Autodesk stopped selling perpetual licenses years ago, so every product - AutoCAD, Revit, Fusion, Maya, the collections - is now a recurring subscription priced per seat. That changes how you shop: monthly plans cost far more over a year than an annual term, and the bundled industry collections can undercut buying two or three flagship tools separately. Knowing where the breakpoints fall is how you avoid overpaying.
| What you're buying | Typical price | How Autodesk compares |
|---|---|---|
| AutoCAD (full version, annual) | $1,900 - $2,400 / year | Cheaper than monthly by a wide margin; AutoCAD LT runs much lower if you don't need the specialized toolsets. |
| Fusion (personal vs commercial) | Free for hobby/personal use; ~$550 - $700 / year commercial | One of Autodesk's best values; the free personal tier covers a lot before you ever pay. |
| Revit (annual) | $2,800 - $3,300 / year | Almost always cheaper to get inside the AEC Collection if you also use AutoCAD or Civil 3D. |
| Industry collections (AEC, Product Design, M&E) | $3,200 - $4,200 / year | Bundles several flagship apps; beats buying two or more tools individually. |
| Maya or 3ds Max (annual) | $1,900 - $2,400 / year | Both are folded into the cheaper-per-tool Media & Entertainment Collection. |
| Monthly plan (any flagship app) | Roughly 10x the annual monthly-equivalent | Convenient for short projects, but punishingly expensive if you keep it more than a few months. |
Every Autodesk product is a subscription with three term lengths: monthly, annual and multi-year. The list price you see is usually the annual figure per seat. Monthly is built for flexibility and costs dramatically more per month, so it only makes sense for short, defined projects. Locking in a one- or three-year term is where the savings are.
The other big lever is bundling. Autodesk sells 'industry collections' that package the tools a given field uses - for example the AEC Collection pairs Revit, AutoCAD and Civil 3D. If your work touches more than one flagship app, the collection is frequently cheaper than the standalone subscriptions added together.
Fusion is the standout value: there's a genuinely capable free tier for personal and hobbyist use, and the paid commercial tier is a fraction of what AutoCAD or Revit cost. Students, educators and qualifying nonprofits can also access most products free or at steep discounts through Autodesk's education program.
Where it stings is single-seat professional use of the flagship CAD tools and short-term monthly plans. There's no perpetual-license escape hatch anymore, so the cost recurs every year. If you only need a tool occasionally, the math rarely favors keeping a full subscription running.
Match the term to the work: annual or multi-year for ongoing use, monthly only for short bursts. Before subscribing to two standalone apps, price the matching industry collection - it often comes out ahead. Watch for Autodesk's periodic promotions and trade-in style offers, and check whether you qualify for education or nonprofit pricing.
Because Autodesk's own store, authorized resellers and occasional promo windows can all quote different effective prices for the same seat, it's worth comparing before you commit. FindPrices can help you check where a given plan or bundle lands across sellers so you aren't locked into the first quote you see.
FindPrices compares the exact product across retailers while you shop, so you only pay full price when it really is the best price.
Compare Pricing Now - It's FreeAutodesk doesn't run a published price-match program for consumers, but pricing can vary between Autodesk's own store and authorized resellers. It's worth getting a reseller quote and comparing it against the direct price before you subscribe.
Usually, if you need more than one flagship tool. An industry collection like AEC or Product Design bundles several apps for less than their standalone subscriptions added together, so price the collection any time you'd otherwise buy two or more.
Autodesk runs periodic promotions through the year, and occasionally offers switch or trade-in style deals. Education and nonprofit pricing is available year-round to those who qualify, often at no cost.
Annual is far cheaper than paying month to month. Monthly plans are priced for flexibility and add up to much more over a year, so they only make sense for short, defined projects.
No. Autodesk moved fully to subscriptions and no longer sells perpetual licenses for its main products, so the cost recurs each term. Budget for it as an ongoing expense rather than a one-time purchase.
There's a free tier for personal and hobbyist use that covers a lot of functionality. Commercial use requires the paid subscription, which is still much cheaper than AutoCAD or Revit.
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