Softwr

CAD · head to head

Inventor vs Mari

Inventor logo

Inventor

CAD

Professional-grade 3D mechanical design

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mari logo

Mari

CAD

3D painting for film and games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Mari has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Inventor pricing shown as template variables on the page, suggesting dynamic or region-specific pricing; Mari the full annual licence is $1,289 paid annually, and a short term quarterly rental is $949 per quarter
  • They diverge on capability: Inventor covers Parametric modeling, Mari covers High-resolution painting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Inventor and Mari actually diverge.

Attributes where Inventor and Mari differ
AttributeInventorMari
Starting price$29/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWindows, MacOS, Linux
Founded19821996

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (CAD).

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 Inventor

  • Parametric modeling
  • Assembly design
  • Sheet metal
  • Simulation
  • Rendering
  • Technical documentation
  • Frame generator
  • AutoCAD

Only in Mari

  • High-resolution painting
  • UDIM support
  • Procedural layers
  • Baking
  • Node graph
  • Color management
  • Maya
  • Nuke

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Inventor

  • Mechanical designnot Mari
  • Product developmentnot Mari
  • Manufacturing documentationnot Mari

Mari

  • Painting textures directly onto high complexity 3D assets for film and gamesnot Inventor
  • Handling very large multi-UDIM texture sets in a look development pipelinenot Inventor

Where each one falls short

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

Inventor

  • Pricing shown as template variables on the page, suggesting dynamic or region-specific pricing
  • No clear pricing information readily available on the overview page

Mari

  • The full annual licence is $1,289 paid annually, and a short term quarterly rental is $949 per quarter
  • The cheap $299 per year or $35 per month subscription is restricted to a single licence for people working alone or in small companies
  • Node-locked and floating are separate licence types you must choose between
  • All listed prices are before applicable taxes
  • A separate non-commercial licence exists, so commercial use requires a paid tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Inventor

$29/month
  • Inventor$2085/month
    • Full mechanical design
    • Simulation
    • Documentation
  • Product Design & Manufacturing Collection$2475/month
    • Inventor + AutoCAD + more

Mari

Free
  • Individual Subscription$86/month
    • Solo artists or small companies
    • $689 per year alternative billing
  • Team Subscription$null/year
    • Node-locked or floating licenses
    • Annual payment
  • Team Rental$949/quarter
    • Short-term access
    • Node-locked or floating licenses

Which should you pick?

Choose Inventor if

  • You need parametric modeling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want assembly design.
Inventor review

Choose Mari if

  • You need high-resolution painting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want udim support.
Mari review

Questions people ask

Is Inventor or Mari better?
Neither clearly leads. Inventor starts at $29/month and Mari at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Inventor or Mari?
Mari has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Inventor and Free for Mari.
Does Inventor or Mari run on more platforms?
Inventor runs on Windows. Mari runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
Can I use Mari for free?
Yes. Mari has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Inventor starts at $29/month.
What is Inventor best used for?
Inventor is most often used for mechanical design, product development, manufacturing documentation. Of those, mechanical design and product development are not what Mari is typically brought in for.
What can Inventor do that Mari cannot?
Inventor covers Parametric modeling, Assembly design, Sheet metal, Simulation. Mari covers High-resolution painting, UDIM support, Procedural layers, Baking. Both handle Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Inventor: How much does Autodesk Inventor cost?

Autodesk Inventor pricing is not displayed on the overview page. Monthly and annual subscription options are available, including single-year and multi-year terms. Customers can access pricing through their Autodesk Account or contact sales.

Source
Mari: What is Mari's pricing?

Individual Subscription costs $689 per year or $86 per month. Team Subscription costs $1,289 per year. Team Rental costs $949 per quarter for short-term access. Both subscriptions support node-locked or floating licenses.

Source
Inventor: Is there a free trial for Autodesk Inventor?

Yes, Autodesk offers a 30-day free trial of Inventor. You can start your project and try the software for free during this period.

Source
Mari: Does Mari offer a free trial?

Mari offers a free 30-day trial with unrestricted access to help users evaluate the software before purchasing.

Source
Mari: Does Mari offer student pricing?

Yes, Mari offers free or discounted access to all Foundry products for students, as well as free non-commercial licenses for learning and exploration.

Source
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