Silhouette Cameo 4 Vs Cricut Maker 3: Unveiling the Key Distinctions

January 8, 2024

When shopping for the best plotters that money can buy, the battle can quickly narrow down to Silhouette Cameo 4 vs Cricut Maker 3. These are some of the best cutting machines that any individual or company can buy. Although Cricut may be the more popular brand among DIY crafters, Silhouette Cameo 4 holds its own against premium-class vinyl plotting machines. So, in this post, we’ll settle the Cameo 4 vs Cricut Maker debate by reviewing these two machines to help you make an educated choice.

Part 1: Silhouette Cameo 4 Vs Cricut Maker 3: How To Choose

Before we get to the main review of these high-end cutting machines, let’s discuss the selection guide and tips. We know there are many features to look at when choosing between these two machines. So, let’s briefly list the main ones below:

Supported materials: What type of materials do you intend to cut? Choose a vinyl plotter that supports a broader set of materials to help you accomplish more projects. Cricut Maker 3 should have the upper hand in this case.
Blade options: Your vinyl cutting machine is only as good as its supported blades. Usually, these machines support different blade angles, including 30, 45, and 60 degrees. Note that using the wrong blade can drag through materials, leading to poor-quality cuts.
Scoring: Do you intend to make Craft projects that need to be folded? If that’s your intention, choose a plotter with scoring capabilities to create visible fold lines in any project.
Pricing: This is a vital consideration in this Cricut Maker 3 vs Silhouette Cameo 4 Choose a machine you can afford and have enough balance to purchase quality project materials. Also, consider the machine’s availability at retailers.
Supplier support: Finding information about vinyl cutters is easy nowadays. But what happens with the machine after purchasing it is what counts. Ensure the cutting machine you purchase has standby customer support for instant help when it’s not working correctly.

Part 2: Silhouette Cameo 4 Vs Cricut Maker 3: Key Differences

Now, let’s get down to the detailed review of these high-end cutting machines.

Silhouette Cameo 4:

Let’s start by unboxing the Silhouette Cameo 4 machine, released in September 2019. This machine is undoubtedly one of the best vinyl-cutting plotters in the industry right now. Thanks to its cutting-edge features and efficiency, we consider it the biggest rival to Cricut Maker 3.

Size and Design:

This robust cutting machine comes in three sizes, unlike Cricut Maker 3, which has zero options. The base Cameo 4 model offers a 304 mm cutting width, whereas the Cameo Plus and Cameo Pro can go all the way to 381 mm and 609 mm, respectively. That’s just about the only difference between these three Cameo models.

Interestingly, Silhouette says Cameo 4 can cut up to 18 meters using a lined material. But remember that the maximum length these machines can handle is limited to the cutting mat. All three machines can cut a maximum thickness of 3 mm and are available in white, pink, and black colors.

Matless Cutting and Materials:

You won’t need a mat when using Cameo 4 to cut specific lined materials. This machine supports kiss cut and pop-out cut, designed for lined materials. These features can be helpful when dealing with longer lengths that may need to go beyond the mat’s boundaries. It’s important to note that Maker 3 does this exceptionally well with its smart materials.

Speaking of materials, Cameo 4 is designed to cut 100+ materials, including:

Vinyl
Heat transfer vinyl
Cardstock
Corrugated paper
Fabric
Chipboard

Design Software:

Cameo 4 has its own design software called Silhouette Studio. This powerful editing tool comes in four editions, with a free basic version that allows you to import designs, images, and fonts from your PC. With the three other paid editions, you can perform more tasks like importing SVG and working with embroidery files. Remember, you can upgrade to the paid editions with the company frequently providing discounts.

Price:

Like any other vinyl plotter, the price of Silhouette Cameo 4 may vary depending on where you purchase it and the season. For example, this machine retailed at $199.99 this festive season, although the usual price could go as high as $299.99. Either way, that’s still cheaper than what you’ll fork out for Cricut Maker 3.

Cricut Maker 3:

Cricut Maker 3

Launched in June 2021, Cricut Maker 3 has very few competitors in the vinyl cutting sector. Although the price could be backbreaking, this machine packs various advanced features, including Smart Materials and Design Space. In short, it’s the dream machine for any avid DIY crafter.

Size and Design:

Cricut Maker 3 is the successor of the reasonably successful Cricut Maker. This vinyl plotter comes with a continuous cutting space of 12ft and can reach 75ft if you add in the roll holder. In addition, Cricut Maker 3 offers a more-than-enough clearing space of 2.4 mm.

Regarding the looks, Maker 3 beats Cameo 4 hands down, thanks to its attractive and sleek design. We find Cameo 4’s design to be rather aggressive and angular. Also, this Cricut machine comes with a docking station for your tablet or smartphone, a handy feature on machines with Bluetooth connectivity.

Matless Cutting and Materials:

This is another area where this electronic cutting machine dwarfs Silhouette Cameo 4. Cricut Maker 3 can cut 300+ materials, which is 200+ more than what Silhouette Cameo 4 can handle. It also comes with a wide selection of tools for writing, scoring, cutting, engraving, and more. You can use Maker 3 for almost any project.

Unlike Cricut Maker, this machine now offers support for Smart Materials. This allows you to cut materials up to 12 feet long without a cutting mat. The cutting width in this new machine also increased from 12 inches to 13 inches, making it the perfect machine for crafters who want to cut numerous smaller materials/designs at once.

Design Software:

The Cricut Maker vs Silhouette Cameo 4 battle could ultimately come down to the design software. You can download Cricut Design Space and use it offline to resize and cut your SVG designs. From our experience, this editing tool is relatively straightforward and effective for any project. You can even connect it to other programs like Adobe Illustrator.

Price:

During this festive period, Maker 3 had a $429 price tag, although this could be higher or lower depending on where you purchase it. This is significantly higher than the Cameo 4 entry-level model, which costs $199.99. But before we announce Cameo 4 as the winner, it’s vital to note that Maker 3 is readily available in most retail and online stores. And without mentioning the additional features that make it worth every penny.

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Part 3: Silhouette Cameo 4 Vs Cricut Maker 3: Which Is Best For Me?

Up to this point, we believe you have already made a decision regarding the Cricut Maker 3 vs Silhouette Cameo 4 comparison. Silhouette Cameo 4 may trail the Maker 3 machine in many aspects, but it still wins in pocket-friendliness and cutting strength. However, you’ll look for more than raw power when choosing a vinyl plotter.

Cameo 4 is also a powerful machine for cutting 100+ materials and comes fully packed with some advanced features. But that’s nothing compared to Cricut Maker 3’s 300+ supported materials and a more comprehensive range of tools. It’s also worth mentioning that Cricut Design Space is easier and more enjoyable to use compared to Silhouette Studio.

All in all, choose a vinyl-cutting machine that matches your skill level and needs. Although Cameo 4 can effectively handle most projects, its limited accessories and complex software make it less desirable for beginner crafters. Cricut is undoubtedly the superior cutting machine in this comparison.