Softwr

3D & CAD · head to head

Alibre Design vs Fusion 360

Alibre Design logo

Alibre Design

3D & CAD

Affordable professional CAD

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fusion 360 logo

Fusion 360

Manufacturing

Cloud-based 3D CAD, CAM, and CAE platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Fusion 360 has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Alibre Design perpetual licences do not include updates; maintenance is a separate yearly plan starting at $50 per year for CAD support and updates; Fusion 360 requires paid subscription for professional use
  • They diverge on capability: Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Fusion 360 covers 3D CAD modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alibre Design and Fusion 360 actually diverge.

Attributes where Alibre Design and Fusion 360 differ
AttributeAlibre DesignFusion 360
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelone-timefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWeb, Windows, macOS
Category3D & CADManufacturing
Founded19971982

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Alibre Design

  • Parametric modeling
  • Assemblies
  • Sheet metal
  • 2D drawings
  • BOM
  • Rendering
  • CAM software
  • PDM

Only in Fusion 360

  • 3D CAD modeling
  • Simulation
  • CAM programming
  • PCB design
  • Cloud collaboration
  • Autodesk ecosystem
  • Manufacturing partners
  • PLM systems

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Alibre Design

  • Parametric 3D solid modelling for mechanical partsnot Fusion 360
  • Producing 2D manufacturing drawings from 3D modelsnot Fusion 360
  • Designing parts for 3D printing and small shop machiningnot Fusion 360

Fusion 360

  • Product designnot Alibre Design
  • Prototypingnot Alibre Design
  • Manufacturingnot Alibre Design
  • 3D printingnot Alibre Design
  • Simulationnot Alibre Design

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Alibre Design

  • Perpetual licences do not include updates; maintenance is a separate yearly plan starting at $50 per year for CAD support and updates
  • Sheet metal, PDM data management and rendering are Design Expert only at $1,999
  • Scripting is excluded from the $199 Atom3D edition
  • CAM capability is sold as separate EZ-Mill, EZ-Turn and EZ-EDM products costing up to $2,999
  • A dedicated account manager is excluded from Atom3D

Fusion 360

  • Requires paid subscription for professional use
  • Cloud-based, requires internet connection
  • Free tier limited to students and educators

Pricing, plan by plan

Alibre Design

$29/month
  • Atom3D$199/month
    • Basic modeling
  • Design$999/month
    • Professional CAD
  • Expert$1999/month
    • Full features

Fusion 360

Free
  • Personal UseFree
    • Non-commercial use
    • Basic CAD tools
    • Cloud storage
  • Commercial$70/month
    • Full CAD/CAM/CAE
    • Simulation
    • Rendering

Which should you pick?

Choose Alibre Design if

  • You need parametric modeling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want assemblies.
Alibre Design review

Choose Fusion 360 if

  • You need 3d cad modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want simulation.
Fusion 360 review

Questions people ask

Is Alibre Design or Fusion 360 better?
Neither clearly leads. Alibre Design starts at $29/month and Fusion 360 at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alibre Design or Fusion 360?
Fusion 360 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Alibre Design and Free for Fusion 360.
Does Alibre Design or Fusion 360 run on more platforms?
Alibre Design runs on Windows. Fusion 360 runs on Web, Windows, macOS.
Can I use Fusion 360 for free?
Yes. Fusion 360 has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Alibre Design starts at $29/month.
What is Alibre Design best used for?
Alibre Design is most often used for parametric 3d solid modelling for mechanical parts, producing 2d manufacturing drawings from 3d models, designing parts for 3d printing and small shop machining. Of those, parametric 3d solid modelling for mechanical parts and producing 2d manufacturing drawings from 3d models are not what Fusion 360 is typically brought in for.
What can Alibre Design do that Fusion 360 cannot?
Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Assemblies, Sheet metal, 2D drawings. Fusion 360 covers 3D CAD modeling, Simulation, CAM programming, PCB design. Both handle Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fusion 360: Is Fusion 360 free?

Fusion 360 is free for students, educators, and academic institutions with full features. It offers a 30-day free trial for all users, and a limited personal-use license for hobbyists and makers.

Source
Fusion 360: How much does Fusion 360 cost for professionals?

Fusion 360 professional subscriptions start at $85/month, $680/year, or $2,040 for a 3-year commitment. Startups that qualify can get a discount starting at $150.

Source
Fusion 360: Does Fusion 360 support 3D modeling, CAD, and CAM?

Yes. Fusion 360 is a cloud-based platform that integrates 3D modeling, CAD, CAM, CAE (simulation), and PCB design in one software.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Alibre Design

More on Fusion 360

Keep looking

Other head to heads