Softwr

Manufacturing · head to head

Fusion 360 vs Tractian

Fusion 360 logo

Fusion 360

Manufacturing

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tractian logo

Tractian

Field Service

CMMS with published per-user pricing plus vibration sensors sold as a separate per-asset subscription

From
$60/month
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; Tractian sensors are excluded from both published CMMS tiers and are quoted per monitored asset, so the transparent rate card covers only the part of the deployment that costs least.
  • They diverge on capability: Fusion 360 covers 3D CAD modeling, Tractian covers Published per-user pricing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Fusion 360 and Tractian differ
AttributeFusion 360Tractian
Starting priceFree$60/month
Pricing modelfreemiumPer user per month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOSWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryManufacturingField Service
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 Tractian

  • Published per-user pricing
  • Unlimited requesters
  • Smart Trac sensors
  • Automatic work order creation
  • Mobile execution
  • Preventive maintenance planning
  • Power BI connector
  • ERP integration

What people use each for

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

Fusion 360

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

Tractian

  • A mid-market plant replacing spreadsheet maintenance planning where hundreds of operators must report faults but only a dozen plan worknot Fusion 360
  • Instrumenting critical motors and pumps and having detected faults become work orders without an integration projectnot Fusion 360
  • A maintenance manager who needs a defensible budget figure before an approval meeting rather than a quote in three weeksnot Fusion 360
  • A multi-site manufacturer wanting the same CMMS and sensor platform across Brazilian, Mexican and United States plantsnot 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

Tractian

  • Sensors are excluded from both published CMMS tiers and are quoted per monitored asset, so the transparent rate card covers only the part of the deployment that costs least.
  • Smart Trac hardware reports into the Tractian platform, so a plant that later changes analytics vendor writes off the installed sensor base.
  • The five-user minimum on Standard and ten-user minimum on Enterprise put a floor under the cost that small maintenance teams cannot get below.
  • ERP integration, single sign-on and the Power BI connector are Enterprise-only, so an organisation needing SAP integration pays the higher rate for every licensed user including technicians who need none of it.
  • The company is young and venture-funded with rapid product expansion, so enterprise features are newer than the core CMMS and reference sites at large industrial scale are fewer than for established EAM vendors.

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

Tractian

$60/month
  • Standard$60/month
    • From 60 USD per user per month, billed annually
    • Minimum five users
    • Unlimited assets and unlimited requester accounts
  • Enterprise$100/month
    • From 100 USD per user per month, billed annually
    • Minimum ten users
    • Single sign-on and custom entities
  • Bundle$undefined/year
    • CMMS combined with condition monitoring sensors
    • Priced per monitored asset, quoted rather than published
    • Includes failure detection, root cause analysis and reliability support

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 Tractian if

  • You need published per-user pricing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want unlimited requesters.
Tractian review

Questions people ask

Is Fusion 360 or Tractian better?
Neither clearly leads. Fusion 360 starts at Free and Tractian at $60/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fusion 360 or Tractian?
Fusion 360 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Fusion 360 and $60/month for Tractian.
Does Fusion 360 or Tractian run on more platforms?
Fusion 360 runs on Web, Windows, macOS. Tractian runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Fusion 360 for free?
Yes. Fusion 360 has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tractian starts at $60/month.
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 Tractian is typically brought in for.
What can Fusion 360 do that Tractian cannot?
Fusion 360 covers 3D CAD modeling, Simulation, CAM programming, PCB design. Tractian covers Published per-user pricing, Unlimited requesters, Smart Trac sensors, Automatic work order creation.

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
Tractian: What does the CMMS actually cost?

Standard is from 60 USD per user per month with five users minimum, Enterprise from 100 USD with ten minimum, both billed annually.

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
Tractian: Are the sensors included?

No. Both CMMS tiers explicitly exclude sensors, which are priced per monitored asset under a separate bundle that is not published.

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
Tractian: Do fault reporters need licences?

No. Requester accounts are unlimited on both tiers, which is the main reason the per-user price is workable for large plants.

Tractian: Can I use the sensors with another platform?

No. Smart Trac hardware reports to the Tractian platform.

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