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Manufacturing · head to head

Fusion 360 vs Rootstock

Fusion 360 logo

Fusion 360

Manufacturing

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rootstock logo

Rootstock

ERP

Manufacturing ERP built natively on the Salesforce platform

From
On request
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: Fusion 360 requires paid subscription for professional use; Rootstock every Rootstock user also needs a paid Salesforce platform licence, so the true cost is two subscriptions stacked; third-party estimates put a fully loaded seat around 200 to 500 US dollars per user per month, which is far above the Rootstock line item alone.
  • They diverge on capability: Fusion 360 covers 3D CAD modeling, Rootstock covers Native Salesforce architecture.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Fusion 360 and Rootstock differ
AttributeFusion 360Rootstock
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOSWeb, Salesforce Platform, iOS, Android
CategoryManufacturingERP
Founded1982Unknown

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 Fusion 360

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

Only in Rootstock

  • Native Salesforce architecture
  • Production and work orders
  • Materials and MRP
  • Inventory management
  • Order to cash
  • Project accounting
  • Financials
  • Quality and compliance

What people use each for

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

Fusion 360

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

Rootstock

  • A discrete manufacturer already running Salesforce Sales Cloud that wants configured quotes to become works orders without an integration layer between two systemsnot Fusion 360
  • An engineer-to-order equipment maker that needs project cost tracking and CRM opportunity data in one database for margin reportingnot Fusion 360
  • A medical device supplier that needs lot and serial traceability under the same security and audit model as its customer recordsnot Fusion 360
  • A manufacturer replacing an on-premise ERP whose IT team wants to stop maintaining servers and standardise administration on a platform it already supportsnot Fusion 360

Where each one falls short

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

Fusion 360

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

Rootstock

  • Every Rootstock user also needs a paid Salesforce platform licence, so the true cost is two subscriptions stacked; third-party estimates put a fully loaded seat around 200 to 500 US dollars per user per month, which is far above the Rootstock line item alone.
  • Rootstock publishes no pricing whatsoever, so budget-setting depends on reseller and analyst figures rather than vendor rates, and there is no public benchmark to test a quote against.
  • Building on Salesforce means inheriting Salesforce governor limits and API constraints, which surface as batch size and data volume ceilings in high-transaction manufacturing that a purpose-built ERP would not hit.
  • Your ERP is now hostage to another vendors commercial decisions: Salesforce list price rises, edition changes or licence policy shifts flow straight into your ERP running cost with no alternative supplier.
  • Implementation is a serious project, commonly quoted in the tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars and measured in months, and the partner pool that genuinely knows both manufacturing and Salesforce-native ERP is small, which lengthens timelines and raises day rates.

Pricing, plan by plan

Fusion 360

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

Rootstock

On request
  • Rootstock Cloud ERP$undefined/year
    • Manufacturing, inventory and supply chain modules
    • Runs as a managed package on the Salesforce Platform
    • Salesforce platform licences purchased separately for every user

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Rootstock if

  • You need native salesforce architecture.
  • You work on Web, Salesforce Platform, iOS, Android.
  • You also want production and work orders.
Rootstock review

Questions people ask

Is Fusion 360 or Rootstock better?
Neither clearly leads. Fusion 360 starts at Free and Rootstock at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fusion 360 or Rootstock?
Fusion 360 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Fusion 360 and On request for Rootstock.
Does Fusion 360 or Rootstock run on more platforms?
Fusion 360 runs on Web, Windows, macOS. Rootstock runs on Web, Salesforce Platform, iOS, Android.
Can I use Fusion 360 for free?
Yes. Fusion 360 has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rootstock starts at On request.
What is Fusion 360 best used for?
Fusion 360 is most often used for product design, prototyping, manufacturing, 3d printing. Of those, product design and prototyping are not what Rootstock is typically brought in for.
What can Fusion 360 do that Rootstock cannot?
Fusion 360 covers 3D CAD modeling, Simulation, CAM programming, PCB design. Rootstock covers Native Salesforce architecture, Production and work orders, Materials and MRP, Inventory management.

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
Rootstock: Do I need Salesforce to run Rootstock?

Yes, and it is not optional. Rootstock is a managed package on the Salesforce Platform and every user requires a Salesforce licence in addition to the Rootstock subscription.

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
Rootstock: What does Rootstock actually cost?

Rootstock does not publish rates. Third-party estimates put the ERP subscription at roughly 150 to 300 US dollars per user per month before Salesforce licences, with implementation quoted separately.

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
Rootstock: Is it suitable for process manufacturing?

It is built for discrete manufacturing. Recipe and batch-driven process manufacturers are a poor fit and should look elsewhere.

Rootstock: Has Rootstock been acquired?

No. Rootstock remains independent and was itself the acquirer, buying Salesforce-native applications firm Ascent Solutions in March 2026.

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