Cricut’s revenue reached $1.3 billion in 2021, up 36% during the pandemic crafting boom. In 2025 it was $708.8 million. In 2026 the company is pushing lower entry prices and subscriptions, and the first results show machine sales growing again.
So is a Cricut worth buying now? The answer depends less on the machine than on how often you will use it and whether you will pay for Cricut Access. Here is what the company’s filings, product pages and plan pages show.
Trend Signal
44/100 Steady momentum
- Emerging
- Rising
- Mainstream
- Peaking
- Cooling
Machine sales are recovering while total revenue still shrinks
Cricut reported double-digit global machine sell-out growth in Q2 2026 even as total revenue fell 9% to $156.3 million and paid subscribers grew 3% to 3.10 million.
Our editorial reading of the cited data, not a forecast. How it is scored
By the numbers
- $708.8MCricut total revenue in 2025, down from $1.3 billion in 2021Cricut (SEC filing)
- 22%Cricut products revenue, Q2 2026 vs Q2 2025, while platform revenue rose 5%Cricut (SEC filing)
- 3.10MCricut paid subscribers at the end of Q2 2026, up 3% year over yearCricut (SEC filing)
- $14.99Starting monthly price of Cricut Access Premium, per Cricut’s CEO on Aug. 4, 2026The Motley Fool (call transcript)
Where Cricut stands in 2026
Cricut’s business now has two halves. Platform revenue, which includes Cricut Access subscriptions, grew 5% to $327.4 million in 2025, while products revenue from machines, accessories and materials fell 5% to $381.4 million. In Q2 2026 the gap widened: total revenue fell 9% to $156.3 million as products revenue dropped 22% to $71.3 million and platform revenue rose 5% to $85.0 million.
The machine picture is better than that headline. CEO Ashish Arora said the quarter brought “double-digit global machine sell-out growth,” meaning more machines sold through to consumers. On the earnings call, chief financial officer Kimball Shill attributed the products decline mainly to lower volumes and promotional pricing, against a second quarter of 2025 that benefited from revenue pulled forward amid tariff-related supply chain uncertainty.
Engagement has steadied. Paid subscribers reached 3.10 million, up 3%, and 90-day engaged users were flat year over year at 3.5 million. Arora said active users, up 1%, had stabilized in a second quarter for the first time since 2022.
Cricut is selling more machines again, but it earns its growth from subscriptions, and its prices reflect that.
The 2026 lineup and how it is priced
Cricut said in March 2026 that it had already launched two next-generation cutting machines, new heat presses and a direct-to-film service; the machines are the Joy 2 and Explore 5. In September 2026, cricut.com listed the Joy 2, Explore 5 and Maker 5, sold alone or in bundles. Cricut told investors that Joy 2 and Explore 5 bundles drove its machine growth and described a bundle-only strategy for its new machines.
The price list follows a pattern. On cricut.com in September 2026, each Ultimate Plus bundle that included a Cricut Access subscription was priced below the same bundle without it. The product pages did not spell out how long the included subscription lasts, so check the term and the renewal price before choosing that option, and compare the current machine-only price with the bundles.
| Machine | How Cricut pitches it | How it is sold |
|---|---|---|
| Joy 2 | Ultra-compact; small decals, quick cards and labels | Alone or in bundles, some with Access |
| Explore 5 | Vinyl decals, full-color stickers, T-shirts and cards | Alone or in bundles, some with Access |
| Maker 5 | Adds cutting wood and engraving metal | Alone or in bundles, some with Access |
The subscription math
A free Cricut account includes 3,000+ images, 100+ fonts and 250+ ready-to-make projects. Cricut Access Standard opens more than 1.5 million images, 1,000+ fonts and 100,000+ projects, plus 10% off cricut.com purchases. Premium, which Arora said on the August 2026 call starts from $14.99 a month, adds 200 monthly credits for licensed content, 20% off Cricut materials and free shipping on orders over $50. Standard costs less than Premium, and Cricut’s Access page offers both plans monthly or, for less per month, annually.
Multiply the plan price by the years you expect to use the machine: at $14.99 a month, Premium paid monthly comes to about $540 over three years, by our arithmetic. Arora reported strong adoption of Premium among new subscribers, and platform revenue per user, a company metric, rose 5% to $56.37 in Q2 2026. If you design your own files or buy images only now and then, the free tier may be all you need.
Who gets value from a cutting machine
The machines earn their keep with repeat projects: vinyl decals, labels, iron-on shirts, cards and, increasingly, stickers. Arora said printables are Cricut’s fastest-growing materials category as people personalize stickers, labels, photos and gifts. Cricut pitches the Explore 5 for vinyl decals, full-color stickers, T-shirts and cards, and says the Maker 5 can cut wood and engrave metal.
Budget for materials. Vinyl, transfer tape, sticker paper and iron-on sheets are recurring costs, and Premium’s 20% discount on Cricut materials is the main reason a heavy user would pick it over Standard. If you expect only a handful of projects a year, the machine price is not the real cost; time, materials and the pull toward a subscription are.
Signals to weigh before buying
Tariffs still matter. Shill said Cricut received $20.3 million of IEEPA tariff refunds in Q2 2026, but that existing tariffs remain a headwind, and the company gave no margin guidance. Management said it projects growth in products and platform revenue in the second half of 2026, and Shill said Cricut would keep using promotions to drive affordability, which points to continued bundle deals into the holidays.
Older models are on sale more often. On the Q2 call Cricut described more promotions on the Maker 4 and Joy Xtra than a year earlier. A discounted previous-generation machine can be the better buy if you do not need the newest features, as long as it still runs the current Design Space software you plan to use.
What to watch next
- Cricut’s Q3 2026 results, for whether products revenue returns to growth as management projected
- Holiday bundle pricing, and whether bundles that include Access stay cheaper than the same bundles without it
- Any change to Cricut Access prices or to what the free account includes
Where to start
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Cutting machine setups by project type
| Product type | Good fit for | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Compact cutting machine | Fits labels, cards and small decals | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Full-size craft cutting machine | Fits shirts, signs and larger vinyl | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Printable sticker paper | Fits sticker making | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
Product types that fit the trend described above, not tested models. Check the exact listing before you buy. How we pick them.
Compact cutting machine
Where to look: Amazon
For labels, cards and small decals. Check the maximum cut width and whether it needs a mat for the materials you plan to use.
- Lowest entry price
- Small enough for a shelf
- Narrow cut width
- Limited material range
Full-size craft cutting machine
Where to look: Amazon
For regular vinyl, iron-on and sign work. Compare machine-only and bundle prices, and read the subscription terms on any bundle that includes one.
- Handles larger vinyl and cardstock
- Wider material list
- Costs more up front
- Often sold in bundles
Printable sticker paper
Where to look: Amazon
Printables are Cricut’s fastest-growing materials category. Match the paper to an inkjet or laser printer before you buy.
- Uses your home printer
- Works with print-then-cut machines
- Ink costs add up
- Printer type must match
More: Hobbies and Crafts trends and how the Trend Signal is scored.
Sources
- Cricut, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results (Exhibit 99.1) — SEC
- Cricut, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results — GlobeNewswire
- Cricut (CRCT) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript — The Motley Fool
- Cricut Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Results (Exhibit 99.1) — SEC
- Cricut Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Results (Exhibit 99.1) — SEC
- Join Cricut Access — Cricut
- Cricut Joy 2 — Cricut
- Cricut Explore 5 — Cricut
- Cricut Maker 5 — Cricut
Questions readers ask
Is a Cricut worth it in 2026?
For regular makers, yes. Cricut sells the Joy 2, Explore 5 and Maker 5 alone or in bundles; the larger long-run costs are materials and, if you add it, a Cricut Access plan, with Premium starting from $14.99 a month according to Cricut’s CEO.
Do you need Cricut Access to use a Cricut?
No. A free account includes 3,000+ images, 100+ fonts and 250+ ready-to-make projects. A paid Access Standard plan opens more than 1.5 million images and 1,000+ fonts.
Why are Cricut bundles cheaper with Access included?
Cricut earns a growing share of its revenue from subscriptions: platform revenue rose 5% in Q2 2026 while products revenue fell 22%. On cricut.com in September 2026, bundles that included Access were priced below the same bundles without it; check the subscription term and renewal price.
Is Cricut doing well as a company?
Results are mixed. Revenue fell 9% in Q2 2026 to $156.3 million, but net income rose 59% to $39.1 million with help from one-time items such as tariff refunds. Paid subscribers grew 3% to 3.10 million and machine sell-out grew by double digits, according to the company.
