Laser cutter versus electronic cutting for stencil making?
Having used frequently both a Silhouette Cameo 3 and a reasonably powerful laser cutter, I can perhaps offer up both sides. 

Cameo 3

Plus:


Quieter in operation, by a huge factor
Much less expensive
Easier to set up/calibrate initially
Can use common software such as Inkscape, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw to create designs
Hobby grade cutters are usually small footprint


Minus:


Slower in cutting 
Single sheet capacity
Time consuming to attach material to cutting panel and to weed off cut pieces
Commercial grade cutters much more expensive, have tall profile (floor models) and larger footprint
Limited to mat size provided with hobby machine, not so limited in commercial grade units


Laser Cutter

Plus:


Extremely fast, especially on thin material
Flexible with regards to material choice
Once configured for specific job, very fast in swap out for volume creation
Able to cut multiple layers for higher production
Not limited to cutting stencils: engraving glass, acrylic, cutting thin wood veneers, as thick as 6 mm plywood, for example
Can handle much thicker material, depending on power
For RDC type controllers, a hugely supportive forum located at RD Works Lab, highly recommended for pre-purchase perusal and post-purchase support
Can use common software such as Inkscape, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw to create designs
Bed sizes are varied, but typically larger than hobby sized cutters 


Minus:


Almost always expensive, even "cheap" China made models
Support equipment (water pump, chiller, exhaust fan) adds to noise level
Can generate unpleasant smoke fumes (exhaust fan mandatory)
China made models do not work "out of the box" and require calibration, sometimes repair (see 7 above)
Non-China models often require additional expense for factory technician to install/set up
China-made models often over-rated, that is, 60 Watt model ad copy for 40-50 Watt laser
Typical China-made models include "challenging" software for creating work, but support forums exist to ease the pain. See note 7 (plus) above for balancing point
Even small models are larger than Cameo type cutters
Feature options (rotary accessory, bed type, bed control) can be confusing, see note 7 (plus) above