Cricut just released another new machine. The Cricut Maker 5, following the Maker 4, the Maker 3 and the original Maker. I will still never understand why they skipped a Maker 2.
Whenever Cricut announces a machine, my first thought is the same: what makes this one better than the last one? If it is new, it has to be better, right? Otherwise why would I spend another $349?
So that is exactly what I went looking for. I do not have a Maker 5 in front of me yet, so this is Cricut's official specs compared against the Maker 4 sitting on my craft table right now.
The short answer: there is one real capability change, a lot of redesign, and three compatibility surprises that nobody is talking about.
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Product images courtesy of Cricut.
Key Takeaways
- Your old Cricut pens will not fit the Maker 5. Cricut states directly that pens made for earlier Maker machines are not compatible with the new snap-in pen holder.
- The Scoring Stylus is not compatible either, and that is the change I think matters most. On the Maker 4 you could load the Stylus in Clamp A and a blade in Clamp B and score and cut a card in one go. On the Maker 5 the new Scoring Tool shares a clamp with your blade, so that project now needs a tool swap.
- The one genuine capability gain is thickness: 3 mm, up from 2.4 mm. That is a 25% increase and it applies to engraving as well as cutting.
- It is 30% more compact and 4.5 pounds lighter (10.9 lb versus 15.4 lb) with the same cutting area, but you give up the lid and the side storage compartment to get there.
- Cut speed is unchanged at 14.1 inches per second, and both machines handle 300+ materials with 13 tools.
Quick Links
- Key Takeaways
- Cricut Maker 5 vs Maker 4
- The New Pen Holder and What It Costs You
- The Scoring Stylus Problem
- Smaller and Lighter, But You Lose the Lid
- What Is Actually New
- Who Should Buy the Maker 5
- Am I Buying One
- Frequently Asked Questions
Cricut Maker 5 vs Maker 4
| Spec | Cricut Maker 5 | Cricut Maker 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349 | $379 |
| Max material thickness | 3 mm | 2.4 mm |
| Cut speed | 14.1 in/sec | 14.1 in/sec |
| Materials | 300+ | 300+ |
| Compatible tools | 13 | 13 |
| Cut width | 12 in | 12 in |
| Matless cutting | Up to 12 ft | Up to 12 ft |
| Size | 19.8 x 7.5 x 4.7 in | 22.1 x 7.1 x 6.2 in |
| Weight | 10.9 lb | 15.4 lb |
| Lid | No | Yes |
| Side storage compartment | No | Yes |
| Older Cricut pens fit | No | Yes |
| Scoring Stylus | Not compatible | Compatible |
| Colors | Slate Blue, Teal at Michaels | Seashell, Sage at Michaels |
According to Cricut, the Maker 5 works with more than 300 materials and 13 tools, covering cutting, engraving, debossing, scoring, perforating and more. If you know the Maker 4, that will sound familiar, because the Maker 4 already does all of that too.
The New Pen Holder and What It Costs You
Instead of dropping your pen into the accessory adapter in Clamp A, compatible pens now snap straight into a new holder. Push until it clicks and you are done.
I can see why people will like it. It is genuinely easier.
But here is the catch if you already own a Cricut. Your old Maker pens do not fit. Cricut says plainly that pens made for earlier Maker machines are not compatible with the Maker 5 pen holder. If you have built up a pen collection over the years, that is something to know before you spend the money. You will need Cricut's newer compatible pens and markers.
This system is not brand new, either. Cricut introduced it on the Cricut Explore 5, which I bought and reviewed when it launched. I did not talk about the pen compatibility in that review, and now that the same system has arrived on the Maker, I think it is worth calling out.
There is a second, quieter loss here. On older Explore and Maker machines there is a removable accessory adapter inside Clamp A. Because it comes out, you can also use aftermarket adapters. I have a whole video showing the Craverland Universal Pen Adapter, which lets you run Sharpies and all sorts of pens in older Cricut machines. That is a third party product, not made or approved by Cricut, and Cricut's warranty excludes damage from misuse or unauthorized modifications, so you use something like that at your own risk. But I liked having the option.
With the new pen holder, that removable adapter is gone.
The Scoring Stylus Problem
This is the compatibility change I think actually matters most, and it is getting almost no attention.
The old Cricut Scoring Stylus does not work with the Maker 5.
You can still score. Cricut has a new Scoring Tool for the Maker 5, and the Single and Double Scoring Wheels are still compatible. You are not losing the ability to score at all. What changes is how you do it.
On my Maker 4, I can put the Scoring Stylus in Clamp A and my Fine-Point Blade in Clamp B. Say I am making a card. The machine scores the fold line, then cuts the card out, and I never touch it. Same with an envelope or a gift box. It scores, it cuts, both tools already loaded.
On the Maker 5, the new Scoring Tool goes into the same tool clamp as your blade. So a project that needs to score and cut will stop partway through and wait for you to swap tools.
If you normally use the Single or Double Scoring Wheel, this is nothing new, because those already share a clamp with your blade. But if you have been using the Scoring Stylus, you had the option to load both at once. That option is gone.
Card makers, this one is for you.
Smaller and Lighter, But You Lose the Lid
One of the headline claims is that the Maker 5 is 30% more compact. It is, and the numbers back it up: 19.8 inches wide against the Maker 4's 22.1, so about 2.3 inches of desk space back.
The way they got there is the part I do not love. Just like on the Explore 5, they removed the storage compartment on the side. I use mine constantly. That is where my extra blades and tools live. On the Maker 5 all of that has to go in the compartment along the bottom instead.
It is also a lot lighter: 10.9 pounds versus 15.4. That is nearly four and a half pounds, which is genuinely significant if you move your machine around for classes or crops. And credit where it is due, Cricut made it meaningfully smaller and lighter without shrinking the cutting area. You still get the full 12 inches.
Then there is the other design change. The lid is gone.
I said the same thing when I reviewed the Explore 5 and I will say it again here. I do not like the open-top design. These are craft machines. There is dust, cardstock scraps, vinyl, glitter, pet hair. My Maker 4 has a lid, so when I am done I close it and everything inside is covered. The Maker 5 just stays open.
Smaller and lighter is a real benefit if you are short on space. Just know you are trading the lid and the side storage to get it.
What Is Actually New
Let me be fair, because there is one real capability change and it deserves credit.
The Maker 5 cuts and engraves up to 3 mm thick, where the Maker 4 tops out at 2.4 mm. That is a 25% increase in clearance. In practice it is the difference between a material fitting and not fitting, so thicker basswood, heavier chipboard and thicker leather come into range. If you have ever had a Knife Blade project fail because your material was a hair too thick, that is the upgrade aimed squarely at you.
Design Space also picked up guided design flows and some AI-powered design tools, alongside the usual 1.75 million images and 1,500 fonts. I want to actually use those before I tell you whether they are useful or just a bullet point on a box.
And now what did not change:
- Cut speed is identical. 14.1 inches per second on both.
- Both work with more than 300 materials.
- Both work with 13 tools.
- Both cut, write, draw, foil, score, deboss and engrave. Both use Design Space. Both have Bluetooth, Print Then Cut and Smart Materials.
So when it comes to what I can actually make, outside of that extra 0.6 mm, I am not seeing much that is new.
And honestly, that is what I was hoping for. I wanted a new tool. More cutting force. A faster machine. Something I could make on a Maker 5 that I cannot already make on my Maker 4.
I would love to see Cricut build an inkjet printer straight into one of these. Think about Print Then Cut today: I send the design to a separate printer, print it, carry it back to the Cricut, put it on a mat, then cut. What if the machine just printed and cut? xTool is already doing something like that with the M2, which prints full color onto materials and then laser cuts them in the same machine. I put one through its paces in my xTool M2 review, and it is the closest thing I have seen to that idea actually working.
24:46
Watch the full tutorial
Can the xTool M2 Replace My Cricut, Laser & Printer?
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That is the kind of thing I would love from a new generation. Something that changes what I can make, not the same machine in a smaller box.
Who Should Buy the Maker 5
None of this means you should not buy one. It depends entirely on where you are starting from.
Buying your first Cricut? The Maker is still the line I would point you at, and at $349 the Maker 5 is actually cheaper than the Maker 4 at $379. You get the Rotary Blade, Knife Blade, engraving and debossing, none of which you get on an Explore. There is no reason to choose the older machine at a higher price.
Upgrading from an Explore to a Maker? That is a completely different conversation and a much easier yes. You are gaining tools and materials your Explore simply cannot use. That is real new capability.
Already have a Maker 4? This is where I struggle to find the reason. Unless you are regularly hitting that 2.4 mm ceiling or you genuinely need the desk space and the lighter weight, you are paying $349 to lose your pens, your Scoring Stylus workflow, your lid and your side storage.
Am I Buying One
Right now, no.
I already have a Maker 4. It is not slower than the Maker 5. It already works with more than 300 materials. I already own all my tools, pens and accessories for it.
There are things I genuinely like about the new machine. Taking nearly five pounds off is impressive. Making it 30% more compact without shrinking the cutting area is a real achievement. If you need a smaller, lighter Cricut, those could matter a lot to you.
But for me they do not outweigh what I would give up. I like having a lid. I like the extra storage. I like using the pens I already own. And I like putting my Scoring Stylus in Clamp A and my blade in Clamp B and letting the machine score and cut without me touching it.
So when I ask what the Maker 5 does that my Maker 4 cannot, the honest answer is 0.6 mm of extra thickness. For me, that is not enough. I am sticking with my Maker 4 for now.
If you want one, you can check the current price on the Cricut Maker 5 here. For the first two weeks it is only at Cricut.com and Michaels, and Teal is a Michaels exclusive.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Cricut Maker 5?
The machine on its own is $349. Cricut also lists an Essential Bundle at $399 and an Ultimate Plus Bundle at $549, with a Cricut Access version at $499.
When did the Cricut Maker 5 come out?
Cricut announced it on September 3, 2026 and it went on sale September 4, 2026. For the first two weeks it is available only through Cricut.com and Michaels.
What is the difference between the Cricut Maker 4 and Maker 5?
The Maker 5 cuts and engraves up to 3 mm instead of 2.4 mm, is 30% more compact and 4.5 pounds lighter, and costs $30 less. Cut speed, material count, tool count and cut width are unchanged. You lose the lid, the side storage compartment, older pen compatibility and Scoring Stylus compatibility.
Will my old Cricut pens work with the Maker 5?
No. Cricut states that pens made for earlier Maker machines are not compatible with the Maker 5 snap-in pen holder. You will need Cricut's newer compatible pens and markers.
Does the Scoring Stylus work with the Cricut Maker 5?
No. The new Scoring Tool replaces it, and the Single and Double Scoring Wheels are still compatible. The difference is that the Scoring Tool shares a clamp with your blade, so score-and-cut projects need a tool change partway through.
Is the Cricut Maker 5 worth upgrading to from a Maker 4?
For most people, no. The only capability gain is 0.6 mm of extra thickness. If you are buying your first Maker it is an easy yes at $349, since that is less than the Maker 4 costs.
Does the Cricut Maker 5 have a lid?
No. Like the Explore 5, the Maker 5 has an open-top design with no lid and no side storage compartment.
What Do You Think?
Do you like the smaller design? Does the missing lid bother you as much as it bothers me? And if you already have a Maker 3 or Maker 4, is there enough here to make you upgrade?
Let me know in the comments. I read every one.
My full Maker 5 video is coming soon. I am putting one together now, and when it is up I will add it right here. If you want it the moment it lands, subscribe on YouTube or get on my email list.
If you are trying to work out which Cricut is right for you, or you have one and want help actually using it, that is exactly why I wrote Cricut For Dummies. There is a whole section on choosing a machine, then setup, Design Space, materials and real projects.
