Cricut Explore falls in between Cricut Maker and Cricut Joy. It is the same size as Cricut Maker but less powerful. It's a beginner-friendly machine you will get the hang of after going through its user guide. You won't face any issues with conventional craft materials such as paper, cardstock, vinyl, and iron-on. The machine is easy to set up and operate. You will need the Cricut Design Space app to activate your machine for the first time. The app is available for free you won't be charged for it. Visit cricut.com/setup to download the app for free.