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Solid Edge vs Autodesk Fusion 360: catalog facts
Solid Edge	Autodesk Fusion 360
Best for: Mainstream parametric CAD software with a free Community edition	Best for: Cloud-connected parametric CAD, CAM, and CAE platform with a free personal tier
Free + paid options Free Community edition available; commercial tiers are paid.	Free + paid options Free tier for personal use, with paid subscriptions for commercial use and advanced features.
Windows	Windows, macOS
Free Community edition lowers the barrier for students and hobbyists Backed by Siemens, giving it an integration path with NX and other Siemens tools	Combines CAD, CAM, and simulation in one subscription instead of separate tools Free personal-use tier makes it accessible to hobbyists and makers
Windows-only, unlike some competitors that support macOS or Linux Full feature set is reserved for paid commercial tiers	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 Solid Edge solidedge.siemens.com/en Catalog checked September 22, 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.