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Autodesk Inventor vs VariCAD: catalog facts
Autodesk Inventor	VariCAD
Best for: Mechanical engineers and product designers doing professional 3D CAD work	Best for: Mechanical engineers who need full CAD on Windows or Linux
Paid Sold as a subscription from Autodesk or an Autodesk partner.	Paid Paid license with all features included, plus a 30-day free trial.
Windows	Windows, Linux
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	Runs on Linux as well as Windows 3D modeling and 2D drawing in one program All 4 strengths for VariCAD Runs on Linux as well as Windows 3D modeling and 2D drawing in one program Sheet metal unbending, interference checks and BOM tools All features included in one license
Subscription only, no free tier Closed-source commercial software	Paid software after the 30-day trial No macOS version mentioned
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	Offline features available
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 VariCAD varicad.com Catalog checked September 24, 2026

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