Cricut limits the use of its crafting machines with a monthly subscription

Cricut machines offer a customizable, automated way to speed up the precise cutting required in craft projects, but the capabilities of these devices are about to be limited by an upcoming update. Cricut is updating the machinery’s companion software, Design Space, with caps on downloads that could limit the number of projects Cricut owners are actually able to complete.

To prepare a Cricut for cutting, you need to use pre-designed templates or upload original designs to an app called Design Space. This was free and unlimited for all users in the past, but now Cricut limits users to 20 free downloads per month. To download more, owners will soon need to subscribe to Cricut’s Access Standard plan for $ 9.99 per month / $ 95.88 per year or the Access Premium plan for $ 118.88 per year.

Anything that was previously uploaded will be able to stay in Design Space without any changes or limitations, but it’s important to understand that in order to use a modern Cricut you need to use Design Space to some extent. And the Cricut machines themselves can cost anywhere from $ 179 to $ 399, before the potential subscription.

Image: Cricut

In its most basic form, Design Space is required to upload designs created in other applications so that they can be formatted to work with Cricut machines. For example, a design for a paper flower made in Adobe Illustrator or a logo sketched in Procreate can be downloaded so that the Cricut machine will know where to cut regardless of the material used, be it paper, fabric, vinyl or even wood. Design Space works on its own as creative software, but if you subscribe it becomes more comprehensive, with access to exclusive fonts, images, and designs. Even with the optional subscription for more features, many users still choose to create their work elsewhere and only use Design Space for preparation before cutting.

Now, with this new download limit, a subscription is required to restore the functionality for which Craftsmen originally purchased a Cricuit: creating as many projects as needed, the only limit being the materials, rather than an arbitrary number defined by a software update.

Beyond the ever-present and frightening reality that companies can limit the capabilities of a product that you “own” after the fact, several Cricut owners have contacted The edge on an even more glaring issue: Projects can often require multiple downloads to complete, meaning the 20 download limit could be reached even faster. This could be due to user error or a complex project requiring multiple parts, but for anyone who uses a Cricut in their business, it means they could very well be forced to subscribe if they wish to maintain. its normal level of productivity.

In a statement provided to The edge, Cricut said he remained committed to his plan and “creating the best possible experience for [its] members”:

Cricut announced changes to our Design Space software, including new Offset and Project Collection features, as well as an update for Personal Downloads, limiting image and pattern downloads to 20 per month for non-subscription members. Cricut Access. All users will still be able to design and cut regardless of downloads. Cricut remains committed to creating the best possible experience for our members, and we will continue to support our designer community as our top priority.

The response to Cricut’s planned change also spills over into the company’s unofficial subdirectory. Cricut users shared contact details for Cricut employees and started a Change.org petition to protest the upcoming update. Cricut says it will begin inviting users to subscribe to Design Space in the coming weeks until the download limit goes into effect on an unspecified date.