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Comparison

Cricut Joy vs Joy Xtra

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Short answer

The Joy Xtra is the wider of the two original small Cricuts and adds print then cut for stickers, which the first Cricut Joy cannot do. Both take only the fine point blade, so neither cuts thick materials. The original Joy is no longer listed here; its closest current model is the Joy 2, which lists 75+ materials and print then cut.

  • Cricut

    Cricut Joy Xtra: compact cutter with Print Then Cut

    See price on Amazon
    See it on Amazon

  • Cricut

    Cricut Joy 2: compact cutter that scores and writes

    See price on Amazon
    See it on Amazon

Facts are taken from each Amazon listing. Prices are checked daily and shown with their date.

Verdict

Buy the Joy Xtra if you want wider cuts and stickers from a compact Cricut, or the Joy 2 if the bundle price is lower and you want the newest small model. Skip the original Joy unless you only need labels and cards, and move to an Explore or Maker for felt, fabric or wood.

The Cricut Joy family is for people who want a cutter that lives on a desk, not a craft table: cards, labels, small decals and stickers. This page compares the original Cricut Joy with the Joy Xtra, and because the original Joy is no longer sold in the listings we use, it also brings in the Joy 2 as the closest current model. You will see what the listings say about materials and print then cut, what all three share, and which project types push you past the Joy family entirely. If you are still choosing a tier, also read Cricut Joy vs Explore vs Maker.

What separates the Joy and Joy Xtra

The original Cricut Joy is the smallest Cricut. It is built for narrow work: name labels, card fronts, small vinyl decals. It uses a fine point blade and a pen, and it can cut Cricut Smart Materials without a mat. What it does not do is print then cut, so it cannot cut around printed sticker images.

The Joy Xtra keeps the same desk-friendly idea but cuts wider material, enough for a letter-size sheet, and its listing adds print then cut with most inkjet printers. That one feature is why most sticker makers pick the Xtra. The Joy Xtra listing says it works with 50+ materials and that it cuts, draws and foils.

  • Original Joy: narrow cuts, no print then cut, fine point blade only.
  • Joy Xtra: wider cuts, print then cut, fine point blade only, 50+ materials per its listing.
  • Joy 2: listed as the next generation of the compact Joy, 75+ materials, print then cut, Bluetooth to Design Space.

Spec table from the listings

These rows come only from the current Amazon listings. The original Joy has no current listing in our product data, so it is described in the text above rather than in the table. Cricut's own spec pages give exact cut widths if you need them.

Joy Xtra (B0CYPD34TQ)Joy 2 (B0GSSFB7V2)
Materials50+ including vinyl, iron-on, cardstock, stickers75+ including vinyl, iron-on, printable materials, cardstock
Print then cutYes, most inkjet printersYes, home inkjet printer
Other functionsCuts, draws, foilsWrites, draws, foils, scores, cuts
ConnectionDesign Space, desktop and mobileBluetooth to Design Space
In the boxStandardGrip mat, Smart Vinyl sampler, transfer tape, 5-piece toolsSmart Vinyl, Smart Iron-On, cardstock, insert cards, printable vinyl
Listed price$199.00$169.99
Joy Xtra and Joy 2 as listed

Note.Bundles change contents and price often. Compare what is in the box, not only the machine name.

Blades and materials: the shared limit

Every Joy model takes only the fine point blade. That covers adhesive vinyl, iron-on, printable vinyl, copy paper and cardstock up to about 80 lb. It does not cover glitter cardstock, chipboard, felt, basswood or leather, which need the deep point, rotary or knife blade on an Explore or Maker. Our cut settings finder returns not supported for thick materials on the Joy for this reason.

If you see yourself making felt ornaments, wood signs or fabric pieces, the Joy family is the wrong starting point. The best Cricut machine guide covers the Explore and Maker models that take more blades.

Side view of fine point, deep point, Knife Blade and rotary blade housings with the materials each one cutsFine point45 degree tipvinyl, iron-onpaper, cardstockDeep point60 degree tipmagnet, foamthick cardstockKnife BladeMaker onlybalsa, chipboardleather, to 2.4 mmRotary bladeMaker onlyunbacked fabricfelt
The four Cricut blades. The deep point blade has a steeper 60 degree tip than the 45 degree fine point. The Knife Blade and rotary blade need a Cricut Maker.

Print then cut: why it decides most purchases

Print then cut works like this: Design Space adds a registration box around your design, you print it on an inkjet printer, and the machine's sensor reads the box before cutting around each image. It is how people make full-color stickers, planner labels and printed iron-on at home.

The original Joy does not offer it. The Joy Xtra and Joy 2 do. If stickers are on your list, that rules out the original Joy straight away. The printable area is smaller than the sheet because of the registration box and margins; see print then cut size limits and how to make stickers with Cricut.

Printed sticker sheet with a black registration box, the sensor reading its corners, the print area and cut linesRegistration markBlack corner marks printed aroundthe design. The machine reads themto line the cut up with the print.Sensor pathThe sensor finds each corner markbefore the blade moves.Print areaKeep the design inside the boxthe software allows on the page.Cut lineCuts around each sticker, oftenwith a small bleed.
Print then cut: the printer adds registration marks, the cutter's sensor reads them, then the blade cuts around each design.

Which projects fit each machine

For iron-on shirt work, the cut width limits how big a single piece of HTV can be. Our shirt decal size chart shows typical decal widths for kids and adult shirts. If shirts are the main goal, see best cutting machines for T-shirts.

ProjectOriginal JoyJoy XtraJoy 2
Pantry and name labelsYesYesYes
Insert cardsYesYesYes
Full-color stickersNoYesYes
Small iron-on decals for kids shirtsYesYesYes
Adult shirt front decalsLimited by widthUsuallyCheck width
Felt, chipboard, woodNoNoNo
Project fit by model

How to choose

Having trouble with an existing Joy? See Cricut Joy not working before replacing it.

  1. 1

    Want stickers? Skip the original Joy. Pick the Joy Xtra or Joy 2.

  2. 2

    Want only labels and cards on a tight budget? A used original Joy can still do it, but check the mat and blade condition.

  3. 3

    Want the newest small Cricut? The Joy 2 listing lists more materials (75+) than the Joy Xtra listing (50+).

  4. 4

    Want felt, fabric or wood? Move up to an Explore or Maker; no Joy model can cut them.

  5. 5

    Compare bundle contents. A bundle with a mat, transfer tape and vinyl saves buying them separately.

Frequently asked questions

Can the Cricut Joy do print then cut? The original Cricut Joy cannot. The Joy Xtra and the Joy 2 both list print then cut with a home inkjet printer.

Can the Joy Xtra use the deep point or knife blade? No. All Joy models take only the fine point blade, so thick materials are not supported.

Is the Joy 2 the same as the Joy Xtra? No. The Joy 2 is listed as the next generation of the compact Joy, with 75+ materials and Bluetooth. The Joy Xtra is a separate, wider model listed with 50+ materials.

Do Joy mats fit other Cricuts? Joy family mats are sized for the Joy machines and do not fit the Explore or Maker. Check the mat listing for which Joy model it fits.

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