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Software · head to head

Inventor vs Prospect

Inventor logo

Inventor

Software

Professional-grade 3D mechanical design

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Prospect logo

Prospect

Software

VR for architectural visualization

From
$225/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Inventor autodesk publishes no licence price through UK G-Cloud: every listing found there is reseller delivered training at 750 to 1,500 pounds per day rather than software licensing, and neither AWS Marketplace nor GSA carries the product; Prospect no longer available as a standalone product; has been discontinued and replaced by other solutions
  • They diverge on capability: Inventor covers Parametric modeling, Prospect covers BIM visualization.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Inventor and Prospect actually diverge.

Attributes where Inventor and Prospect differ
AttributeInventorProspect
Starting price$29/month$225/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWindowsVR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest)
Founded19822014

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

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 Prospect

  • BIM visualization
  • Real-scale viewing
  • Collaboration
  • Annotations
  • Revit
  • SketchUp
  • Rhino
  • Navisworks

What people use each for

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

Inventor

  • Mechanical designnot Prospect
  • Product developmentnot Prospect
  • Manufacturing documentationnot Prospect

Prospect

  • VR Gamingnot Inventor
  • AR Marketingnot Inventor
  • Virtual Trainingnot Inventor
  • 3D Visualizationnot Inventor
  • Immersive Experiencesnot Inventor

Where each one falls short

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

Inventor

  • Autodesk publishes no licence price through UK G-Cloud: every listing found there is reseller delivered training at 750 to 1,500 pounds per day rather than software licensing, and neither AWS Marketplace nor GSA carries the product

Prospect

  • No longer available as a standalone product; has been discontinued and replaced by other solutions
  • Acquisition by The Wild in 2021 resulted in product discontinuation and transition to Workshop XR
  • No ongoing development, bug fixes, or feature updates since acquisition

Pricing, plan by plan

Inventor

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

Prospect

$225/month
  • Team$350/month
    • Multiuser VR collaboration
    • Design review tools
    • Voice communication

Which should you pick?

Choose Inventor if

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

Choose Prospect if

  • You need bim visualization.
  • You work on VR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest).
  • You also want real-scale viewing.
Prospect review

Questions people ask

Is Inventor or Prospect better?
Neither clearly leads. Inventor starts at $29/month and Prospect at $225/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Inventor or Prospect?
Inventor starts at $29/month and Prospect at $225/month.
Does Inventor or Prospect run on more platforms?
Inventor runs on Windows. Prospect runs on VR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest).
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 Prospect is typically brought in for.
What can Inventor do that Prospect cannot?
Inventor covers Parametric modeling, Assembly design, Sheet metal, Simulation. Prospect covers BIM visualization, Real-scale viewing, Collaboration, Annotations.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Prospect: What is Prospect by IrisVR?

Prospect was an immersive VR application that converted 3D design files from Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, and Navisworks into virtual reality walkthroughs with one click. It enabled AEC teams to conduct design reviews, collaborate in VR, and present projects to clients immersively.

Source
Prospect: Is Prospect still available?

No. Prospect by IrisVR was acquired by The Wild in February 2021 and has been discontinued. Autodesk Workshop XR is now the recommended successor for AEC teams migrating from Prospect.

Source
Prospect: How was Prospect priced?

Prospect's Team plan cost approximately $350 per workstation per month when billed annually. Earlier pricing information from 2020 showed starting prices around $225. Custom enterprise pricing was available.

Source
Prospect: What VR headsets did Prospect support?

Prospect was compatible with major VR headsets including Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and later Meta Quest. Support depended on the runtime and connection method available.

Source
Prospect: What was Prospect's biggest advantage?

Prospect's one-click conversion from native design files (Revit, Rhino, SketchUp) into immersive VR experiences was its primary value proposition, enabling non-VR specialists to easily create compelling design reviews and client presentations.

Source
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