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3D & CAD · head to head

Mudbox vs Fusion 360

Mudbox logo

Mudbox

3D & CAD

Digital painting and sculpting software

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: Mudbox a Mudbox subscription license may be installed on up to 3 computers (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023); Fusion 360 requires paid subscription for professional use
  • They diverge on capability: Mudbox covers Digital sculpting, Fusion 360 covers 3D CAD modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mudbox and Fusion 360 actually diverge.

Attributes where Mudbox and Fusion 360 differ
AttributeMudboxFusion 360
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxWeb, Windows, macOS
Category3D & CADManufacturing

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), founded (1982).

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 Mudbox

  • Digital sculpting
  • Texture painting
  • Retopology
  • PTEX support
  • Layer system
  • Stencils
  • Stamps
  • GPU tessellation

Only in Fusion 360

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

Both cover

  • Autodesk ecosystem
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Mudbox

  • Character sculptingnot Fusion 360
  • Texture creationnot Fusion 360
  • Asset detailingnot Fusion 360

Fusion 360

  • Product designnot Mudbox
  • Prototypingnot Mudbox
  • Manufacturingnot Mudbox
  • 3D printingnot Mudbox
  • Simulationnot Mudbox

Where each one falls short

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

Mudbox

  • A Mudbox subscription license may be installed on up to 3 computers (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023)
  • Sold as monthly, annual or 3-year subscription terms with no perpetual license option offered on the pricing page (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023)

Fusion 360

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Mudbox

$29/month
  • Mudbox$85/month
    • Full sculpting
    • Texture painting
  • M&E Collection$2390/month
    • Mudbox + Maya + 3ds Max + more

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 Mudbox if

  • You need digital sculpting.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want texture painting.
Mudbox 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 Mudbox or Fusion 360 better?
Neither clearly leads. Mudbox 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, Mudbox or Fusion 360?
Fusion 360 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Mudbox and Free for Fusion 360.
Does Mudbox or Fusion 360 run on more platforms?
Mudbox runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. 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. Mudbox starts at $29/month.
What is Mudbox best used for?
Mudbox is most often used for character sculpting, texture creation, asset detailing. Of those, character sculpting and texture creation are not what Fusion 360 is typically brought in for.
What can Mudbox do that Fusion 360 cannot?
Mudbox covers Digital sculpting, Texture painting, Retopology, PTEX support. Fusion 360 covers 3D CAD modeling, Simulation, CAM programming, PCB design. Both handle Autodesk ecosystem, 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
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