ActCAD Software vs. Autodesk Fusion

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
ActCAD Software
Score 8.9 out of 10
N/A
ActCAD is a 2D & 3D CAD software with two product options: - ActCAD Standard for 2D Drafting Power Users - ActCAD Professional for 2D Drafting & 3D ACIS Modeling Users - ActCAD Prime for 2D Drafting, 3D Modeling, and AEC Objects (walls, doors, windows, staircases, roofs, floors, etc.) ActCAD can be used for applications across domains of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) including Structural, Electrical, and…
$249
one-time fee per user
Autodesk Fusion
Score 8.5 out of 10
N/A
Autodesk Fusion is a cloud-based 3D CAD, CAM, and CAE tool which integrates design, modeling, and simulation capabilities.
$70
per month per user
Pricing
ActCAD SoftwareAutodesk Fusion
Editions & Modules
ActCAD 2025 Standard
$249
one-time fee per user
ActCAD 2025 Premium
$399
one-time fee per user
Fusion 360 - Paid Monthly
$70
per month per user
Fusion 360 - Paid Annually
$545
per year per user
Fusion 360 - 3 Years
$1635
3 years per user
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
ActCAD SoftwareAutodesk Fusion
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
YesYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeRequiredNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
ActCAD SoftwareAutodesk Fusion
Considered Both Products
ActCAD Software
Chose ActCAD Software
Best bang for the buck is ActCAD. I have reviewed and used other products and they may compare similar software but are far more expensive. I have upgraded ActCAD over the years instead of buying something else.
Chose ActCAD Software
We all agree that if you understand AutoCAD, then ActCAD is a very very easy fit. That along with pricing, being able to purchase it outright without having to do a yearly lease or whatever it's called make it a very cost-effective solution for a small business allowing us to …
Autodesk Fusion
Chose Autodesk Fusion
They are mainly related to CAD-type software, which is useful for modeling/design, although in a different area. In this case, Fusion is used because it is for mechanical-type models used in prototyping that are not related to some aspect of electronics, which differentiates it …
Chose Autodesk Fusion
Solidworks wins hands down. I will be cancelling Fusion 360 as I have realised Fusion 360 is a budget package with no support.
Chose Autodesk Fusion
Autodesk Inventor excels at daily core engineering tasks. When integrated with Vault management systems and part libraries, Autodesk Inventor is tough to beat when you need a mechanical design solution. When Inventor and Vault are setup properly it allows for a very efficient …
Chose Autodesk Fusion
AutoCAD software is more complex than Autodesk Fusion 360. In addition, I can find many training videos of the Autodesk Fusion 360 program.
Chose Autodesk Fusion
No we can’t compare these softwares from each other’s but yes this Autodesk Fusion [360] is a great tool for printing 3d models which gives you full control over elements
Chose Autodesk Fusion
Both [Autodesk] Fusion 360 and SolidWorks are far beyond any open source project or 2-D oriented software. Compared to SolidWorks, [Autodesk] Fusion 360 comes packaged with more functionality without needing to purchase additional add-ons for each function.
Chose Autodesk Fusion
There are quite a few 3D modeling tools out there, but few of them hit Fusion 360's sweet spot. Blender is powerful (and conveniently open source), but comes with a lifetime's worth of overkill if you're designing parts for printing rather than on-screen animation and graphics. …
Chose Autodesk Fusion
Before Fusion 360 I was mostly using Open Source solutions like OpenSCAD and FreeCAD. They are great but it took a lot of time to master them and you are working slower than with Fusion 360. They are less stable as well. I'm going back to OpenSCAD only with very specific models …
Chose Autodesk Fusion
Fusion 360 is the most modern and robust professional CAD program on the market. It has its quirks (as with any robust piece of software), but overall it provides a lot more functionality than the traditional CAD programs -- Solidworks, Creo, and Autodesk Inventor. If it …
Chose Autodesk Fusion
Fusion 360 is the second-most powerful software of the three, SolidWorks being the best. Fusion 360 is an excellent step into making 3D CAD available to more people, but there are definitely still kinks they need to work out. The software gets sluggish and slow at times, but …
Chose Autodesk Fusion
Fusion 360 has a complete set of design features come for free. It is a no-brainer solution for my industry.
Chose Autodesk Fusion
Fusion 360 has a basic feel with not too many tools to learn basic design. It easy allows for the creation of small prototypes and is a great way to start learning how to design.
Chose Autodesk Fusion
Sketchup is much more user-friendly than Google Sketch-up for anyone who has had experience with traditional solid modeling softwares like Solidworks or Autodesk Inventor. Google Sketchup feels almost backwards in workflow and seems much more geared to designers or people who …
Chose Autodesk Fusion
Fusion's tools are more intuitive, and it is more aimed at the novice, but also features tools that even the more professional software doesn't have. Make no mistake, Fusion 360 is just as, if not more powerful than most of the other packages that cost even 10x more. Fusion360 …
Chose Autodesk Fusion
Fusion 360 is the best rendering application that combines professionalism and usability, all in a user-friendly design, easy to understand and learn to use. It has powerful tools that any user with or without experience can draw on.
Chose Autodesk Fusion
Fusion 360 beats all of those programs because of its ease-of-use. You can really do whatever you want with this program without the need to spend hours and hours of modeling or overthinking your piece. It also has the pro that you can try it for free so you don't need to pay …
Features
ActCAD SoftwareAutodesk Fusion
Computer-Aided Design Software
Comparison of Computer-Aided Design Software features of Product A and Product B
ActCAD Software
-
Ratings
Autodesk Fusion
7.0
Ratings
2% below category average
3D Modeling00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
2D Drafting00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Rendering and Visualization00 Ratings5.00 Ratings
Parametric Design00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Collaboration and Sharing00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Compatibility with other software and formats00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Assembly Design00 Ratings5.00 Ratings
Simulation and Analysis00 Ratings3.00 Ratings
Documentation and Annotation00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Customization and Extensions00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
ActCAD SoftwareAutodesk Fusion
Small Businesses
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Enterprises
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.1 out of 10
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.1 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
ActCAD SoftwareAutodesk Fusion
Likelihood to Recommend
8.8
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
7.9
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
ActCAD SoftwareAutodesk Fusion
Likelihood to Recommend
Some dimensions move for no apparent reason. 3d modeling could be improved upon. As a 2D program I use it daily and prefer it to 3D modeling programs for drawing details.
Read full review
Most of my work with Fusion 360 has focused on its 3D modeling capabilities, and its liberal licensing policies for hobbyists has made it popular in that space. It focuses on a "mechanical engineering" approach to modeling rather than artistic, organic sculpting. While it's less rigid than its big brother AutoCAD, making the most of it will require thinking about the structure of your model rather than simply its appearance. That emphasis means it's fantastic for producing mechanical parts, and it can simulate how multiple separate parts will interlock and work with each other in 3D printed devices. This makes using it to design hinges and other moving mechanisms orders of magnitudes simpler; it also preserves an ongoing, editable history of the part being modeled. Realizing you need to tweak the tolerances on a part halfway through the design is fairly easy; you can go back any number of steps in the model's creation and modify the parameters used on a specific part, changing a hole's width or a groove's depth without altering any other parts of the model. The downside of this CAD-like power is that it's much less capable of "sculpting" organic models. Tools like ZBrush, Rhino, and even Blender are a better choice there.
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Pros
  • This is one of the most complete packages that I've used, very intuitive, thus saying user-friendly is somewhat on the mild side, as it is a pleasure to use
  • Functionality is straightforward and all pertinent information are right on the screen
  • Its ease-of-use cuts down on documentation time thus allowing me to spend more time where it's really needed
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  • Fusion 360 is incredible at enabling me to quickly and efficiently capture the ideas that I have in my head and output them as 3D models without having to do any intense drawings. I use this all the time to model small, less important parts of our products during the prototyping phase.
  • The software is really good at helping even the least experienced designers get acclimated to the software extremely quickly. Having a quick-access help manual and easy to navigate functions made the software feel almost second-nature the first time I used it.
  • Fusion 360 has the functionality to save all of your files online, so you can draw something out on one computer and move to another one that has the software and pick up right where you left off. I use this function all the time when I am when I work at a computer that is not mine.
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Cons
  • My major complaint is sometimes the dimensions do not stay where I place them.
  • 3D modeling is complicated for me.
  • Need to specify wall types and be able to create custom walls.
  • Need to have a roof manager to make trusses or hand-stack framing.
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  • Even though it has a very good cloud software, Fusion 360 gets very laggy when using slow internet connections.
  • Fusion 360 uses a vast amount of your device's memory. It is recommended to select the RAM value as high as possible on your device.
  • Fusion 360's sculpting and retopology features are behind the competing software on the market.
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Likelihood to Renew
No answers on this topic
It does everything I need for great value.
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Usability
No answers on this topic
Because the tool is very useful and easy to access, it provides very basic and useful tools to start in the modeling part despite being basic processing aspects. It is also very easy to get a free, temporary, or student license, which makes it a very good CAD tool.
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Reliability and Availability
No answers on this topic
Sometimes I like using it on Saturday nights. Unfortunately, they usually do their updates at this time and it isn't available to use.
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Performance
No answers on this topic
It can freeze sometimes while doing heavy tasks.
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Support Rating
No answers on this topic
Support is conducted via internet Q&A boards; newcomers to 3D modeling may find that articulating their questions in the language of CAD software is the tricky part — once they find the right technical term for what they're trying to accomplish, answers come quickly. Autodesk also provides a large library of educational tutorial videos that make the initial process of learning Fusion 360's interface much easier.
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Implementation Rating
No answers on this topic
No. It is basic and straightforward.
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Alternatives Considered
We all agree that if you understand AutoCAD, then ActCAD is a very very easy fit. That along with pricing, being able to purchase it outright without having to do a yearly lease or whatever it's called make it a very cost-effective solution for a small business allowing us to appropriate funds to continue to grow our business
Read full review
No we can’t compare these softwares from each other’s but yes this Autodesk Fusion [360] is a great tool for printing 3d models which gives you full control over elements
Read full review
Scalability
No answers on this topic
It offers so much already, and the reason being is that it showed promise early on.
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Return on Investment
  • ActCAD reasonably does what proprietary software does.
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  • Fusion 360 has had a positive impact on our ROI. Specifically, being able to cut down on iterations by presenting 3-Dimensional designs to stakeholders earlier on in the process.
  • Fusion 360 also has had a positive impact on our ROI in terms of manufacturing. Although not all manufacturers have in-house personnel trained in Fusion360 specifically, we have found that it is so easy to pick up if one is experienced in another CAD program. Its ease of use and ability to share files with others has saved a ton of time and money.
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ScreenShots

ActCAD Software Screenshots

Screenshot of ActCAD 2023 PrimeScreenshot of ActCAD 2023 StandardScreenshot of STL FileScreenshot of KML/KMZ FileScreenshot of 3D PDF ExportScreenshot of Sheet set Manager