Portrait 3 vs Cricut Joy

1. FORMAT

The first is the cutting format of the plotter. Cricut Joy has available mat sizes of

11.4×16.5cm and 11.4×30.5cm. It can also cut backing materials such as self-adhesive films, label and sticker paper, or flex films for napressing without a mat.

With this type, a single shape can be up to 120cm long and duplicate shapes up to 600cm.

The Silhouette Portrait 3 plotter, on the other hand, has a mat size of: 20.3cm x 30.4cm which allows you to fit an a4 page on it. With this model, backing materials such as self-adhesive films and iron-on films can be cut directly from the roll up to a length of 3m.

2. OPERATING PROGRAM

We can operate both plotters from mobile devices through apps, and through a program on a computer.

Cricut Joy is operated by Cricut Design Space. The program allows you to design simple shapes and lettering from all the fonts installed on your computer. It can open ready-purchased designs or those designed in external programs like Corel Draw or Adobe Illustrator in svg format.

Circut mobile application allows you to open designs and svg files saved in the program. It also offers to use a wide database of patterns and useful generators. It is mainly tailored for customers paying for a Cricut Access subscription, although free patterns can also be found there.

In Silhouette Portrait, the program is Polish-language and gives much more design possibilities. As a result, we are able to create more advanced designs there on our own without having to resort to external programs. The program also has the ability to create subtitles from all the fonts downloaded to the computer.

If we care about opening svg. files, it is necessary to purchase a one-time extension to the program or the Silhouette Connect plug-in. It allows you to send designs directly from Corel or Illustrator to the plotter.

The Silhouette Go application allows you to open files stored in the program's library, open svg files, repeat the last job and edit cut settings.

3. ACCESSORIES

For the Cricut Joy plotter, we can buy accessories such as markers with which to sketch patterns and a gilding tool.

For the Silhouette Portrait, we can also use markers, gilding tools, as well as an engraving tool, kraft blades for cutting thicker materials, pixscan mats for cutting graphics and WeR creative kits.

4. FUNCTIONS

The Cricut Joy plotter is dedicated primarily to cutting in paper and film. We can also sketch with markers and gild on the device.

The Silhouette Portrait 3 additionally has the ability to cut cutouts and prints thanks to a marker system (print and cut option), as well as the use of a pixscan mat. It allows you to cut out graphics that you did not print yourself. For example, elements from scrap papers.

5. WORK CULTURE

Both plotters have similar applications, they will work well for hobby and home use and can be used in small businesses. In my subjective opinion, the working culture of the two devices differs.

The Cricut Joy plotter strives to take the user out of the way every step of the way and takes him through the design and cutting process by leading him by the hand. It is based primarily on Cricut's smart materials for which it has a customized base of settings. It is ideal for working with ready-made quick-to-cut designs. This plotter is great for hobbyists who want to get started from the first contact with the plotter and will focus on quick dedicated solutions.

The Portrait 3 plotter offers more design possibilities, so you need to spend a little more time to master all its options. It allows the user more freedom of action, but also requires him to edit the settings and adjust them to his needs. This plotter will find its use not only in hobby studios, but also in small companies looking for independence and to meet the needs of customers for personalization of products.

I hope the material will help you decide on the best plotter for your home or business. If you still have doubts - call us (+48 514 132 644) we will be happy to help you find the best solution!