Fusion 360 is the first 3D CAD, CAM, and CAE tool of its kind. It’s built for the modern designer, maker, or engineer, and best of all it works on PC, Mac, and mobile devices.
Hearing how advanced Fusion 360 is may have you thinking that it’s way out of your budget. But, did you know that most qualify to get Fusion 360 free?
Do you qualify for Free Fusion 360?
As of October 7, 2019, Autodesk has updated the existing subscription types, while introducing two new types. Fusion 360 is now available through the following four subscription types:
- Fusion 360 for Personal Use – for non-commercial use (some exceptions apply, see below)
- Fusion 360 for Startups – for startups developing new products (qualifications are required, see below)
- Fusion 360 for Education – for educational institutions or student use only
- Fusion 360 (Commercial) – for professional, commercial purposes
The key takeaway here is that the Startup license used to include “Hobbyists” as well. Hobbyists are now suggested to use the “Personal Use” license if they do not meet the outlined criteria for the Startup license (see below).
If you’re on the current Startup/Hobbyists license then you don’t have to do anything quite yet. You’re allowed to wait until the end of your current license term (1 year from when you installed or last renewed it).

The Future of Free Fusion 360
A lot of Hobbyists users are have expressed fear of Autodesk eventually pulling the plug on them – forcing them to pay a monthly subscription (or even worse, to pay the same fee as commercial users). Rest assured, I’ve had many conversations with the folks at Autodesk, and they’ve reiterated many times that they will never do this.
It’s in Autodesk’s best interest to see Startups (small business) exceed – they want to groom them into lifelong customers. At the same time, they’re not here to squeeze out the Hobbyists. In fact, the Hobbyist community is a key value proposition for what makes Fusion 360 so great. Many of the feature enhancements were the result of Hobbyist feedback. On top of that, the Fusion 360 forum is widely driven by Hobbyists’ support.
Here’s what one of the Fusion 360 community managers had to say about the new subscription change, “We’ve changed the terms in an effort to prevent businesses from improperly using the free licenses that have previously been on the honor system.“
It comes with no surprise that there were a lot of businesses abusing the system. You could previously download, install, and get Fusion 360 up and running in just a few minutes – without any accountability as to what license you selected.
Fusion 360 for Personal Use
This new personal license is intended for Hobbyists users, for non-commercial use only.
You’ll continue to have access to everything you need to complete those personal projects. Including all the design, engineering, documentation (2D drawings), and manufacturing capabilities included in a current Fusion 360 Commercial subscription. Some features are not included, as outlined below.
Personal Use Qualifications
- Individuals with non-commercial personal design projects.
- Individuals doing home-based non-commercial manufacturing and fabrication.
- Using for personal projects outside of their primary employment.
- Engaged in Hobby Businesses making less than $1,000 a year.
- Learning for personal use, outside of a company environment or commercial training.
- Creating YouTube videos, blogs or other web-based content.
What’s NOT Included in Personal Use
- Access to collaboration – you won’t be able to invite people to work on projects or the same file. Instead, you’ll have to share the public link or exportExport files to your computer. Opens the Export dialog box and allows you to choose a name, file type, and location to save the file to. More your file, where the other user will then have to import the file into their own data panelOpening The Data Panel gives you access to your Project Files and Folders. Click the Show Data Panel button in the upper left of the Fusion window. The Panel will expand on the left side and display the project folders. You can also add members to projects and Import data from other sources. More.
- Data management – some of the data management capabilities will be limited. However, you will still have access to the regular data panel and F360 hub, where you can organize your files.
- Software translators – the ability to import NX, Catia, Solidworks, Creo, and Inventor files are not supported.
- Generative design – generative design is only available to commercial subscribers due to its resource-intensive cloud need.
- Advanced simulation – you can run some basic simulations locally; however, the advanced simulations that require cloud credits are only available to commercial users.
Where to Get Support – Personal Use
- Community forum – Support for this subscription type is provided through the Fusion 360 community forums.
- Product Design Online – Of course, you can also learn a lot right here or via my YouTube channel.
Registering for the Personal Use License
- Go to the Fusion 360 for Personal Use home page.
- SelectThe selection mode controls how objects are select when you drag in the canvas. More the orange “Getting Started” button.
- Select “Sign In” at the bottom of the page.
- Sign in to your Autodesk Account. If you don’t have an Autodesk Account, select the “Create Now” button.
- Once signed in, click the “Get Started” link.
Note: If you were already using the Startup/Hobbyists license the link will automatically assign your account to the new personal use subscription. - The download of Fusion 360 should then automatically start. If you already have Fusion 360 installed then you can cancel/delete the download – there is no need to reinstall it!
Note: There may be up to a 30-minute delay before the new subscription is visible in your existing installation.
View the step-by-step video instructions on how to download and install Fusion 360 for personal use.
Fusion 360 for Startups
The new Startup subscription type is intended for startups with 10 employees or less. This subscription type is free; however, there is now an approval process. If you’re running a startup or small business that’s making less than $100,000 (USD) in total annual revenue, then you will need to apply.
Startup Qualifications
- Venture-backed, angel-backed, or bootstrap startups.
- Businesses or “Startups” with 10 or fewer employees.
- Businesses (including parent entities) generating less than $100,000 (USD) in total annual revenue.
- Willingness to share your story with the Autodesk Fusion 360 community. As in, they may create a blog post or marketing video to share with the world why Fusion 360 is vital in your day-to-day process.
- Note: If you’re a consultant doing work for others (including prototypes, evaluations, or proofs of concepts) then you are NOT eligible for the Startup license.
What’s NOT Included in Startups
The new Startup subscription type includes everything in the Commercial subscription except phone and email support.
Where to Get Support – Startups
- Community forum – Support for this subscription type is provided through the Fusion 360 community forums.
- Product Design Online – Of course, you can also learn a lot right here or via my YouTube channel.
Registering for the Startup License
- Go to the Fusion 360 for Startups home page and select the “Apply Now” button.
- Fill out the form and click “Apply.”
- When your application is received, you’ll receive an email with your application status and instructions on how to proceed.
Fusion 360 for Commercial
Put simply, the Commercial subscription is for anyone who does not qualify for the other license types. If you are a business or startup that is making greater than $100,000 annually then you will be required to purchase a subscription.
Subscriptions are available monthly, yearly, or by 3-year terms.
Fusion 360 Commercial Subscription Terms
Fusion 360 User – Full Commercial license
- Monthly subscription – $60
- 1 Year subscription – $495 (only $41.25/month)
- 3 Year subscription – $1,335 (only $37.08/month)
Fusion 360 Team Participant – For collaborators only. View, share, review, and markup design projects on any device.
- Monthly subscription – $15
- 1 Year subscription – $125 (only $10.42/month)
- 3 Year subscription – $340 (only $9.44/month)
Commercial Qualifications
- Anyone can purchase a Commercial license.
What’s NOT Included – Commercial Subscription
- Cloud credits to run advanced simulations, renders, and generative design may need to be purchased separately
Where to Get Support – Commercial Users
- Autodesk Support Specialists – available to Commercial subscribers via phone, chat (limited), or email.
- Remote desktop assistance – get hands-on troubleshooting while an expert virtually controls your desktop
Registering for the Commercial License
- Visit the Fusion 360 homepage.
- Select the “Subscribe” button.
- Choose your subscription term (outlined above) and select “Add to cart”.
- Sign in to your Autodesk Account.
- Enter your payment details and click “submit order”.
- The commercial license is tied to your Autodesk Account. When you start Fusion 360, sign in using your Autodesk Account email and password. Fusion 360 automatically detects your license type when you sign in.
Fusion 360 for Education Use
Fusion 360 Education licenses come in two different versions. The first version is a single-seat, giving access to an individual. Educational institutions will want to use the group lab installation, giving them licenses for multiple seats.
The education license term lasts 3 years. It can then be renewed for 1-year terms.
Note: If you plan on using a free license to activate Fusion 360 then you cannot download it directly from the Mac App Store. If you’ve already downloaded Fusion 360 from the Mac App Store then uninstall everything and reinstall from the Autodesk website.
Qualifications
- Must be a Student or Educator with a valid “.edu” email (automated process) or get approval from the Autodesk Education support team.
- Must be using Fusion 360 solely for education purposes, which includes non-commercial projects
What’s NOT Included
- Cloud credits to run advanced simulations, renders, and generative design may need to be purchased separately
Where to Get Support
- Community forum – Support for this subscription type is provided through the Fusion 360 community forums.
- Product Design Online – Of course, you can also learn a lot right here or via my YouTube channel.
How to Download and Install
- Visit the Fusion 360 education page.
- Sign in to your Autodesk Account, or create an Autodesk Account.
Tip: If you don’t know whether you have an education license, go to Autodesk Account to see if it’s listed under Products & Services. - Select Get Access and run the Fusion installer.
- When you start Fusion 360, sign in using your Autodesk Account email and password. Fusion 360 automatically detects your license type when you sign in.
Note: It may take a few hours to process your license request. When it’s done, you’ll have a trial license. If your request isn’t processed within 24 hours, contact the education support team for assistance.
Activate Fusion 360 – Administrator for an Educational Institution:
- Create an educational Autodesk account if you don’t already have one, or log into the Autodesk Education Community if you do: http://www.autodesk.com/education/ .
- Review the installation instructions – Install Fusion 360 for Educational Institutions.
Switching from an Education to Start-Up License
If the email address or name used in an Autodesk Account has been previously used with an education license then you will have to provide new account information. If you would like to maintain your current account information associated with the existing education account then you should contact the Autodesk Education Support Team.
Questions or Concerns?
Comment them at the bottom of this post. Please note, your email is a required field to post a comment – this helps prevent spam – but your email will not be visible to the public.
I will not pay $60 a month when I use the software so rarely and I do not make any money from using this product at all.
Hi, Christopher. Did you receive that in an email from Autodesk? If so, you can actually renew your Hobbyists/Startup License for another year of use for free. You should see a subscribe now button in the upper right-hand area of your toolbar. Follow these steps – https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/fusion-360/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-renew-your-hobbyist-enthusiast-license-for-Fusion-360.html
Let me know if you need any help!
Cheers, Kevin 🙂
Does the cam come with the free account? I installed fusion 360 start up but when I go to the menu bar cam is not listed. It has model , mesh and a few others but not cam. Does this not come with the start up account ?
Hi, Bobby.
CAM does come with both the Student and Startup (Hobbyists) licenses. The only real difference between licenses is that you only receive some of the Simulation tools and Generative Design with a paid Fusion 360 license, due to the amount of “Cloud Credits” they require to process each.
The CAM Workspace was recently renamed to be the “Manufacture Workspace”. You should see that near the bottom of your workspace dropdown list (upper lefthand corner). Any time you’re watching a tutorial that mentions the CAM Workspace simply select the Manufacture Worskapce and you should see all the same tools.
Please let me know if this helps!
Cheers, Kevin 🙂
What about schools (primary and secondary) that are on .K12 domains, as they have moved all but a few off of .edu (which is now post secondary schools, aka colleges)
Hi Charles,
That’s a great question. In short, the “.edu” check is an automated way to check education status. Schools without a .edu domain will need to contact the Autodesk Education support team to get their license, which is already required if it’s a group lab installation.
Cheers,
Kevin 🙂
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for the clarification. A much better read than the Autodesk website trying to compare the difference. One little adjustment in your startup license heading. Says “Registering for the Personal Use License”
Thanks again.
Hi Tersh,
Good catch! – I’ve updated the startup heading.
Glad to hear this helped clear things up. I’d agree that their blog post left users more confused than before.
Cheers,
Kevin 🙂
Under fusion 360 for start ups it says
“If you’re running a startup or small business that’s making $100,000 (USD) in total annual revenue, then you will need to apply.”
Should read
If you’re running a startup or small business that’s making LESS THAN $100,000 (USD) in total annual revenue, then you will need to apply.
Hi Chris,
Good catch! Thanks for letting me know, I’ve updated it.
Cheers,
Kevin 🙂
So here’s a spanner in the works :
Let’s say I am a freelancer using Fusion to do 3D modeling for others, to create a small hobby income.
I make $2000 per year from modeling, so the Personal License is not an option.
If I read this correctly, I can also not use the Startup license.
So spending around $400 a year to generate $2k income is the only option.
The licnese conditions say that if you are doing work for others, then you can’t use the startup license.
Hi Dave,
That is correct. Technically, per the new license types, Freelancers (or Hobbyists who do some side jobs) that make over $1k are in a tough situation. It would be great if Autodesk would reconsider upping the amount for the personal use license to $10k, which aligns more with a part-time hobby income. That would mean the freelancer is spending 5% of their revenue on software instead of 50% (which isn’t realistic).
With that said, there are two options I would recommend.
1. You could use the Personal Use license for all your personal projects and day-to-day use. Then, with a separate Autodesk account, you could use the Commercial license on a per Month basis, any time you have a freelance project. The monthly rate is $60, which is a little more feasible if you’re just doing a freelance project here and there. You could pay the subscription for only the month(s) you’re going to have freelance projects.
2. If you do a lot of small freelance projects each month then solution #1 doesn’t quite work. This is where I would recommend contacting the Fusion 360 team about your specific scenario. From what I’ve seen, they are already doing a lot to work with users on a case-by-case basis. In one particular scenario, I saw them looking at the Startup license for a group of individuals who were doing “open source” work, as it was more aligned with non-profit work.
Let me know if you do end up talking with someone directly at Autodesk. I’d be curious to hear if they work with you to come up with a solution.
Cheers,
Kevin
Hello. I’m a bit confused about what the aim is with the part about prototyping as a cobsultant is not eligible for the startup license.
That would result in a company need to hire a person, for a day/week, to do the work instead of supporting a startup that has that for business but can’t afford a license yet.
Who or what practice is the target with that rule?
Sorry for a bit scrambled English. I’m tired and it’s my second language.
Hi Sebastian,
I can understand why you’re confused. Autodesk was not very clear on their reasoning and criteria for each new license type. In short, Autodesk is trying to make the Startup license solely for people who are trying to build businesses (or “startups”). They want to support businesses and have every intention of helping them succeed, with the idea that many would then become paying subscribers to the Commercial license.
Freelancers are somewhat squeezed out with the new license types. Autodesk no longer wants freelancers using the fully-featured Startup license because the license types have been abused by a great number of businesses just claiming to not be making money, especially since it was previously based on the honor system. That is why users (businesses/startups) now need to formally apply for the Startup license.
Freelancers (Consultants, etc) are expected to use the Personal use license if they’re making under $1000 – basically if its a small project or hobby. Otherwise, they’re expected to pay for a monthly or yearly Commercial license. With that said, if you feel like you fall in the middle of these license types, making more than a $1,000 but nowhere near $100,000, then I would suggest reaching out to Autodesk. They do work with people on a case-by-case basis to figure out what license type is best.
Cheers,
Kevin
That’s really good info. Thank you Kevin for looking out for the community! 😊
I’m always glad I can help!
After I finish up the website “revamp” I’ll be trying to create more weekly content on here that is helpful for Fusion 360 Hobbyists. I’m looking at creating more help/faq articles with common issues as well as some step-by-step written tutorials for those who are interested in that.
Cheers,
Kevin 🙂
Greetings,
I joined Skillshare to view your tutorials. When we apply for Student license what to we enter for Institution.
Hi Donald,
They recently changed up the license types and criteria. You will want to follow the steps to register under the free Personal Use license type. The Education license type used to allow anyone to type out their email. However, now you need to select a school or University from the list.
Anyone can sign up for the Personal Use license. Please follow the steps outlined above and let me know if you run into any roadblocks!
Cheers,
Kevin 🙂
Thanks! Will do!
Does AutoDesk Fusion 360 take a long time to setup?
It is 5% into setting up. 45 Minutes.
Hi Jim,
I’ve personally not seen it take more than 15 minutes.
What operating system are you on? Also, did you check that your computer meets the minimum system requirements?
System Requirements – https://productdesignonline.com/tips-and-tricks/system-requirements-for-autodesk-fusion-360/
Cheers,
Kevin
Hello Kevin,
You said in the Personal Use Qualifications:
“Engaged in Hobby Businesses making less than $1,000 a year.”
is that means that I can do some freelance jobs with payment less than $1,000 a year??
I didn’t find that statement in Autodesk Website.
Hi Aditya,
To clarify – the limit is $1,000 as the outcome of something you make/design in Fusion 360. For example, if you design an object and sell the 3D files or 3D print it, your sales can total no more than $1,000.
You can find information about the limit on the FAQs section at the bottom of the official Personal Use landing page: https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/personal
Cheers,
Kevin