What is the main difference between the Brother PE900 and the Janome MC500E?

The primary difference is embroidery field size. The Brother PE900 has a 5 inch by 7 inch maximum embroidery area (35 square inches). The Janome MC500E has a 7.9 inch by 11 inch maximum area (approximately 86.9 square inches). The MC500E's field is approximately 2.5 times larger. The PE900 costs $1,179.99 at major retailers. The MC500E costs $2,399 at authorized dealers. Both are embroidery-only machines.

Can the Janome MC500E read Brother PE900 design files?

Not directly. The Brother PE900 uses PES format natively. The Janome MC500E uses JEF format natively. PES and JEF are not interchangeable without conversion software. Embroiderers moving a PES library to the MC500E need a converter such as Hatch Embroidery or Embrilliance Essentials. Designs purchased in multi-format bundles typically include both PES and JEF, which avoids the conversion step.

Is the Janome MC500E worth the $1,219 premium over the Brother PE900?

Only if you regularly exceed the PE900's 5x7 field. For sewists making large monograms, quilt appliqué blocks, back-of-jacket lettering, or any design wider than 5 inches or taller than 7 inches: yes, the field size difference is functionally essential. For sewists whose designs stay inside 5x7 inches: no, the extra $1,219 buys field you will not use.

What embroidery field size do most home embroidery designs assume?

The most widely sold home embroidery designs are digitized for 4x4 and 5x7 hoops. This reflects the installed base of Brother machines at those sizes. The 5x7 hoop is the most common ceiling assumption for commercial design sets. Designs requiring a 7.9x11 field are less common in standard marketplaces, though all major marketplaces (Etsy, Embroidery Library, Urban Threads) carry some.

Where do you buy the Brother PE900 versus the Janome MC500E?

The Brother PE900 is sold at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Costco, and major retail chains, usually at or near the $1,179.99 MSRP. The Janome MC500E is sold through Janome's authorized dealer network. Dealers provide machine setup, in-person demos, and warranty service. Neither brand can be bought at authorized pricing from the other's primary channel.

Brother PE900 vs Janome MC500E: Field Size and $1,219

The Brother PE900 has a 5x7 inch embroidery field and costs $1,179.99 at Amazon and major retailers. The Janome Memory Craft 500E has a 7.9x11 inch embroidery field and costs $2,399 at authorized dealers. Both are embroidery-only machines. The $1,219 gap between them buys approximately 51.9 more square inches of embroidery area, moving from 35 square inches to roughly 86.9 square inches. Whether that field expansion is worth the price depends on what you embroider.

Side-by-side specs

Spec	Brother PE900	Janome MC500E
Embroidery field	5” x 7”	7.9” x 11”
Embroidery area	35 sq in	~86.9 sq in
Built-in designs	193	160
Fonts	13	Not specified in docs
Native file format	PES	JEF
Max embroidery speed	650 spm	Not specified in docs
Machine type	Embroidery only	Embroidery only
Purchase channel	Amazon, major retail	Authorized dealers
Price (verified June 2026)	$1,179.99	$2,399+

Specs verified against Brother USA and Janome manufacturer pages, June 2026.

A person operating a sewing machine, guiding fabric through the needle area with both hands — Both the PE900 and MC500E embroider using the same fundamental process: hoop the fabric and stabilizer, mount the hoop on the machine's arm, select a design, and let the machine stitch automatically. The operator's job is loading designs, threading, changing colors at the machine's prompts, and rehooping for multi-hoop projects. The MC500E's larger field reduces the number of rehoopings needed for large designs. *via Unsplash. Unsplash License.*

The field-size math

The PE900’s 5x7 field covers 35 square inches. The MC500E’s 7.9x11 field covers approximately 86.9 square inches. The MC500E is 2.48 times larger by area.

Cost per square inch of embroidery field:

PE900: $1,179.99 / 35 sq in = $33.71 per square inch
MC500E: $2,399 / 86.9 sq in = $27.61 per square inch

The MC500E is more efficient per square inch of field at $27.61 versus $33.71. The absolute cost is $1,219 more, but you are getting proportionally more field for the dollar premium once you commit to the upgrade tier. This math only matters if you are going to use the extra field area. If your designs stay in 5x7 territory, you are paying $1,219 for area that sits idle.

Which designs need the larger field?

Design type	Typical size	PE900 (5x7)	MC500E (7.9x11)
Small left-chest logo	3-4” wide	Yes	Yes
Standard 3-letter monogram	3-4”	Yes	Yes
Large towel monogram	4-6” tall	Borderline	Yes
Full name, 3 lines	5-7”	Barely at 7”	Yes
Baby blanket name (oversized)	6-8”	No	Yes
Quilt block (full 8” square)	8”	No	Yes
Back-of-jacket lettering	8-11” wide	No	Yes
Full quilt appliqué panel	9-11”	No	Yes

For embroiderers whose output is primarily left-chest logos, small monograms, and mid-size designs for pillowcases and towels, the PE900’s 5x7 covers the work. For sewists who make quilt blocks with full-field appliqué, do back-of-jacket work, or create personalized items where the design fills a 10-inch space, the PE900’s ceiling is a real constraint.

Traditional textile craftwork showing detailed embroidered fabric with stitched patterns on a work surface — The size of a design that can be stitched in a single hooping is constrained by the machine's embroidery field. Designs larger than the field can be split across multiple hoop positions (multi-hooping), but registration shifts between sections are visible on close inspection. The MC500E's 7.9x11 field reduces the need for multi-hooping on large designs that would require two or more hoop positions on the PE900. *Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0.*

File format lock-in: PES versus JEF

Brother’s PE900 uses PES as its native format. PES is the most widely distributed format in home embroidery. Major design marketplaces (Embroidery Library, Urban Threads, Etsy) distribute PES in every download alongside DST. If you are buying pre-made designs from most sources, PES downloads are available everywhere.

Janome’s MC500E uses JEF as its native format. JEF is Janome’s proprietary format. Design marketplaces include JEF in multi-format bundles, so buying new designs is not a problem. The issue arises if you already have a PES library from a Brother machine: those files need conversion software to run on the MC500E. Hatch Embroidery and Embrilliance Essentials both handle PES-to-JEF conversion; pricing starts around $50 for basic converters.

The embroidery file formats guide covers PES, JEF, and DST in detail and explains what conversion tools handle which transitions.

A close view of dense machine-embroidery stitches — Up close, both machines lay a comparable stitch. The decision is built on hoop sizes, design libraries, and the software workflow each one assumes you will use. *Wikimedia Commons via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0.*

Where to buy: the channel difference matters

The Brother PE900 is available at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Costco, and sewing retailers. Standard 15 to 30-day return windows apply. Machine service through Brother’s authorized service network, which has locations across the country.

The Janome MC500E is sold exclusively through Janome’s authorized dealer network. No Amazon, no box stores for current Memory Craft models at authorized pricing. The dealer provides machine setup, on-site demos, warranty service, and often trade-in programs.

For a $2,399 machine that you intend to use intensively, the dealer-service relationship is relevant: service problems go back to the dealer who sold it, not into a mail-in warranty queue. For a buyer who values that service relationship, the dealer channel is part of what the MC500E price includes.

Which machine to choose

Choose the Brother PE900 if your designs consistently stay within 5x7 inches, you want the machine available immediately from a major retailer with a standard return window, PES format access covers your design library, and your budget is under $1,200.

Choose the Janome MC500E if you regularly work on designs that exceed the 5x7 ceiling, have the budget for the $2,399 purchase plus potential conversion software costs, and will benefit from a dealer-service relationship on a machine you plan to use for years.

The Brother PE900 review and Janome MC500E review each cover their respective machines with verified specs. The Janome vs Brother brand comparison covers how the two ecosystems differ at a broader level, including the SE700 entry point on the Brother side.

Large organized rack of thread cones in multiple colors in a sewing and embroidery workspace — Thread is brand-neutral: 40-weight polyester or rayon on top, 60-weight bobbin underneath, works on the PE900 and MC500E identically. Neither machine requires proprietary thread. The format lock-in (PES versus JEF) applies to design files, not consumables. *Counselman Collection via Flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0.*