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Construction · head to head

AutoCAD vs Primavera P6

AutoCAD logo

AutoCAD

Construction

Computer-aided design and drafting software

From
$2095/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Primavera P6 logo

Primavera P6

Construction

Enterprise project portfolio management for construction

From
$2500/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: AutoCAD expensive subscription model with annual price increases of 5-8% and multi-year commitment premiums of 8-18%; Primavera P6 listed on G-Cloud 14 by reseller RPC UK Limited at £165 to £439 per user per month for Oracle Primavera P6 EPPM
  • They diverge on capability: AutoCAD covers 2D and 3D CAD, Primavera P6 covers CPM scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AutoCAD and Primavera P6 actually diverge.

Attributes where AutoCAD and Primavera P6 differ
AttributeAutoCADPrimavera P6
Starting price$2095/year$2500/year
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWindows, macOS, WebWindows, Web
Founded19821977

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Construction).

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 AutoCAD

  • 2D and 3D CAD
  • Technical drawing
  • Precision modeling
  • Documentation tools
  • Autodesk ecosystem
  • Microsoft Office
  • Revit
  • 3ds Max

Only in Primavera P6

  • CPM scheduling
  • Resource management
  • Cost management
  • Risk analysis
  • Portfolio management
  • Oracle ERP
  • Unifier
  • Aconex

Both cover

  • Enterprise security
  • Data encryption
  • Windows support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

AutoCAD

  • Architectural drawingsnot Primavera P6
  • Engineering designnot Primavera P6
  • Technical documentationnot Primavera P6
  • Construction plansnot Primavera P6

Primavera P6

  • Project schedulingnot AutoCAD
  • Resource planningnot AutoCAD
  • Cost controlnot AutoCAD
  • Portfolio managementnot AutoCAD

Where each one falls short

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

AutoCAD

  • Expensive subscription model with annual price increases of 5-8% and multi-year commitment premiums of 8-18%
  • Desktop-centric design, limited cloud-native collaboration features
  • No perpetual license option, subscription required for continued use

Primavera P6

  • Listed on G-Cloud 14 by reseller RPC UK Limited at £165 to £439 per user per month for Oracle Primavera P6 EPPM

Pricing, plan by plan

AutoCAD

$2095/year

No published plan breakdown. See the AutoCAD review.

Primavera P6

$2500/year
  • P6 Professional$2500/year
    • Project scheduling
    • Resource management
    • Cost tracking
  • P6 EPPMFree
    • Enterprise PPM
    • Portfolio management
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose AutoCAD if

  • You need 2d and 3d cad.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Web.
  • You also want technical drawing.
AutoCAD review

Choose Primavera P6 if

  • You need cpm scheduling.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want resource management.
Primavera P6 review

Questions people ask

Is AutoCAD or Primavera P6 better?
Neither clearly leads. AutoCAD starts at $2095/year and Primavera P6 at $2500/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AutoCAD or Primavera P6?
AutoCAD starts at $2095/year and Primavera P6 at $2500/year.
Does AutoCAD or Primavera P6 run on more platforms?
AutoCAD runs on Windows, macOS, Web. Primavera P6 runs on Windows, Web.
What is AutoCAD best used for?
AutoCAD is most often used for architectural drawings, engineering design, technical documentation, construction plans. Of those, architectural drawings and engineering design are not what Primavera P6 is typically brought in for.
What can AutoCAD do that Primavera P6 cannot?
AutoCAD covers 2D and 3D CAD, Technical drawing, Precision modeling, Documentation tools. Primavera P6 covers CPM scheduling, Resource management, Cost management, Risk analysis. Both handle Enterprise security, Data encryption, Windows support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AutoCAD: What is AutoCAD's subscription pricing?

AutoCAD 2027 costs $2,095 annually for a single Named User subscription, $235 monthly, or $1,865 yearly. AutoCAD LT costs $500 annually. Prices have been increasing 5-8% annually.

Source
AutoCAD: Is AutoCAD available for free?

AutoCAD is only available through subscription. However, eligible students can get AutoCAD free for one year with a .edu email address through the Autodesk Education License program.

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