Request for Mid-Tier Hobbyist License Option
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Hello Fusion Team,
I’ve been using Fusion 360 for over two years and love the platform for my personal projects, including designing for 3D printing. While I appreciate the free hobbyist license, I’ve found myself often needing a few premium features, such as:
- Running Fusion 360 on two computers simultaneously
- Exporting drawings as PDFs
- Other smaller, but valuable, features that enhance the experience
However, as someone who doesn’t generate income from my designs, I can’t justify the $680/year cost of the full commercial license. This leaves me in a frustrating middle ground—wanting to support the platform and gain access to limited premium features but unable to afford the commercial license.
This effectively prices out hobbyists like me and forces us to continue using the free plan, even though we’d gladly pay for a reasonably priced mid-tier plan. I feel like there’s a missed opportunity here to serve a large and growing community of hobbyists who want to contribute financially to the platform but don’t have the budget for a full commercial license.
I believe there’s a large market of hobbyists in a similar situation. Many of us are passionate about design but aren’t making money from it, whether it’s for personal use or small-scale experimentation. A mid-tier pricing plan, perhaps in the range of $10–$20 per month, could fill this gap.
This tier could include access to select premium features while limiting usage to non-commercial projects or modest revenue (e.g., less than $680/year, aligning with the annual commercial license cost). It would allow users like me to:
- Access critical premium features affordably
- Use the platform within clear, ethical guidelines for low-revenue or non-revenue-generating activities (e.g., small Etsy shops or personal endeavors)
By not offering this option, Fusion 360 risks alienating a passionate group of users who are ready and willing to financially support the platform at a price point aligned with their needs. Instead, we’re forced to stay on the free plan or look elsewhere, even though Fusion 360 is our first choice.
Thank you for considering this suggestion, and I’d love to hear if there are any plans or discussions around providing a mid-tier option for users like me.
Best regards,
Aaron
