Cricut Design Space vs Marker Muse
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Cricut Design Space
Design, cut, or draw for your DIY projects by connecting to compatible machines. Access a vast library of images, fonts, and ready-to-make projects, or upload your own designs. Cloud syncing allows for creative freedom anywhere, anytime.
- Design, cut, and draw projects
- Access thousands of images and fonts
- Upload and edit own image files
- Cloud-based syncing across devices
- SnapMat™ feature for material visualization
- Bluetooth connectivity to machines
- Step-by-step project instructions
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Enjoy total creative freedom over your next DIY project with Cricut Design Space™. Design, cut, or draw by connecting to Cricut Explore™ or Cricut Maker™ machines. Start your project from scratch or browse thousands of images, ready-to-make projects, and unique fonts in the Cricut Image Library. Create from anywhere, any time inspiration sparks with cloud-based syncing across devices. Make the most of every last scrap with the SnapMat™ feature. Connect to your compatible Cricut cutting machine with a Bluetooth® connection. Experience brand-new features like kerning, spell check, right-to-left text & more by upgrading your device to iOS 14 or above. New to Cricut? Welcome! To use this companion Design Space app, first activate your new machine at cricut.com/setup Existing members with Cricut Joy™ machines? For fun or functional projects in 15 minutes or less, use the companion Cricut Joy™ app. Features: • Over 50,000 FREE images, fonts & projects • Upload & edit your own compatible image files (jpg, .bmp, .png, .gif, .svg, and .dxf) • Browse Cricut fonts or use your own system fonts • Cut predesigned Make It Now projects quickly & easily • Make cards, invitations, 3D models & more • Design home & party decor, jewelry, and fashion accessories • Get perfect cut settings for your material type • Visualize & position artwork on scrap material with SnapMat™ feature • Access images & projects and make purchases on cricut.com or Design Space with Cricut ID. • Setup & activate machine right from app • Bluetooth® capability (Bluetooth adapter may be required, sold separately) • Easily position, resize & rotate text • Kerning for fonts • Follow step-by-step project instructions • Ready-to-make mug designs • Auto-save projects Cricut Access: https://cricut.com/legal#terms-of-use
Marker Muse
This app assists artists in selecting colors for their projects without generating artwork. It helps manage art supplies, create palettes, and preview colors before application. Users can also discover and share finished artwork within a community.
- Manage art supplies and create custom palettes
- Preview colors with 'Mock It Up'
- Match colors from reference photos
- Daily color combinations and creative prompts
- Browse and share community artwork
- Discover human-created coloring books
- Collaborate on 'Buddy Coloring' projects
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YOUR ART STAYS YOURS Marker Muse helps you choose colors without creating the artwork for you. It does not use generative AI to generate, replace, or alter your coloring pages. You color the page. Marker Muse helps with everything around it. YOUR SUPPLIES. NO GUESSING. Add the alcohol markers, acrylic markers, colored pencils, gel pens, and other art supplies you own. Build palettes using colors you can actually reach for. Find your closest color matches across brands without staring at caps or guessing. Compare sets before buying so you can avoid unnecessary duplicates. DESCRIBE YOUR PAGE. SEE YOUR PALETTE. Tell Marker Muse what you are coloring with Describe Your Page. Create a palette for the page in front of you, then use Mock It Up to preview the colors before committing them to paper. Use Photo Matcher to pull inspiration from a reference photo and match those colors to supplies you already own. START COLORING FASTER Open Today’s Palette for a fresh combination every day. Try Surprise Me, Just Color, Dare Me to Color, or Guided Palette when you want another way to begin. Refine, organize, and save your choices inside Palette Workspace. SEE WHAT REAL COLORISTS CREATED Browse finished coloring pages shared by the Marker Muse community. Discover new color combinations, see the palettes behind finished work when available, and share your own coloring. DISCOVER HUMAN-CREATED COLORING BOOKS Find coloring books centered on human-created, hand-drawn artwork. Check verification status, ratings, Community Art Checks, and finished pages from real colorists before choosing your next book. Save books to your wishlist, mark the books you own, and keep your coloring collection organized. COLOR TOGETHER Join Buddy Coloring projects with other colorists. Everyone colors separately, submits before the deadline, and reveals their finished pages together. KEEP YOUR COLORING LIFE TOGETHER Save palettes, organize your supplies, track coloring books, collect useful tutorial links, and return to the projects and inspiration you want to use again. Marker Muse is made for adult coloring, marker artists, colored-pencil artists, illustrators, journalers, card makers, and anyone who loves color but hates second-guessing every choice. Your art. Your supplies. Your colors. Some features require a Marker Muse Pro subscription. Feature availability may vary by platform. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Marker Muse at 100% against Cricut Design Space's 16%. Marker Muse also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). Cricut Design Space's advantage is ratings volume (746K vs 1) and chart position (#2 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Cricut Design Space sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and Marker Muse sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Marker Muse holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cricut Design Space has 746K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 16% of Cricut Design Space's written reviews are positive against 100% of Marker Muse's.
Cricut Design Space ships an update weekly, Marker Muse every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Cricut Design Space | Marker Muse |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (746K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 15.9% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 746K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #2 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 405 MB | 41 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Cricut, Inc. | Michaela Compton |
Customer experience
Cricut Design Space
Marker Muse
Bugs and requests
Cricut Design Space
Reported bugs
4 issues- Inability to save projects
- Unreliable print and cut functionality
- Compatibility issues with older devices
- Frequent app crashes and freezes
Requested features
4 requests- Improved text editing and manipulation
- More advanced design tools
- Offline mode for mobile app
- Better project organization and search
Marker Muse
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Cricut Design Space
- Cricut Access1 Month trial2 variants$12.991 Month
- Premium Monthly1 Month trial$16.991 Month
- Cricut Access1 Month trial$129.991 Year
- item(s)$0.99
- item(s)$1.99
- item(s)$2.99
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- item(s)$3.99
- item(s)$4.99
- item(s)$5.99
- item(s)$6.99
Marker Muse
- Marker Muse Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
- Marker Muse Pro Yearly$49.991 Year
Questions
Is Cricut Design Space free?
Is Marker Muse free?
Which has better reviews, Cricut Design Space or Marker Muse?
Do Cricut Design Space or Marker Muse have ads?
Which is updated more often, Cricut Design Space or Marker Muse?
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