- Who qualifies for free Fusion
- What Fusion for personal use includes
- Fusion for personal use vs full Fusion
- The catch: only 10 documents are editable at once
- Export limits to know about
- How to get Fusion for personal use
- If you run a business
- Who free Fusion suits
- Trying the full version first
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, for hobbyists. Autodesk Fusion for personal use is free CAD for qualifying home-based, non-commercial projects as a one-year term that renews automatically, but it's a limited version with a cap of 10 active documents and it isn't allowed for work or company use.
Fusion, still widely searched for by its old name Fusion 360, is Autodesk's cloud CAD, CAM and PCB design software. The full version is aimed at professionals. The free version, which Autodesk calls Fusion for personal use, is aimed at makers, 3D printing fans and anyone designing things at home. The rules on who can use it are the bit to get right, because they're stricter than the word free suggests.
Who qualifies for free Fusion
Autodesk's Special Terms for Fusion for personal use say it must be used for home-based, non-commercial projects only. It's not for use in primary employment, company environments or commercial training. Autodesk also sets a yearly income limit for qualifying individuals, and anyone who goes over it, or who uses Fusion for commercial projects, has to stop using the personal version and move to the full Fusion plan.
In plain terms: designing a shelf bracket for your garage is fine. Designing products for your business, or using it in your day job, isn't.
What Fusion for personal use includes
- Free cloud-based design and 3D modelling tools.
- Limited CAM, with 2, 2.5 and 3 axis milling still available.
- Limited electronics and PCB design.
- Limited 2D documentation and drawings.
- Single user data management and forum support only.
- STL and STEP export, plus sending a design straight to a 3D print utility.
Fusion for personal use vs full Fusion
| Feature | Fusion for personal use | Full Fusion |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Home-based, non-commercial users | Professional and commercial use |
| Design and 3D modelling | Yes | Yes |
| CAM | Limited | Comprehensive |
| Electronics and PCB | Limited | Full |
| Collaboration and data management | Single user | Multi-user |
| Support | Forum only | Full support |
The catch: only 10 documents are editable at once
This is the limit to plan around. Autodesk's support article explains that Fusion for personal use has 10 active documents. You can store an unlimited number of designs, drawings and PCB documents in your account, but only 10 can be open and editable at any one time. Everything else sits in your projects in an inactive state, and you still own it.
When you hit 10, you deactivate one active document and activate an older one so they swap places. A few details from Autodesk make this easier to live with:
- PDFs, images, presentations and spreadsheets don't count towards the 10.
- An assembly counts as 1 document.
- Designs referenced in an assembly can be edited only if they're also active. If they're inactive, they're read only.
Export limits to know about
The free version supports a limited set of file types. Autodesk's support article says STEP and STL exports remain available, and Fusion can still send designs for 3D printing through the 3D print option. DXF isn't offered through the normal export menu, but you can right-click a sketch in the browser and choose Save As DXF for laser cutting and routing.
How to get Fusion for personal use
- Go to Autodesk's Fusion for personal use page.
- Select Get Autodesk Fusion for personal use.
- Sign in to your Autodesk account, or create one.
- Confirm that you meet the personal use terms.
- Download Fusion and start designing. Your one-year term renews automatically, so you don't need to reapply.
If you need the full feature set to test, Autodesk also offers a separate free trial of full Fusion from the same page.
If you run a business
If you design products, prototypes or parts for your business, the personal use version isn't the right route under Autodesk's terms. That's worth knowing before you build a library of designs you'll want to use commercially later. My guide to the best CAD software for beginners compares tools with different licence rules, and my list of AutoCAD alternatives covers other Autodesk-style options.
Who free Fusion suits
Fusion for personal use suits hobbyists, home 3D printing fans and makers who want serious modelling tools for personal projects and don't mind juggling 10 active documents.
It doesn't suit freelancers, startups or anyone using it for client work, because Autodesk's terms rule that out.
Trying the full version first
If you're not sure whether the personal use limits will get in your way, Autodesk offers a separate way to try full functionality for free from the same page. It's a good way to test the comprehensive CAM, multi-user collaboration and full PCB tools before deciding which version fits your project.
Just remember the two are different things. The trial is a short look at the full product. Fusion for personal use is the long-term free option for hobbyists, renewed every year, with the limits described above.
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My verdict: Fusion 360 is free for hobby use, renewed every year. Keep your active documents tidy, and move to full Fusion the moment a project becomes commercial.
Fusion is only one product, and our Autodesk free trial guide explains how the trials for other Autodesk products work.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fusion 360 still free for personal use?
Yes. Autodesk says Fusion for personal use remains free for qualifying non-commercial users as a one-year term that renews automatically.
Can I use free Fusion 360 for my business?
No. Autodesk's Special Terms say Fusion for personal use is for home-based, non-commercial projects only, not primary employment, company environments or commercial training.
What does the 10 active documents limit mean in Fusion?
You can store unlimited designs, but only 10 documents can be open and editable at once. You swap an inactive document in by deactivating an active one.
Can I export STL files from free Fusion?
Yes. Autodesk says STL and STEP export remain available in Fusion for personal use, and you can send designs to a 3D print utility.
Do I need to reapply for Fusion for personal use every year?
No. Autodesk says the one-year term is set to auto-renew, so you don't need to reapply when it ends.
Do PDFs and images count towards the 10 active documents in Fusion?
No. Autodesk says PDFs, images, presentations and spreadsheets don't count towards the 10 active document allowance.
Can I use free Fusion for CNC milling?
Yes, with limits. Autodesk says 2, 2.5 and 3 axis milling remain available in Fusion for personal use.
Can I save DXF files in free Fusion?
Yes, from a sketch. Autodesk says DXF isn't in the normal export menu, but you can right-click a sketch in the browser and choose Save As DXF.
