In the last few weeks, I have been working on stickers. I have been learning to make them and experimenting with different sticker papers. When I started making stickers, a friend gave me a package of sticker paper she was not using. I used most of that up, and then it was time to restock my supplies. So I went to my trusty Amazon store and looked for sticker paper. When I saw some of the prices, my jaw dropped, and I opted to not buy the Cricut sticker paper and try out some Koala Sticker paper instead. I thought I should do a comparison to see which is better. So, here we have my Cricut Sticker Paper Vs Koala Sticker Paper comparison.
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Supplies Used in my Cricut Sticker Paper vs Koala Sticker Comparison
Ok, even though we are not making a craft, per se, we are using supplies to test out different sticker papers. So, here is what I used:
- Cricut Printable Vinyl – I received a package of Cricut Printable Vinyl from a friend when I started learning to make stickers.
- Koala Matt Sticker Paper – This is the sticker paper I purchased, as it was (at the time) a great deal. I got a lot of paper for a little money.
- Cricut Explore Air 2 – This is the only machine I have, so it was the one I used to help cut out the sticker paper. You can use a different cutting machine if you have one. Keep in mind, that your cut settings may need to be checked and adjusted depending on how your machine cuts.
- Cutting Mats – My Explore Air 2 needs cutting mats, so this is a must. For this, I used my blue cutting mats.
- Epson Eco-Tank 2850 – This is the printer I use for my regular printing, and it has great color.
Ok, so let’s take a look at these two different sticker papers!
Comparing Sticker Papers – Cricut Vs. Koala
What Does Sticker Paper Look and Feel like?
At first, I wanted to compare the sticker paper before there were any prints or cuts on them. So, I opened each pack and compared the two. So, let’s review:
Cricut Printable Vinyl:
- Smooth to the touch, almost silky.
- Nice clean white color.
- Cricut label on the back of the carrier sheet.
Koala Sticker Paper
- Smooth to the touch, feels like regular printer paper. Not as smooth as Cricut Printable Vinyl.
- Nice white color.
- A yellow label on the back of the carrier sheet.
Winner for paper quality: Tie!
Both papers felt and looked very good upon initial inspection with no clear winner.
How does Cricut Sticker Paper Print Vs. Koala Paper
After I finished my initial review of the sticker paper, I set up a Print Then Cut on my Cricut. Then, I sent the sticker designs off to my printer on the Cricut Sticker Paper and the Koala Sticker Paper.
I used identical printer settings for both papers:
- Print Quality = High/Best
- The bleed toggle is set to ON
I also did several prints on each paper, so the results below are based on more than one print.
Here is what came out.
Cricut Printable Vinyl:
- Very bright and vibrant color images
- The edge of the paper got caught in the printer tracks leaving black ink around the top edge. This happened multiple times, and not just once.
- The color took a few moments to dry on the sticker paper – especially the black blob around the edge.
Koala Sticker Paper
- Nice and bright color, but not as vibrant as the Cricut Paper
- No ink smudging on paper during the print process
- The ink dried quickly on paper.
The Winner for Print Quality: Cricut Printable Vinyl
Although there was a large amount of ink catching at the side of the paper, so long as I wiped it down and didn’t smudge it across the whole sticker sheet, the color of the stickers was much nicer on the Cricut paper. I also could probably adjust the paper input on my printer better to avoid this in the future.
How does Cricut Sticker Paper Cut Vs. Koala Paper
Once the printing was done and the pages inspected, it was time to cut out the stickers and see which paper cut out the best. For this cut test, I wanted to cut the stickers out loose, not as a sticker sheet.
Cutting Stickers with Cricut Printable Vinyl and Koala Sticker Paper – Attempt 1
The cut settings that I tried on my first round of stickers were as follows:
- Set Cricut Dial to Custom
- Select printer Sticker Paper, White
Then, placing the sticker sheet onto my blue cutting mat and verifying that the sheet was facing the same direction on the mat as on the cut screen, I sent each paper to cut.
Here are the results:
Cricut Printable Vinyl:
- Registration marks were quickly captured by Cricut and the cut started nicely.
- All stickers were cut around the edges of the design. No cuts through the edge of the design.
- Stickers did not get cut all the way. The top sticker sheet was cut, as was part of the carrier sheet. But the stickers were not loose.
- Stickers could not be pulled from the sticker sheet to make loose stickers. Scissors would be required to make the stickers individual items.
- Peeling the stickers off the sticker paper was not easy as it was not a kiss cut. Needed to pry the sticker off the sheet.
Koala Sticker Paper
- Registration marks were quickly captured by Cricut and the cut started nicely.
- All stickers were cut around the edges of the design. No cuts through the edge of the design.
- Some stickers were cut all the way through. Some were still attached to the main sticker sheet. I could remove them from the sticker sheet by gently pulling them off. Some frayed edges occurred on the pulled stickers, but all backing sheets remained, and the stickers were usable as loose-cut stickers.
The winner of the first cut attempt: Koala Sticker Paper – barely.
Koala sticker paper takes the win for the first round of cutting, but just barely. The plan was for the stickers to be completely cut out. Some of the Koala Sticker Paper stickers were completely cut out, but not all. The stickers could be used but they just needed to be pulled off.
Cutting Stickers with Cricut Printable Vinyl and Koala Sticker Paper – Attempt 2
As the first attempt wasn’t a resounding success, I had to try again. The goal is to have the stickers completely cut out from the sticker sheet. So, here are the cut settings on the second attempt:
- Set Cricut Dial to Cardstock
I again placed the sticker sheet onto my blue cutting mat, and verifying that the sheet was facing the same direction on the mat as on the cut screen, I sent each paper to cut.
Here are the results:
Cricut Printable Vinyl:
- Registration marks were quickly captured by Cricut and the cut started nicely.
- All stickers were cut around the edges of the design. No cuts through the edge of the design.
- Some stickers were cut all the way through. Some were still attached to the main sticker sheet, similar to what happened to the Koala Sticker Paper on the first cut. I could remove them from the sticker sheet by gently pulling them off. Some frayed edges occurred on the pulled stickers, but all backing sheets remained and the stickers were usable.
Koala Sticker Paper
- Registration marks were quickly captured by Cricut and the cut started nicely.
- All stickers were cut around the edges of the design. No cuts through the edge of the design.
- All stickers were completely cut from the sticker sheet
And the winner of the first cut attempt: Koala Sticker Paper
Koala Sticker Paper came out with nice cuts all the way around and we have usable stickers with one quick cut.
Price Comparison of Sticker Paper
When I was looking to purchase the new sticker paper, there was a significant price difference between the two sticker papers.
I purchased 100 sheets of Koala Sticker Paper for the same price as 10 sheets of Cricut Printable Vinyl. That is a huge difference.
The winner for the best price per paper: Koala Sticker Paper
Now, as you know, prices change on a daily and weekly basis, there are sales, price discounts and more. When I purchased the Koala paper, it was cheaper. That may not be the case in the future. Make sure to research pricing to see what paper is priced at what before you buy. As the price may not be the same later on.
Which Sticker Paper is Best? Cricut Sticker Paper or Koala Sticker
After going through all my tests and comparisons, the winner in my books is Koala Sticker Paper.
For me, the driving factor is the price for quantity. And that was the original reason why I purchased this paper. This is good sticker paper. I wouldn’t call it great. It works well, it has nice color and it cuts quickly and easily on my Cricut.
If the Cricut Printable Vinyl was more cost-effective, I would have performed more cuts on the sticker paper to get the perfect setting so the stickers would cut out the first time.
Will I buy koala sticker paper again?
Will I buy koala sticker paper again? Maybe.
When I run out of sticker paper, I might try a different brand, to see how well or not well the paper works. I will probably do another comparison at that time between the new paper and the Koala Sticker paper.
Additional Notes about sticker paper and making stickers
As I mentioned, I have been learning to make stickers. While doing this sticker paper comparison, there were some other issues that both the Cricut and Koala paper had. But these issues, I found, are more of a design issue than a paper issue. At least, that’s what I think.
- Both the Koala Sticker Paper and the Cricut Printable Vinyl would peel away from the carrier sheet when intricate cuts were being made. For example, small arms on the stickers or many jagged edges. On stickers of simple shapes and rounded edges, both the sticker papers held the sticker on the carrier sheet for the whole cut.
- Stickers that have holes or gaps in the design – these little gaps were cut out but not well on either of the papers. When designing stickers with holes or gaps in the design, that cut will need to be modified to make sure it cuts out, or best to remove it from the design completely
Did you find the comparison of sticker papers helpful?
Did you find this comparison of Cricut Sticker Paper vs Koala Sticker helpful? Let me know in the comments below. If you use either of these sticker papers, let me know! Do you have a favorite sticker paper that you use? Let me know, as it might be the next one I try out!
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out my stickers posts:
- How to Made Drawings Into Stickers
- How To Make FREE Valentine’s Day Stickers
- Make Flower Stickers With Your iPhone And Cricut
- Inspirational Quote Stickers With Cricut
