Fusion 360 startup vs. hobbyist

[Anonymous]

I plan on taking advantage of Fusion 360's startup or hobbyist licensing. I'm just getting started doing freelance work & have no company name or website (I'm simply doing business under my name). What's the right way to register... as a startup, or a hobbyist? I feel like it's startup, and if so the company name & website fields are required but I have neither. I suppose I can use my name as my company name. Can I simply enter N/A into the website field?

I want to make sure I do this right so I don't have any problems later on. Thanks in advance...

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Anonymous

Welcome to the Autodesk User's Community..

Based on what I read from your posting..  Neither.  You will need to purchase a commercial license and here's my reasoning..

You are freelancing and providing a service to others, is that correct?

Startup:  Means you are starting a company to produce a product and use Fusion 360 to design and market this product.

Hobbyist:  Means that you are tinkering around with CAD and machining stuff and you want to design things that benefit you.

[robBouch]

Hello @Anonymous

Welcome to the community!

You can check you startup/hobbyist eligibility here.

If one or more of these posts helped answer your question, please click Accept as Solution on the posts that helped you so others in the community can find them easily.

[Anonymous]

I do occasional freelance CAD & engineering work & use another software package for that.  I plan to start making things (wooden signs, plaques,  etc.) using the CNC router I just bought - that's what Fusion would be for.  I wouldn't use Fusion for my freelance CAD & engineering work. So, I think i'd be using the startup license the way it's intended to, but the difference between me & everybody else is the freelance work I'm also doing.

I'm not trying to convince you that I'm right... just explaining better in case that makes a difference. I could set up two companies if necessary to be legit with Fusion licensing, but I don't think I'd want to do all that just for Fusion. I'll find something else.

[robBouch]

Hello @Anonymous

I'm just checking in again to see if you need more help with this. Did the suggestion I provided yesterday work for you?

If so, please click Accept as Solution on the posts that helped you so others in the community can find them easily.

[Anonymous]

Rob,

I did visit that link. Here's the part that matters:

Startup: If your entitlement has been designated as “Startup, ” You may use the service if You are (a) a company, startup, or home-based business that generates less than $100,000 (or equivalent in other currency) per year from the total sale of goods or services, or (b) an individual using the service for personal non-commercial projects, hobbies, or personal learning.

See my previous post about what I do & how I would use Fusion. The part I highlighted above is (I think) exactly what I am. Do you agree? If so, I think I should register as a startup. That brings me back to my original question - if I'm doing business under my name, is it acceptable to register my name as the Company name, and "N/A" as the website?

[robBouch · Accepted solution]

Hello @Anonymous

Thanks for the reply. This is more of a technical forum than one to discuss product entitlements. If you make less than $100k/year from the total sale of goods or services using Fusion 360, I believe you would be designated as a startup.

I would suggest that you just use your name for the company and N/A for the website unless you have your own domain/website. If information that you provide on the form is incomplete, I'm sure the website will indicate so.

If one or more of these posts helped answer your question, please click Accept as Solution on the posts that helped you so others in the community can find them easily.

[arcleveland]

Hi @robBouch 

I started using Fusion 360 after seeing Wintergatan's youtube videos promoting the software for hobbyists and startups. I'm not sure which I am yet. I'm designing a caravan for myself but hope that one day I can put this into production. I guess that makes me a startup, but I don't have a website or company name. I tried to apply for both the startup and hobbyists licence but both gave me errors. I tried to contact help but they haven't come back either. I'm desperate as I have spent a month using the trial version and don't want to lose the work I have done already. It now says I don't qualify. I thought I had finally found a company willing to help out startups and makers. If I don't qualify, who does?

All the best, 

Andrew