Gear guide
Best Cricut Maker alternatives from Brother, Silhouette and Siser
Picked from Amazon listings, not hands-on tests. How we pick
Top picks at a glance
Compare all picks
Closest match for the job
Brother ScanNCut SDX125E: built-in scanner, 3 mm cutting
The auto blade detects material thickness with no blade adjustment or material selection, per the listing.
See price on AmazonSee it on Amazon
Most for the money on paper
Silhouette Cameo 5 Alpha: 3 mm materials, Studio software
Materials up to 3 mm thick, including fabric and heat transfer, according to the listing.
See price on AmazonSee it on Amazon
Most complete listing
Brother ScanNCut DX SDX325: fabric blade, 1,303 designs
The listing names 1,303 built-in designs, including 140 quilt patterns and 17 lettering fonts.
See price on AmazonSee it on Amazon
The Cricut Maker is popular because it cuts thick materials and fabric with one machine. But it runs Design Space, where the large image library sits behind an optional paid Cricut Access subscription. Several rivals match parts of what the Maker does with their own software. Brother ScanNCut machines cut up to 3 mm, scan drawings into cut files and work standalone from a touchscreen with hundreds of built-in designs. Silhouette machines use Silhouette Studio on a computer. The Siser Romeo cuts 24 inches wide with Leonardo Design Studio. A good alternative matches the Maker on the job you care about: thick stock, fabric or width. This guide compares each listing on cut width, thickness, blades, software and connection, and says when a listing leaves a spec out.
Compare the picks
- Brother ScanNCut SDX125E: built-in scanner, 3 mm cutting
- Max cut width
- 12 x 12 in mat
- Max material thickness
- 3 mm (0.1 in)
- Blades/tools
- Auto blade with material sensor
- Software
- Standalone 5 in touchscreen, 682 built-in designs
- Silhouette Cameo 5 Alpha: 3 mm materials, Studio software
- Max cut width
- Not stated
- Max material thickness
- Up to 3 mm
- Blades/tools
- AutoBlade; cuts, sketches and embosses
- Software
- Silhouette Studio
- Brother ScanNCut DX SDX325: fabric blade, 1,303 designs
- Max cut width
- Not stated
- Max material thickness
- Up to 3 mm
- Blades/tools
- Thin Fabric Auto Blade, blade sensor
- Software
- Standalone 5 in touchscreen, 1,303 built-in designs
Siser Romeo: 24 in cutting with camera print and cut- Max cut width
- 24 in
- Max material thickness
- Not stated
- Blades/tools
- Two 45 degree and one 60 degree blade, pen adapter
- Software
- Leonardo Design Studio (Mac and PC)
Silhouette Curio 2: 20 mm clearance for thick stock- Max cut width
- 12 x 12 in flatbed
- Max material thickness
- 20 mm vertical clearance
- Blades/tools
- Heat Pen, Engraving Tool and Leather Punch sold separately
- Software
- Not stated
Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II: 24 in and dual carriage- Max cut width
- 24 in
- Max material thickness
- Not stated
- Blades/tools
- AutoBlade 2, pen adapter, roll feeder, dual carriage
- Software
- Not stated
| Pick | Max cut width | Max material thickness | Blades/tools | Software | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brother ScanNCut SDX125E: built-in scanner, 3 mm cutting | 12 x 12 in mat | 3 mm (0.1 in) | Auto blade with material sensor | Standalone 5 in touchscreen, 682 built-in designs | - | Amazon |
| Silhouette Cameo 5 Alpha: 3 mm materials, Studio software | Not stated | Up to 3 mm | AutoBlade; cuts, sketches and embosses | Silhouette Studio | - | Amazon |
| Brother ScanNCut DX SDX325: fabric blade, 1,303 designs | Not stated | Up to 3 mm | Thin Fabric Auto Blade, blade sensor | Standalone 5 in touchscreen, 1,303 built-in designs | - | Amazon |
| Siser Romeo: 24 in cutting with camera print and cut | 24 in | Not stated | Two 45 degree and one 60 degree blade, pen adapter | Leonardo Design Studio (Mac and PC) | - | Amazon |
| Silhouette Curio 2: 20 mm clearance for thick stock | 12 x 12 in flatbed | 20 mm vertical clearance | Heat Pen, Engraving Tool and Leather Punch sold separately | Not stated | - | Amazon |
| Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II: 24 in and dual carriage | 24 in | Not stated | AutoBlade 2, pen adapter, roll feeder, dual carriage | Not stated | - | Amazon |
Facts are taken from each Amazon listing. Prices are checked daily and shown with their date.
The picks in detail
Pick 1 · Brother
Brother ScanNCut SDX125E: built-in scanner, 3 mm cutting
See price on AmazonThe core ScanNCut DX model with a built-in scanner, a self-adjusting auto blade and a 3 mm cut limit. The best value entry to the line for most crafters.
What the listing offers
- The auto blade detects material thickness with no blade adjustment or material selection, per the listing.
- Cuts up to 3 mm materials such as vinyl, fabric, balsa wood, chipboard, foam and felt.
- The scanner can directly cut printed stickers and place designs without counting blocks.
Limits to know
- Comes with a single 12 x 12 in standard tack mat, so fabric work needs a separate fabric mat or blade kit.
- The listing says it is for US 120 volt use only and other use voids the warranty.
Pick 2 · Silhouette America
Silhouette Cameo 5 Alpha: 3 mm materials, Studio software
See price on AmazonSilhouette's main 12 inch class machine handles vinyl to fabric up to 3 mm thick, with 4-point print and cut registration and speeds up to 400 mm/s. The cheapest way here to leave Design Space behind.
What the listing offers
- Materials up to 3 mm thick, including fabric and heat transfer, according to the listing.
- 4-point registration with vertical and horizontal correction for accurate print and cut stickers.
- Runs on Silhouette Studio software instead of Cricut Design Space.
Limits to know
- The listing does not state cut width or connection type.
- No engraving or debossing tool is mentioned, which the Maker line offers.
Pick 3 · Brother
Brother ScanNCut DX SDX325: fabric blade, 1,303 designs
See price on AmazonThe top ScanNCut DX listing with the most quilt patterns and fonts and a focus on fabric cutting. Suits quilters who want the biggest built-in library.
What the listing offers
- The listing names 1,303 built-in designs, including 140 quilt patterns and 17 lettering fonts.
- Thin Fabric Auto Blade support is listed for quilting and raw edge applique pieces.
- Blade Sensor Technology detects material thickness and cuts up to 3 mm.
Limits to know
- Costs about twice the SDX125E while listing the same 3 mm limit and 5 in screen.
- The listing does not clearly state what blades and mats ship in the box, so confirm before buying.
Pick 4 · Siser
Siser Romeo: 24 in cutting with camera print and cut
See price on AmazonA 24 inch cutter with an integrated camera for print and cut, a roll feeder and Leonardo Design Studio for Mac and PC. Twice the Maker's working width for vinyl and HTV shops.
What the listing offers
- 24 inch wide cutting doubles the working width of a 12 inch Maker for big decals and batches.
- Comes with two 45 degree blades, one 60 degree blade, a strong tack mat and a vinyl roll feeder.
- Bundle adds 300 So Fontsy designs with commercial use, per the listing.
Limits to know
- The listing does not state any thick material capability, so it does not replace the Maker for wood or leather.
- Connection type is not stated in this bundle's listing; check the product page.
Pick 5 · Silhouette America
Silhouette Curio 2: 20 mm clearance for thick stock
See price on AmazonA flatbed with 20 mm vertical clearance aimed at acrylic, leather and metal engraving, with an electrostatic bed instead of sticky mats. The Silhouette answer to the Maker's thick-material tools.
What the listing offers
- 20 mm vertical clearance fits thick acrylic and leather that roll-fed cutters cannot take.
- Optional Engraving Tool and Heat Pen cover metal and acrylic engraving and foil.
- Automatic tool and material thickness detection, with Bluetooth for wireless cutting.
Limits to know
- Every specialty tool is listed as sold separately, which adds to the cost.
- A 12x12 flatbed, so it does not cut long vinyl or fabric runs.
Pick 6 · Silhouette America
Silhouette Cameo Pro MK II: 24 in and dual carriage
See price on AmazonA 24 inch Cameo with a dual-powered carriage and auxiliary rollers for cuts up to 60 feet. An alternative for Maker owners whose real limit is width, not thickness.
What the listing offers
- 24 inch cut width with a 24 x 24 in mat and roll feeder in the box.
- Dual carriage cuts and sketches in one pass, saving a tool swap on multi-step projects.
- Auxiliary rollers keep long cuts up to 60 feet stable, according to the listing.
Limits to know
- No thickness spec is given, so it is not a match for the Maker on wood or leather.
- Software and connection are not named in the listing bullets.
Read before you buy
- Which Silhouette Cameo do I have?Identify your Silhouette Cameo by its label, screen, tool carriages and roll feeder, and see which features and blades each Cameo generation supports.
- Which Cricut machine do I have?Identify your Cricut by its buttons, dial, tool clamps, color and label. Covers every Explore, Maker and Joy model plus older cartridge machines.
- Silhouette Cameo vs Cricut Maker and ExploreSilhouette Cameo vs Cricut Maker and Explore compared on software, cut width, matless roll cutting and blades, the four things that actually split the brands.
- Silhouette Cameo vs Brother ScanNCutSilhouette Cameo vs Brother ScanNCut: computer-driven cutting against a standalone scanner cutter, compared for fabric, applique, stickers and hand drawings.
- Silhouette Cameo 5 vs Cameo 4Silhouette Cameo 5 vs Cameo 4: registration, speed, electrostatic mat support and tools compared, plus when a used Cameo 4 is still the smarter buy.
More gear: Choosing a machine
Blade & Mat chooses every product independently from what its Amazon listing states. We may earn a commission from the links above. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.