Fusion 360 is requiring you to specify if you are a startup or a hobbyist. My interpretation is that you have to start paying if you are a hobbyist.
Anyone else read it differently?
Following the “Update your subscription now” button from F360 at top of screen:
"Lock in your price now and get Fusion 360 for only $310 USD , a savings of $185 USD per year, for as long as you renew! Act now, as this offer ends October 31, 2019 .
**Please note this special offer is for existing hobbyist/startup subscribers only, valid in the countries/regions listed below. This offer cannot be used to extend or replace an existing commercial subscription contract.*"
Hobbyist version is still free to anyone who makes less than $1000 a year from their hobby business. The Startup version is still free to anyone making less than $100K a year, subject to a very simple approval process.
Which includes their assessment of whether you have an “innovative” product line. If they don’t think what you’re doing is especially innovative, you’re in the commercial license world.
Considering Autodesk’s historical pricing I was floored by the license liberty of Fusion 360, I have fundamental familiarity with an older program - Inventor. The power of parametric design with every library you can think of at your fingertips, non destructive testing - voodoo from an old-school perspective. Free.
Empowering aspiring designers. I salute that model. I have yesteryear to compare it to.
It was very good but also very much in the company’s interest as it brought people into the fold. Then if you got a job where you could influence anything they could get a new corporate customer.
This move is not going to go down well because earlier this year they did a little tweaking of things and people went crazy - they reaffirmed their commitment to free licensing for the small business person. Now it’s free for the small innovative business person.
They won’t tell you when they call how they determine if you’re innovative, just that you’re not.
In fact the whole phone call verification process (you fill out a form but they call you) has got to cost a fair chunk of the revenue they’re going to gain.
I spoke with an AutoDesk rep last week about why my start up license was revoked. Apparently the new licensing is intended for companies who have a product to develop and take to market. Service providers and companies who aren’t expecting to have a product on the market in the next year or so aren’t able to get the startup pricing.
However, you can get the hobby licence if you really need fusion and the yearly isn’t bad if you can’t work around the restrictions.
I’d drop the dime for Fusion in a heartbeat if I had to. Ultimately if the intent is to make money the $400-$500 annual subscription is chump change for something with that full of a feature set and 3rd party support.
I mean, I hate that I spent $2400 enrollment + $800 2yr subscription to get into 3D Systems/Alibre Geomagic Design, despite not making a dime with it… only to abandon it completely for Fusion360… and the fact that those clowns STILL call me a couple times a month trying to get me back. I tell them every time they call, they lost me to Fusion360, it’s superior. So annoying. At the time though, there was no Fusion360, or OnShape. This was the only option for parametric modeling that was not a $6,000 Inventor, Pro-E or Solidworks seat… barebones basic seats at that.
I have no idea about alibre as I got to the same place on different roads but whole heartily agree. The weakest link is me at this point so I’d pay good money for an appropriate week long class that would take me to the next level.
Yeah, my academic license expired, and went to try and renew it, and it has no option to do so, so I placed a support ticket (still university faculty). Luckily I have OnShape in the meantime (for 3D printing OnShape meets all my needs, but for CNC machining, you really need fusion)
If you use SolidWorks or have access to SolidWorks you can download HSMWorks free instead of using Fusion. If you use Fusion as your CAD software you will have to buy the license.
In theory the academic license still exists (it used to give me everything autodesk makes). Support is working on it. Again, luckily I have OnShape for my general CAD needs (Fusion just has more specialty stuff particularly for freeform objects). Never really liked SW (even though the OnShape guys are the original SW creators)
” brand of parametric round wood signs is innovative??? 
