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Autodesk Inventor vs Autodesk Fusion 360: catalog facts
Autodesk Inventor	Autodesk Fusion 360
Best for: Mechanical engineers and product designers doing professional 3D CAD work	Best for: Cloud-connected parametric CAD, CAM, and CAE platform with a free personal tier
Paid Sold as a subscription from Autodesk or an Autodesk partner.	Free + paid options Free tier for personal use, with paid subscriptions for commercial use and advanced features.
Windows	Windows, macOS
Parametric modelling for mechanical parts and assemblies Includes simulation and documentation tools All 3 strengths for Autodesk Inventor Parametric modelling for mechanical parts and assemblies Includes simulation and documentation tools Actively maintained with yearly releases	Combines CAD, CAM, and simulation in one subscription instead of separate tools Free personal-use tier makes it accessible to hobbyists and makers
Subscription only, no free tier Closed-source commercial software	Cloud-connected design means an internet connection is effectively required for full functionality Free tier has feature and project-count limits compared to paid subscriptions
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Not open source	Not open source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Autodesk Inventor autodesk.com/products/inventor/overview Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Autodesk Fusion 360 autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview Catalog checked September 22, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.