After several days of backlash from users due to a planned update that would severely limit the use of their cutting machines without a paid subscription, Cricut has changed its mind.
In a statement released today, Circut promised existing users unlimited lifetime use of their machines. The policy applies to anyone who decides to buy one of the machines in 2021.
Friday the company shared a post on his official blog detailing new features coming to the Design Space software needed to actually run the Cricut cutting machines. Users who didn’t pay for an optional monthly or annual subscription (which provides access to design materials through the app such as fonts, images and patterns) found that they would soon be limited to uploading just 20 original images or creations to the Design Space software . month, which processes projects in the cloud before sending them to the machines for cutting.
This was a whole new limitation introduced in the product line that previously allowed users to upload as many projects each month as they wanted (or needed, in the case of people using the machines for revenue like Etsy artists), regardless of the content was or where it was obtained. With Cricut plans at $ 10 / month or $ 96 / year, the limitation made using the machines, which start at $ 180, even more expensive.
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That proposed update clearly didn’t sit well with Cricut users, many of whom reached out to Gizmodo to express their anger and disappointment with the company. They also apparently contacted Cricut as today the company’s CEO, Ashish Arora, released the following statement shared with Gizmodo through a representative of the company:
Dear Cricut Members,
One of our core values is community – we listen and take your feedback to heart. The foundation of our Cricut community is one of integrity, respect and trust. Clearly, in this case, we did not understand the full impact of our recent decision on our current members and their machines. We apologize.
Here’s how we’ll proceed.
We will continue to allow an unlimited number of personal images and pattern uploads for members with a Cricut account registered and activated with a cutting machine before December 31, 2021. This benefit will continue for the lifetime of your use of these machines.
Machine resale or transfers
We welcome new members to 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 create their own Cricut account. As long as the new user creates their account and connects the machine to their account before December 31, 2021, we will grant the new user the benefit of an unlimited number of uploads for the lifetime of their use of the machine.
Schools and Education Maker Spaces
We understand that teachers, schools and other educational creator spaces have different needs for constantly creating user accounts. While we don’t have anything to share right now – and nothing will change before December 31, 2021 – we’re looking at ways to meet these ongoing needs and their relationship to image uploading.
Future
We will continue to look for affordable ways for our future users who register machines after December 31, 2021 to enable an unlimited number of personal images and pattern uploads.
Of course, paid Cricut Access subscribers will continue to enjoy unlimited uploads along with other subscriber benefits. We will also continue to invest in our content, software and value for all our members.
ashish arora (ceo of Cricut)
Cricut is not abolishing the Design Space update which limits non-subscribers to just 20 uploads of original artwork per month, but it does not apply to anyone who has a Cricut account and registered a cutting machine before December 31, 2021. Not only does that mean existing Cricut users are exempted from the restriction for the lifetime use of that machine, but anyone who buys and registers a Cricut machine between now and the end of the year is also exempted, even if they used one. machine of another user (but they will have to set up their own Cricut account during that time frame).
One of the bigger concerns of the proposed update was that it would harm the spaces of schools and community creators whose Cricut machines are used quite frequently, and supposedly hit the 20 / month upload limit in less than a day. The December 31, 2021 deadline still applies to machines purchased for educational purposes, but the company also promises to investigate that unique use case.
Once the changes take effect for machines purchased and registered after December 31, 2021, Cricut says it will look for ways to make the required paid plans more affordable to facilitate those who want unlimited uploads, but who are also creating and creating their own content. do not want to. I need access to the designs and materials that Cricut sells through the Design Space app.