limiting,
I am still at a standstill and not sure which one to buy.
I want to be able to cut vinyl as well as emboss card stock and apply foil. Can the cameo do this?
This has to be THE most helpful comparison on the 2 machines I have read. I have a Silhouette Portrait at present and I love it. Studio is just so easy to use and cutting and drawing is a breeze. Lockdown made me use my machine more and learn more about it – it is a part of me now! I want to upgrade my machine now as my projects are becoming a lot more detailed and have been torn between Cameo 4 and Maker.
I’ve trawled Facebook groups to see the general opinion and all I have seen is moans about design space. There is very little moaning about studio.
That and the info on here has now swayed my decision and I am going Cameo 4. Now I just need to figure out if I go for the Pro or not! Life’s decisions are tough 😉.
Thank you for the information here.
Hi, has anyone bought a machine more recently than the above comments and can give a comment/update please? About to buy my 1st one
Hi Sandra,
I haven’t bought either machine yet but having bought the Silhouette’s 1st, 2nd and then Curio machines I have been seriously thinking of buying the latest Cricut, mainly because I love to try new things and I’ve heard so much about it, I was probably a few clicks away from going to Amazon and ordering the cricut when I thought I’d double check all the wonderful tools I’ve read about for this machine and then I was speechless!!!
Now I wasn’t expecting to find a bundle that included all the tools/blades but looking for the machine and bundle shows just one, the machine, one blade and a set with scissors, weeding tool, tweezers for £430, so looking at blades sold separately the rotary blade and housing you’re looking at anything between £30 and £50 for ONE tool! For the Silhouette the same blade is £22. Also if you want the Cricut’s vinyl roll holder it’ll cost you £45, with the Cameo 4 it’s built in.
So for me it seems a no brainier especially as the silhouette’s bundle comes in at £349 and includes adapters to allow me to use my current blades/tools, plus so much more is offered than the Cricut bundle. Plus a few years back I bought these foil tips pack of 3, that I can use in the new machine but buying a foil tool for Cricut I’ll have to pay between £30 and £40.
I think if I was in a position of owning nothing maybe add up all of the kits, tools, blades etc for both machines and let them help guide your decision, especially as both machines seem to be fairly equal in terms of their capabilities.
Sorry for not answering your actual question, I hope my advice helps in some way 😉
It definitely helped ME Lisa. I don’t have either machine yet; I’m just venturing into the world of cutting machines. Between the lack of refinement in the software and the expense of the extras, like you’re pointing out, plus another really helpful commenter above discussing the software, think I’m going to go for the silhouette cameo 4. I was just going to get the machine, but I think I’m gonna look at the bundles too.
Hi. I am a graphic designer by trade and been in print/signage industry for over 20 years. Looking to start a home-based business. Thank you for this article. Seems the Silhouette range is the way to go.
I have a Cricut Maker and recently found an “open box” Cameo 4. The software does look a lot more robust, but I have had a problem with the Cameo while attempting the first cut. First off, it didn’t even cut the vinyl, it only scored the outline of the design. It made all the moves of cutting the rest, but didn’t even leave a mark on the vinyl, so now I have a cute little rounded-edge rectangle marked on the vinyl and nothing else. I have purchased a new auto-blade and will try again at my next opportunity. I did get a helpful response from the Silhouette folks, so we shall see.