Autodesk makes AutoCAD, Revit, Maya and Fusion. See 2026 pricing, key products, pros and cons for architecture, engineering and design teams.
Autodesk is a publicly traded American software company that builds design and engineering tools used across architecture, engineering, construction, product manufacturing, and media and entertainment. Rather than a single application, Autodesk is best understood as a portfolio company whose products, including AutoCAD, Revit, Maya, 3ds Max, Civil 3D, and Fusion, each serve different professional design workflows.
The company was founded in April 1982 by John Walker, Daniel Drake, and a group of other programmers, and it built its early business around AutoCAD, one of the first computer-aided design programs available on personal computers. Autodesk has been publicly traded since 1985 and trades on NASDAQ under the ticker ADSK.
Autodesk's headquarters moved from San Rafael, California, where it had been based since 1994, to San Francisco in 2022. The company today serves millions of professional and student users worldwide through a mix of individual subscriptions, multi-product collections, and large enterprise agreements.
AutoCAD remains Autodesk's flagship general-purpose drafting tool for 2D and 3D design across industries, while Revit focuses specifically on building information modeling (BIM) for architecture, structural, and MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) engineering teams designing buildings.
For manufacturing and product design, Fusion combines CAD, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and simulation in a cloud-connected platform, while Maya and 3ds Max serve 3D animation, modeling, and visual effects work common in film, television, and game development.
Autodesk also offers Civil 3D for civil engineering and infrastructure design, Navisworks for construction project review and clash detection, and Autodesk Construction Cloud, a broader platform for coordinating design and construction data across project teams.
Autodesk sells almost all of its products by subscription, typically available as monthly, annual, or three-year commitments, with longer terms offering a lower effective monthly cost. Pricing varies significantly by product and industry collection.
As an example, a single named-user Revit subscription runs approximately 2,915 US dollars per year (roughly 380 dollars per month), while the broader AEC Collection, which bundles Revit with AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Navisworks, and other tools, runs approximately 3,375 to 3,795 dollars per year depending on the source and current promotions. Fusion is priced separately, with paid subscriptions around 680 dollars per year, alongside a free tier for personal, non-commercial use with reduced functionality.
Because pricing changes periodically and varies by region, product edition, and any active promotions, prospective buyers should confirm current prices directly on Autodesk's official pricing pages before purchasing.
Autodesk makes design and engineering software including AutoCAD, Revit, Maya, 3ds Max, Civil 3D, and Fusion, used in architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, and media.
Autodesk was founded in April 1982 by John Walker, Daniel Drake, and a group of other programmers.
Autodesk is headquartered in San Francisco, California, having moved there from San Rafael, California, in 2022.
Yes, Autodesk sells nearly all of its products by monthly, annual, or multi-year subscription rather than perpetual license.
Fusion offers a free tier for personal, non-commercial use, and most Autodesk products are available free to verified students and educators.
AutoCAD is general-purpose 2D and 3D drafting software, while Revit is purpose-built for building information modeling (BIM) in architecture and construction.
Yes, Autodesk has been publicly traded since 1985 and trades on NASDAQ under the ticker ADSK.
Depending on the product line, competitors include Dassault Systemes (SolidWorks, CATIA), Bentley Systems, Trimble (SketchUp), PTC, and Blender as a free alternative for 3D animation.