Cricut Maker 3 vs Maker 4: Is the Upgrade Worth It

You just saw the Cricut Maker 4 announced and now you're staring at your Maker 3 wondering if you wasted your money.

You didn't. But the Maker 4 does make some real improvements, and whether they matter depends entirely on how you craft. The short answer: if you cut thick materials often, run high volumes, or live in Smart Materials, the Maker 4 is a genuine upgrade. If you're a weekend crafter doing cards, vinyl, and fabric, your Maker 3 is still more than enough.

Here's the full cricut maker 3 vs maker 4 breakdown so you can make the call without second-guessing yourself.

Maker 4 vs Maker 3: Quick Specs Comparison

Let's put the numbers side by side before we get into the details.

• Cutting Force (Maker 3): Up to 4 kg (approximately 400g)
• Cutting Force (Maker 4): Up to 8 kg — double the Maker 3
• Max Cutting Speed (Maker 3): Up to 2x faster than the original Maker
• Max Cutting Speed (Maker 4): Up to 6x faster than the original Maker with Smart Materials
• Mat-free cutting: Both support Smart Materials for mat-free cutting
• Bluetooth connectivity: Both
• Compatible tools: Nearly identical — all Maker adaptive tool system blades fit both
• Design Space: Both fully supported
• Max material width: 13 inches on both

On paper, the Maker 4 looks like a strict upgrade. In practice, a lot of those improvements only matter in specific situations.

Cutting Force and Speed Differences

This is the biggest technical leap between the two machines. The Maker 4 delivers up to 8 kg of cutting force, compared to around 4 kg on the Maker 3. That's not a minor bump — it's double.

What does that mean in real life? The Maker 4 can cut through thicker materials in fewer passes. Think 3mm balsa wood, heavy chipboard, or dense foam. On the Maker 3, you might need two or three passes to get a clean cut on those materials. The Maker 4 often handles them in one.

Speed is the other headline. With Smart Materials loaded (no mat needed), the Maker 4 cuts up to 6x faster than the original Maker. The Maker 3 is faster than the original Maker too, but tops out lower. For a crafter doing one project every couple of weeks, that speed difference is basically invisible. For someone running an Etsy shop and cutting 50 vinyl sheets on a Sunday, it adds up fast.

If you want a full rundown of the Maker 3's real-world performance, the Cricut Maker 3 Review: Is It Worth It in 2026? covers it in detail.

Smart Materials: Where the Maker 4 Wins

Smart Materials are Cricut's mat-free cutting system. You load the material directly into the machine, skip the cutting mat, and go. It works with Smart Vinyl, Smart Iron-On, Smart Paper Sticker Cardstock, and more.

Both machines support Smart Materials. That's important — the Maker 3 isn't locked out. But the Maker 4 handles them at a noticeably faster speed, and the increased cutting force makes it more consistent with Smart Materials that run thicker or stiffer.

If you do a lot of bulk vinyl cutting or run long rolls of Smart Iron-On for apparel projects, the Maker 4's speed advantage with Smart Materials is where you'll feel the difference most. The Maker 3 gets the job done, but it takes longer — and at high volumes, that time cost is real.

Honestly, for most hobbyists, the Maker 3 handles Smart Materials just fine. The Maker 4's advantage here is built for people who are cutting constantly, not occasionally.

Compatible Tools and Accessories

Good news here: there's almost no difference. Both the Maker 3 and Maker 4 use Cricut's adaptive tool system, which means your existing blades and tools work in both machines.

• Fine-Point Blade: Compatible with both
• Deep-Point Blade: Compatible with both
• Rotary Blade: Compatible with both
• Knife Blade: Compatible with both
• Scoring Wheel: Compatible with both
• Engraving, Debossing, and Wavy Blades: Compatible with both
• Foil Transfer Kit: Compatible with both

If you're upgrading from a Maker 3, you won't need to rebuy your blade collection. That's a meaningful saving when you consider some of the specialty tools run $20–$35 each.

Both machines also connect to Cricut Design Space the same way, with no feature restrictions on either. You're not locked out of any design functionality based on which machine you own.

Price Comparison

This is where the conversation gets real. The Maker 3 launched at $399 and regularly drops to $299 during sales. The Maker 4 launched higher, typically sitting in the $429–$499 range depending on the bundle and whether it's on sale.

That's a $100–$200 gap depending on timing. For a hobbyist, that gap is hard to justify. For someone running a small business where the faster speed means more orders completed per hour, the math can flip pretty quickly.

Worth knowing: Cricut sales happen constantly. Black Friday, Cricut's birthday sale in April, Amazon Prime Day. If you're flexible on timing, you can usually close that price gap to $50–$80 between the two machines, which makes the Maker 4 look a lot more reasonable.

For a deeper look at what you actually get for the money, the Cricut Maker 4 Review: Is It Worth the Upgrade? breaks down the value honestly.

Should You Upgrade from Maker 3 to Maker 4

Here's how to think about it without overcomplicating it.

Upgrade if you:

• Run a small business and time is literally money
• Regularly cut materials thicker than 2mm — chipboard, balsa, thick leather
• Use Smart Materials in high volume and want the speed gains
• Are buying your first Cricut and can stretch the budget

Stick with the Maker 3 if you:

• Craft on weekends or evenings for personal projects
• Mainly cut vinyl, iron-on, cardstock, or fabric
• Don't regularly push into thick or dense materials
• Already own a Maker 3 that works perfectly fine

The Maker 3 still cuts everything most crafters need. Vinyl, iron-on, fabric, paper, light leather — the Maker 3 does all of that without complaint. Upgrading from a working Maker 3 to a Maker 4 purely out of FOMO is not a great use of $400.

If you're still figuring out which Cricut machine fits your actual workflow, Which Cricut Machine Should I Buy? A Simple Guide walks through the full lineup without the jargon.

The Maker 4 is a better machine. But "better" only pays off if you're using the features that make it better. For casual crafters, the Maker 3 is going to keep delivering for years.