Cricut Joy Black Friday 2026: Joy 2, Joy Xtra or Original Joy?
The Cricut Joy for Black Friday 2026: how the Joy, Joy Xtra and Joy 2 differ in cutting width, printed stickers, Smart Materials, and listing checks.
We earn from qualifying purchases through links on this page. How we make money.
The Cricut Joy for Black Friday 2026 comes in three versions: the original Joy from 2020, the wider Joy Xtra from 2023 and the Joy 2 from February 2026. All three are small desktop cutters for labels, cards and decals. The Joy Xtra cuts up to 8.5 inches wide, against 4.5 inches on the original Joy.
What a Joy is for
The Joy is the smallest of Cricut’s three cutting machine lines, below the Explore and the Maker on the Cricut Black Friday guide. It takes three tools: a blade, pens and markers for drawing, and the Foil Transfer Tool. That covers vinyl decals, pantry labels, iron-on for a T-shirt, greeting cards and thin cardstock. Scoring and engraving tools belong to the bigger machines.
Like the larger machines, the Joy cuts Smart Materials without a mat. On the Joy and Joy Xtra those runs go up to 4 feet long, enough for a long label strip or a wall decal border. For anything that is not a Smart Material, the Joy uses its own mat.
Joy, Joy Xtra and Joy 2 compared
| What to check | Cricut Joy | Joy Xtra | Joy 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launched | March 2020 | September 2023 | February 2026 |
| Cutting width | Up to 4.5 inches | Up to 8.5 inches | See the product page |
| Projects on a mat | Joy mat sizes | Up to 8.5 x 11 inches | See the product page |
| Smart Materials without a mat | Up to 4 feet | Up to 4 feet | See the product page |
| Print Then Cut | No | Yes, with inkjet prints | Yes, with a full-color sticker sensor |
The Joy Xtra was the first Joy that could cut around a printed design. You print a sticker sheet on a home inkjet printer, load it, and the Joy Xtra reads the marks and cuts each shape out. Its wider bed also takes a full letter-size sheet, so a card or a sheet of labels fits without trimming.
The Joy 2 adds a new sensor for Print Then Cut, which Cricut describes as bringing full-color sticker making to the Joy line for the first time. It comes in Blue and Coral, with a Jade Green version sold through one retailer, and some bundles hold supplies for up to 150 projects. Check its cutting width on the product page before you buy one for a specific mat or material size.
Cricut Joy machines to compare
Decide between the Joy and the wider Joy Xtra first. Check that the listing names the exact model and says new in the box.
Live listings, shown by eBay
Opens eBay in a new tab. Check condition, seller feedback and returns.
Joy or a bigger machine
A Joy suits a small desk and short projects, and it is light enough to put away between uses. For labels and small decals, the original Joy covers it. Pick a Joy Xtra or Joy 2 if you want printed stickers or letter-size sheets.
Larger projects push you toward the Cricut Explore, which cuts close to 12 inches wide and takes six tools, including a scoring stylus for folded cards and boxes.
Before checking out
Make sure the listing names the exact machine, since “Cricut Joy” on its own often means the 2020 original. Look at what the bundle holds, because the mats and starter vinyl differ between sets. If you plan to use Print Then Cut, confirm you have an inkjet printer and that the bundle or your supplies include printable sticker paper. A used Joy should still come with its blade and power adapter.
Frequently asked questions
Can the Cricut Joy make printed stickers?
The original Joy cannot. Print Then Cut, where the machine cuts around a design printed on an inkjet printer, came to the line with the Joy Xtra, and the Joy 2 added a sensor for full-color stickers.
Do Cricut Joy mats fit the Explore or Maker?
No. Joy machines take their own narrower mats and Smart Materials, sized for the Joy line, so check the width on any mat or material before you order.
Does the Cricut Joy need a computer?
It runs on Design Space, Cricut's app, which works on a computer or a phone. Every design goes through the app before the machine cuts it.
Sources
- CricutWikipedia
- Cricut Joy Xtra hands-onSlashGear
- Cricut Introduces the Next Generation of Creativity: Cricut Joy 2 and Cricut Explore 5GlobeNewswire via Nasdaq
Part of our guide to Cricut Black Friday 2026: Maker, Explore, Joy and EasyPress.