3/16 Update: Cricut releases new statement reversing decision to limit uploads..for now. Read More.
Silhouette has released a short statement to Silhouette School in response to Cricut's recent announcement they will soon be limiting users to 20 free uploads into Design Space per month.
Silhouette confirms there are no limits on file uploads to Silhouette Studio and there are no plans to change that.
With Cricut's upcoming change, if Cricut users want to upload (required to cut) more than 20 designs in a month, they will need to pay for a membership to Cricut Access at a cost of $9.99 per month (or slightly discounted when paid annually).
Keep in mind this is NOT a storage fee to store designs on the server as some have suggested. This is simply limits on going to "Upload" in Cricut Design Space and opening a design into the software - which is required to cut. Once a file is uploaded it can be cut repeatedly without counting toward the 20 new upload limit.
With how Cricut's software is set up, you can not export or save out so they are taking on the need to store users' designs, but that's by design and users have no choice, option or ability to save out to bear some of the file storage burden.
Many Silhouette users are now concerned Silhouette America will follow suit. I asked Silhouette if they had any plans to make similar changes to Silhouette Studio. Silhouette confirms there are no plans to limit uploads into Silhouette Studio:
"Silhouette has no obligation to sign up for any paid service in order to use the Silhouette cutting system or software, including your own files and designs. We do offer paid premium software editions that offer additional features, including the ability to open/save additional file types, as well as offering paid content through our Silhouette Design Store for interested customers, but such offerings are optional."
Silhouette didn't point it out, but I will: the fees to upgrade Silhouette Studio for their "premium software editions" aka Silhouette Studio Designer Edition, Designer Edition Plus or Business Edition are ONE TIME paid upgrades with the license key being able to be used on up to three computers. The most expensive option, Business Edition, opens all features and tools and can be purchased for about $65.
Silhouette also went on to say:
"There is no limit to the number of designs you are able to open and use with our software program. Silhouette has no obligation to sign up for any paid service in order to use the Silhouette cutting system or software, including your own files and designs (such as JPG, PNG, BMP, and TTF font files)."
In addition Silhouette Studio allows users to export their design in various formats and the ability to save designs to the cloud, local storage, desktop, hard drive or elsewhere is completely up to the user.
It's also important to keep in mind Silhouette Studio is set up very differently than Cricut Design Space. Silhouette Studio is a program downloaded on your computer. You can literally drag and drop files into it - and Silhouette has no idea if, when, or how many files you are opening. This is NOT the case with Cricut's web based software which requires to you "upload" files to the platform to open them.
In addition, there are no other software programs that will run a Cricut machine which means users need Cricut Design Space to even operate their machines.
This is not the case with Silhouette. There are other programs that will allow for cutting to a Silhouette CAMEO which means Silhouette would severely hurt themselves if they made a change that limited the number of files that could be opened - as there are already other options out there for Silhouette users who - for whatever reason - want to bypass Silhouette Studio.
With all that being said if you're wondering if it's time or cost effective to switch from Cricut to Silhouette, you can will want to read this!
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I am shocked that Cricut made this decision! In approx 3 years of paying them 9.99/mo for full access/uploads, you could pay for a brand new Silhouette!
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's like you'll never actually own the Cricut because the right to use it will cost you monthly for the life of the machine. I hate this so much!
DeleteI am very glad I chose a silhouette cameo 3 when I was looking at cutting machines a year and a half ago!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this article. I have a Cricut Air 2 and a joy. I plan on selling both to get a silhouette. I was already annoyed with how bad their software is, but this was the final nail in the coffin.
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DeleteThis is exactly why I bought a Silhouette Cameo. Cricut/ Provo Craft have had a bad reputation for years. Even after being sold several times it hasn't changed. They just announced there also going public on the stock market. Probably another reason they started charging the fee.
ReplyDeleteHmm...interesting. If they're going public, they probably are using that fee to make the stock look like it's worth more than it was before the change. That certainly makes more sense, as clearly from a marketing perspective it makes no sense! I wouldn't be surprised if after the stock goes public, they modify the new fee structure.
Deleteyup all about the investors, not the users
DeleteI have a cameo 4 plus and I love it but sometimes still battling if I should have bought the cricut maker instead because of mainly how it looks and less noise but this news about cricut gave me a straight answer. I did the right choice. Silhouette is really a great value for money.
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be the wave in design software. I've been very disappointed in other companies essentially "renting" me software I was once able to buy and install on my computer. I love my Cameo and the Company is showing it values its customers and their work.
ReplyDeleteI was considering to buy a cricut maker because of the way it cuts thin soft wood and eva foam but now I am sure not to buy it, this is scandalous, many people will buy the machine to find out the limitations after they bought it... buy it but you can only use it twenty times a month, we control you or get more money from you. it is time we force them to stop the abuse by not choosing CriCut.
DeleteBefore I bought my first Silhouette (a Portrait) I downloaded the software from both the Cricut and the Silhouette and found out quickly that the Cricut didn't have what I was looking for. It wasn't as much about the machine at that point as it was the software. I'm so glad I made the decision to go with Silhouette. I now have 2 machines and love them.
ReplyDeleteAnyone able to direct me to the FB group please
ReplyDeleteCricut's move is certainly Silhouette's advantage.
ReplyDeleteCricut sure has disappointed me over the years. However; I did hear the Cameo had issues with how it cuts. Can you respond to that? I am considering a switch but want to know how well it cuts projects. I have already purchased the silhouette business edition.
ReplyDeleteIf you use the correct blade setting, materials cut exceptionally well, bad cuts are normally user error not machine error - Silhouette user since 2003 with the early days Craft Robo - then onto the Portrait, then onto Cameos
DeleteHi Silhouette team!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your detailed statement. I was looking for a new cutting machine and now I'll definetly get a Sihlouette cutting machine.
Thanks for listening to the community!