Autodesk’s cloud-based 3D design tool, Fusion 360, is changing price and structure from 7 October 2018. Whether it’s a huge price rise or a huge price drop depends on your perspective.
Price rise
The current annual subscription cost for Fusion 360 is US$310 and that’s going to change to US$495, which represents a 60% price increase. Existing subscribers are being kept at the same annual rate of US$310 or US$300 (depending on when you first subscribed) “for as long as you renew”. Existing subscribers, that looks like a promise to never increase your prices as long as you keep up the payments. Make sure you capture and retain all of Autodesk’s statements on this matter, in case that promise eventually gets forgotten.
However, for that amount you’ll now be getting the same features that are currently in Fusion 360 Ultimate; the lesser and greater versions are being amalgamated and just called Fusion 360.
Price drop
The current annual subscription cost for Fusion 360 Ultimate is US$1535. As that’s going to change to US$495, that represents a 68% price drop.
Is it fair?
If you currently use Fusion 360, even if you have no use for Advanced Simulation, Advanced Manufacturing or Generative Design, it’s not bad news. The only downside is that you’ll now be paying more if you need to add seats, or if you temporarily drop and resume subscription.
If you currently use Fusion 360 Ultimate, you are probably going to be overjoyed at spending a lot less in future. If you just paid US$3,070.00 for a 2-year subscription that’s about to be worth US$990, you might be less pleased. To assuage your ire, Autodesk will be giving you (and all existing annual subscribers) another 24 months subscription, gratis. Still, depending on the term length and renewal timing, some customers are going to be much luckier than others. That might annoy the less fortunate.
I think Autodesk has been very fair and reasonable with the way it has handled these changes. However, it does serve as a reminder that once you’re a subscriber, you’re at the mercy of your software company.
hmm, they must not have been selling the ultimate enough. I’ve heard adesk is selling fusion360 at a loss currently. I would expect them to adjust that at some point but then the market will adjust also.
Autodesk must surely have spent a lot more in development than they receive for Fusion 360. It’s a great deal for Fusion 360 users, having their product subsidised by the stagnant cash cow product customers.
“For as long as you renew” also implies “for as long as WE let you renew”. A simple change in product’s name allow them to flush the promise. Your last phrase is so true. BTW, I think Bricsys should also target 3d-printing hobbyists with Shape, it just implies adding STL export.
Good point, I feel kind of gullible now. Autodesk did this with Shared Design Views, renaming it to Shared Views in AutoCAD 2019. It was then removed from the software for maintenance customers in order to convince people to sign up for subscription.
I see no reason to believe that this is a one-off trick.
As part of ADSK’s global licensing and simplification plain Fusion 360 renters might be paying ~$300 “forever” or until Fusion 202X at which point everybody will be paying…whatever cost is required to make the shareholders happy, 2 year Ultimates get 2 extra years “free” at an average of $272 more a year than newbies, 1 year Ultimates get 3 years at $16 more per year than newbies. Seems fair and so simple.
So. I spent 3 years using Fusion for free and developing my products without any income. Don’t know what sales will be and maybe it would have been more economical to pay the $300 in the long run but on a shoestring, it beat the heck out of having to pay up front and I orginally started with another CAD/CAM company that cost me a couple thousand and was total crap. (Even though it’s pathetic followers still tout it) So, I am grateful to AutoDesk for the pricing scheming they employ. I see there is a lot of fear about what they might do with contracts in the future, but I don’t waste my time on contemplating a gloom and doom future.
Absolutely agree your words! I bought another cad-cam product also, paid twice (version) upgrades fee to get their new 4th axis milling feature that’s what I need, yet I didn’t get, and the phone-call sales man disappear. After several e-mails contact in gentle dissatisfied, I gave up that product.
Now, I am using Fusion 360 free to recreate my work/business.