After facing several days of user reaction because of a planned update that would severely limit the use of its cutting machines without a paid subscription, Cricut changed its mind.
In a statement released today, Circut promised existing users unlimited lifetime use of their machines. The policy extends to anyone who decides to buy one of the machines over the course of 2021.
On Friday the company shared a post on his official blog detailing the new features of the Design Space software needed to actually use the Cricut cutting machines. Users who do not pay for an optional monthly or annual subscription (which gives access to design materials through the app such as fonts, images and patterns) found that they would soon be limited to uploading only 20 original images or creations to Design Space software to each month, which processes projects in the cloud before being sent to machines for slicing.
This was an entirely new limitation being introduced in the product line that previously allowed users to upload as many projects as they wanted (or needed, in the case of people who use machines to earn money as Etsy artists) each month, no matter what. that the content was or where it was purchased. With Cricut subscriptions going for $ 10 / month, or $ 96 / year, the limitation made using machines, starting at $ 180, even more expensive.
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This proposed update obviously did not please Cricut users, many of whom contacted Gizmodo expressing their anger and disappointment with the company. They apparently got in touch with Cricut too, because today the company’s CEO, Ashish Arora, released the following statement that was shared with Gizmodo through a company representative:
Dear Cricut members,
One of our main values is the community – we are listening and taking your comments seriously. The foundation of our Cricut community is integrity, respect and trust. Of course, in this case, we do not understand the full impact of our recent decision on our current members and their machines. We apologize.
See how we move on.
We will continue to allow an unlimited number of image uploads and personal patterns for members with a Cricut account registered and activated with a cutting machine before December 31, 2021. This benefit will continue for the life of your use of these machines.
Resellers or machine transfers
We welcome new members of the Cricut community, whether they buy a new or used machine. If a machine is resold or transferred to a new user, the new user must set up their own Cricut account. As long as the new user creates his account and connects the machine to his account before December 31, 2021, we will grant the benefit of an unlimited number of uploads to the new user during the lifetime of the machine.
Schools and education creation spaces
We understand that teachers, schools and other educational creation spaces have different needs for the continuous creation of user accounts. While we have nothing to share now – and nothing is going to change before December 31, 2021 – we are looking for ways to meet these ongoing needs and their relationship with uploading images.
Future
We will continue to explore accessible ways for our future users who register machines after December 31, 2021 to allow an unlimited number of uploads of personal images and patterns.
Of course, Cricut Access paid subscribers will continue to enjoy an unlimited number of uploads, along with other subscriber benefits. We will also continue to invest in our content, software and value for all of our members.
Ashish Arora (Ceo Cricut)
Cricut is not ending the update of the Design Space which will limit non-subscribers to just 20 uploads of original art each month, but it will not apply to anyone who has a Cricut account and registered a cutting machine before December 31 2021. This not only means that existing Cricut users will be exempt from the lifetime use limitation of that machine, but anyone who purchases and registers a Cricut machine by the end of the year will also be exempt, even if they buy a used machine from another user’s machine. (but they will need to set up their own Cricut account within that time).
One of the biggest concerns of the proposed update was that it would jeopardize the spaces for creating schools and communities whose Cricut machines are used quite frequently and, presumably, would reach the upload limit of 20 / month in less than a day. The December 31, 2021 deadline still applies to machines purchased for educational purposes, but the company also promises that it is looking into this exclusive use case.
As soon as the changes take effect for machines purchased and registered after December 31, 2021, Cricut says it will look for ways to make the necessary paid subscriptions more accessible to facilitate those who want unlimited uploads, but also create their own content and not they do. t need access to the designs and materials that Cricut sells through the Design Space app.