Autodesk Fusion 360 is the most affordable product in the Autodesk catalogue — and the most comprehensive for the price. A single subscription includes CAD, CAM (CNC machining), CAE (simulation), and PCB (electronics) design in a cloud-based platform.
For eligible startups and students, it is completely free. This guide covers every pricing option and helps Indian businesses understand which plan is right for their situation.
Fusion 360 Pricing — India 2025
All pricing is approximate INR through Cloudfy Systems (authorised Autodesk reseller) on annual commitment, per user per month, excluding 18% GST.
Fusion 360 Free (Startup / Hobbyist / Student)
Price: Free
Autodesk offers Fusion 360 at no cost for:
- Startups generating under USD 100,000 (approximately ₹83 lakhs) in annual revenue
- Students and educators (via Autodesk Education Community)
- Hobbyists using it for personal, non-commercial projects
Free plan includes:
- CAD: 3D modelling, parametric design, 10 active document limit
- CAM: 3-axis milling, turning, waterjet and laser cutting
- CAE: Static stress analysis, thermal analysis (limited studies)
- PCB: Electronic schematic and PCB layout (2 schematic sheets, 2 signal layers)
- Cloud storage: Autodesk Docs basic
- Community support
Free plan limitations:
- Maximum 10 active design documents (not total — you can archive old ones)
- No generative design study credits (limited credits for paid plans)
- No simulation add-ins beyond basic structural
- No rendering in cloud (limited to local rendering)
- Community support only (no priority technical support)
For most eligible startups, the free plan is fully functional for product development, CNC programming and early-stage manufacturing.
Fusion 360 (Paid Subscription) — ~₹5,000/user/month
The paid annual subscription removes the free plan restrictions.
Paid plan includes:
- CAD: Unlimited active design documents, all modelling tools
- CAM: All operations including 5-axis, turning-milling and EDM
- CAE: All simulation types including non-linear and event simulation
- PCB: Unlimited schematic sheets, unlimited signal layers, 3D enclosure integration
- Generative design study credits
- Cloud rendering credits
- Autodesk Docs enhanced storage
- Priority technical support
- All new features and updates
Annual cost per user: Approximately ₹60,000–66,000 excluding GST.
This is approximately one-third the cost of AutoCAD or Inventor — making Fusion 360 by far the most affordable professional Autodesk subscription.
Product Design & Manufacturing (PD&M) Collection — ~₹25,000/user/month
The PD&M Collection bundles Fusion 360 with Inventor, AutoCAD, Vault and more for complete product development teams.
Best for: Engineering firms that need Inventor's professional-grade mechanical CAD environment and want Fusion 360 for cloud access and CAM operations.
What Fusion 360 CAM Includes (vs What Costs Extra)
CAM is a critical decision point for Indian manufacturing firms. Here is a clear breakdown:
Included in Every Fusion 360 Subscription
- 2.5-axis milling (pocketing, contouring, drilling, threading)
- 3-axis milling (adaptive clearing, parallel, scallop strategies)
- Turning (OD turning, boring, grooving, threading, facing)
- 2-axis waterjet, laser and plasma cutting
- G-code posting for most standard CNC controllers
Requires Add-On or Subscription Upgrade
- Simultaneous 5-axis machining — requires Fusion 360 Machining Extension (~₹4,000–5,000/month additional)
- Advanced turning with Y-axis (turning-milling) — Machining Extension
- Additive manufacturing (FDM slicer) — included in base subscription
For Indian SMB manufacturers doing primarily 3-axis milling and turning, the base Fusion 360 subscription covers their full CNC programming needs without extensions.
For precision engineering and aerospace components requiring 5-axis simultaneous machining, the Machining Extension is required.
Startup Free Licence — How to Apply in India
If your startup is eligible for the free Fusion 360 commercial licence, Cloudfy Systems guides you through the application process.
Eligibility requirements:
- Annual revenue under USD 100,000 (~₹83 lakhs)
- Not in an investor stage with active funding above a threshold
- Using Fusion 360 for commercial product development (not just personal use)
Application process:
- Create an Autodesk account
- Apply for the Startup Programme through Autodesk's website
- Verify business eligibility (Autodesk reviews the application)
- Receive free commercial licence valid for 3 years (renew annually)
Cloudfy Systems assists Indian startups with the eligibility assessment and application submission. Contact us at +91 97600 50555 to discuss your startup's eligibility.
Fusion 360 vs Inventor — Which Autodesk CAD Is Right for Your Manufacturing Firm?
| Fusion 360 | Inventor | |
|---|---|---|
| Target user | Startups, SMBs, makers | Professional mechanical firms |
| Deployment | Cloud-based | Desktop (with cloud storage) |
| CAD depth | Good for most product design | More advanced for complex assemblies |
| CAM | Included (basic to advanced) | Requires Fusion 360 for CAM |
| FEA Simulation | Built-in (basic to advanced) | Nastran In-CAD (more advanced) |
| PDM | Autodesk Docs (basic) | Vault Professional (full PDM) |
| Price | ~₹5,000/month | ~₹17,500/month |
| Best for | Startups, 3D printing, prototyping | Medium-large manufacturing teams |
Rule of thumb for India:
- Startup or small shop doing prototyping, CNC milling and product development → Fusion 360
- Established engineering firm with complex assemblies, vendor management and formal drawing release → Inventor + Vault
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Fusion 360 offline? Fusion 360 has an offline mode that caches files locally. However, it periodically requires internet connectivity for licence validation. It is not a fully offline product.
Does Fusion 360 work on iPad or mobile? Fusion 360 has a mobile viewer/markup app but not a full modelling application on mobile. Full modelling requires a desktop or laptop.
What happens when my startup revenue exceeds $100K? You transition to a paid commercial subscription. Autodesk requires annual re-certification of eligibility for the free plan. When revenue exceeds the threshold, you purchase a commercial licence.
Can I switch from Fusion 360 to Inventor later? Yes. Fusion 360 and Inventor share some file compatibility via the Autodesk platform. Transitioning projects between them is possible though not entirely seamless for complex assemblies.
Related: Fusion 360 product page · Fusion 360 for manufacturing India · Inventor pricing India · All Autodesk products