Why I Chose Silhouette Over Cricut (Twice)

I get asked all the time what machines I use and why I chose those machines. My answers are pretty simple, I like the Silhouette features over Cricut. But I want to go more in depth into what they each can do and the cost of each. You can choos for yourself which one you prefer and would be right for you!

Let me start by saying I have NEVER used a Cricut, and neither company is giving me any compensation for my opinions, so you can be sure they are honest. I will link to my favorite vinyl supply shop later but again, no compensation, I just love them and recommend them to anyone who buys any kind of vinyl.

My First Machine

So my first cutting machine was a gift for my birthday. My MIL knew I was getting more and more into crafting and one of her friends had a Silhouette Cameo and my cousin had the Silhouette Portrait (the smaller version) and both were loving it. But Cricut was also already out and popular. So why did I choose Silhouette? As a Stay-at-Home Mom of 2 young kids, my main concerns were cost, ease of use, and continued investment.

So after researching, Silhouette won out because I wouldn’t have to continue to buy cartridges for it unlike the Cricut. Although, I think it may have been just after that they came out with their first machine that didn’t use cartridges. This was 100% the reason I chose Silhouette the first time. But a lot has changed in 6 years. I just recently got my new machine and I chose another Silhouette (Cameo 4 this time). So why did I choose it again?

Major Differences

Main answer: I am a creature of habit. I know how Silhouette operates, I am comfortable with the Studio and I have never felt like I couldn’t do what I needed to do with it.
Now there are just a few differences between the 2 companies and their current machines. I’ll go over those now!

Silhouette:
This company offers multiple machines that each do a different thing. You have Mint (makes stamps), Alta (3Dprinter), Portrait (8in cut width), Cameo (12, 15, and 24 in cutting width depending on model, and Curio (allows stippling, etching, embossing and more). For the sake of this post, I will strictly be talking about my experience with the Cameo although the Portrait is similar in abilities but has a smaller width for cutting.

The base Cameo (12″) retails for $299.99 USD although you can often find it on sale, or bundled with supplies. It comes with access to the Basic Silhouette Studio which in my experience has been great and I have never felt the need to upgrade. I am sure upgrading unlocks some features that might be useful but I don’t buy many of my designs and I find that that would be the #1 reason to upgrade. Only using Designer , Designer Plus, Or Business edition can you import SVG, PNG, etc that you have purchased from Etsy or any other site. HOWEVER, you also have full access to their design store which has A LOT of options which does work with Studio AND you can create designs freely on your own. I easily create custom and original designs regularly with the Studio and have yet to have any real issues being able to do something. If I do come across something I don’t know how to do, I can typically go to Silhouette School and find out how to do what I need to.

The Cameo comes with a 12″x12″ cutting mat ($15 retail) and a 12″x24″ mat is available. But for many materials, such as vinyl, you don’t even need the cutting mat. This cuts down on cost of use because you aren’t having to replace them every few weeks/months depending on your project use and count. The newest Cameo (4) has a built in roll feeder and cross cutter which are game changers. The roll feeder (prior to this machine was sold separately) allows your material to be cut in long lengths. While you may not use this feature often, it is nice to have when you need it. Some examples of times I have needed it are when doing wall decal in large formats or when cutting multiple designs for large orders. It is nice to be able to cut it in longer lengths and set it and forget it type thing. (Small note: even with the roll feeder I do still check the alignment manually for the length of vinyl I am cutting to make sure it isn’t off and I rarely cut more than 10ft at time becuase the margin of error goes up drastically the longer you make the piece). The blades (between $13 and $25 reatil depending on type) for the machine can get dull and will dull faster if used on paper, fabric, or for thicker materials. For my last machine though I was able to use the same rachet blade for 2+ years with no issues as long as I cleaned off the vinyl and adhesive residue every so often.

So when you get the Silhouette, you really are investing in a product that will have very little extra expense other than supplies and extras that you choose to add such as upgraded software or designs if you choose to buy instead of make them.

Cricut:
The Explore Air2 is the most popular machine Cricut makes and retails for about $249 USD. The company offers the Joy which is a tiny little portable cutter with a 5.5″ width and the Maker which has added features such as scoring and engraving but the same 12″ width. They also have their own branded Heat Press for HTV. You can find them on sale or bundled but I don’t see them with these deals as often as I do Silhouette, but that could just be because of targeted marketing.

Cricut Design Space comes with the machine and from many people’s experience is not the most user friendly program. You can use something like Adobe Illustrator though and import into the Designs Space if you are familiar with that software and more comfortable with it. You also don’t have to upgrade to a different edition to use purchased SVG and PNG files. I am sure there are a wide range of blogs, YouTubes, and Facebook Groups dedicated to help and tutorials using the Cricut Explore Air but I am not familiar with any personally (Hopefully some of my Cricut using peoples can leave some recommendations in the comments!)

The Explore Air 2 comes with a blade, pen, and a 12″x12″ mat. They do offer a 12″x24″ mat as well and multiple tacks are available in each size. They each vary in price starting at about $13. With the Explore Air 2 you MUST use a mat to cut which limits your size to 12″x24″ max. Most feel this isn’t a hinderance, nor is not being able to cut only using a mat. But it is an added expense with using your machine. Taken care of properly they can easily last 6 months or more. Blades are similar and they will eventually dull but again can last if taken care of and not cutting super thick or dulling materials. The blades start at about $15 for them as well and can vary depending on type and housing needs. While you will have additional costs with having to buy mats and blades, the cost is minimal and spaced out. So again your cost of use is mainly going to be the supplies you are using to cut and your designs.

Supplies

Supplies are going to be your main source of cost. They are unavoidable. You are going to need to buy paper, Vinyl, Transfer Material, Blades, Mats, etc at one time or another. I ALWAYS buy through The Vinyl Spectrum if I can. Nicholas, Allie, and the rest of their team have spent hours testing and retesting products. They only use products they back 100% and that have the highest success rates. The Vinyl Spectrum does cater to Silhouette users more because they have a partnership with them, however their Facebook group has many Cricut users in there as well and is a great resource for all questions vinyl related. Some things you may need to know is that the Vinyl Spectrum doesn’t do sales often and their prices may not always be the lowest. But they ship fast, have impeccable customer service, and their prices are still more than reasonable. They also have their own printed vinyl patterns that are ADORABLE. You should really go check them out!

So there it is. Those are the differences between the machines and my simple reasons why I chose Silhouette not once, but twice. I have done my best to find out info from Cricut users to make this as informational as possible and while I am biased towards my machine, I hope this helps you choose the machine that is right now you!

Now… which one are you going to get?