Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Autodesk Fusion 360 VS Maxima

Compare Autodesk Fusion 360 VS Maxima and see what are their differences

Autodesk Fusion 360 logo Autodesk Fusion 360

Integrated CAD, CAM, and CAE featuring collaborative editing and cloud-based computation.

Maxima logo Maxima

Maxima is a fairly complete computer algebra system written in Lisp with an emphasis on symbolic computation.
  • Autodesk Fusion 360 Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-27
  • Maxima Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-15

Autodesk Fusion 360 features and specs

  • Integrated CAD, CAM, and CAE
    Fusion 360 offers a unified platform for computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and computer-aided engineering (CAE), streamlining the workflow for engineers and designers.
  • Cloud-Based Collaboration
    Being a cloud-based tool, it allows for seamless collaboration and version control, enabling teams to work together from different locations and devices.
  • Parametric Modeling
    Fusion 360 supports parametric modeling, allowing users to create models based on parameters and relationships, which makes design modifications more efficient.
  • Cost-Effective
    With a competitive pricing structure, including a free tier for startups and enthusiasts, Fusion 360 is accessible to smaller businesses and individual designers.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Fusion 360 has an intuitive and user-friendly interface that makes it easier for newcomers to get started and for experienced users to enhance their productivity.
  • Rich Libraries and Templates
    It offers extensive libraries and predefined templates that can significantly speed up the design process and provide useful starting points for various projects.

Possible disadvantages of Autodesk Fusion 360

  • Internet Dependency
    Being predominantly cloud-based, Fusion 360 requires a stable internet connection for full functionality, which can be a limitation in regions with poor connectivity.
  • Performance Issues
    There can be performance lags and delays, especially with larger, more complex models, which may impact workflow and productivity.
  • Limited Offline Capabilities
    While it does offer some offline capabilities, most advanced features require an internet connection, which can be a disadvantage during travel or in remote locations.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, Fusion 360 has a steep learning curve due to its extensive features and tools, requiring significant time investment to master.
  • Subscription-Based Pricing
    While the pricing is competitive, the subscription-based model may not be ideal for all users, particularly those who prefer a one-time purchase option.
  • Occasional Software Bugs
    Like any software, Fusion 360 is not immune to bugs and glitches, which can sometimes disrupt work and require troubleshooting or technical support.

Maxima features and specs

  • Open-source
    Maxima is freely available and open-source, allowing users to access, modify, and distribute the software without any cost.
  • Symbolic Computation
    Maxima specializes in symbolic computation, providing robust tools for algebraic manipulations, differentiation, integration, and equation solving.
  • Customizability
    As an open-source software, Maxima is highly customizable, and users can modify the source code or write their own functions to extend its capabilities.
  • Documentation
    Maxima comes with extensive documentation, including a comprehensive manual and numerous tutorials, which can aid both beginners and advanced users.
  • Integration with Other Tools
    Maxima can be integrated with other software tools and languages such as Python (via SymPy), providing flexibility and additional functionality for complex computations.

Possible disadvantages of Maxima

  • User Interface
    The default user interface of Maxima is less polished compared to commercial alternatives, which may affect the user experience, especially for beginners.
  • Performance
    While suitable for many tasks, Maxima may not perform as efficiently as some specialized commercial software for very large or complex computations.
  • Learning Curve
    Due to its depth and the nature of symbolic computation, there can be a steep learning curve for new users who are not already familiar with similar tools or mathematical concepts.
  • Community Support
    As an open-source project, support primarily comes from the user community, which may not always be as responsive or comprehensive as professional, paid support services.
  • Updates and Maintenance
    Maxima updates and maintenance depend on community contributions, which can sometimes lead to less frequent updates or delayed fixes for bugs compared to commercial software.

Autodesk Fusion 360 videos

Fusion 360 Tutorial for Absolute Beginners (2020)

Maxima videos

2019 Nissan Maxima SR – The 4-Door Sports Car?

More videos:

  • Review - 2019 Nissan Maxima SR Review // A $40,000 Performance Sedan
  • Review - 2019 Nissan Maxima | CarGurus Test Drive Review
  • Demo - Maxima video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Autodesk Fusion 360 and Maxima)
3D
100 100%
0% 0
Technical Computing
44 44%
56% 56
Architecture
100 100%
0% 0
Numerical Computation
46 46%
54% 54

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Autodesk Fusion 360 and Maxima

Autodesk Fusion 360 Reviews

Top 13 Picks for Maxon Cinema 4D Alternatives in 2024
A product of Autodesk, Fusion 360 comes to us as an integrated, cloud-based platform for design, engineering, electronics, and manufacturing. Released in September 2013, it proves its versatility with compatibility across Windows, macOS, web browsers, Android, and iOS. It’s not only a multilingual tool but also an amalgamation of CAD, CAM, CAE, and PCB design capabilities.
Source: aircada.com
15 Best Sketchup Alternatives 2022
Out of the list, Fusion 360 from Autodesk stands out as the most recommended. When you look at its features, both platforms are not too dissimilar. But, Fusion 360 works faster as it is cloud-powered, and it is relatively more comfortable to use.
Alternatives to SketchUp: Check out 10 free programs
Created by software giant AutoDesk, Fusion 360 is a cloud-based program. It integrates Computer-Aided Drawing (CAD), Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM), and Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) softwares, which makes it a unified platform. Regarding the CAD software, Fusion 360 is a parametric modeling system that allows some more powerful tools, being one of the greatest...
Source: solidface.com

Maxima Reviews

  1. Stable (slow but steady growth)

    I've been using Maxima since my undergraduate (over 10 years), now with Ubuntu20.04 lts, I become a newbie of SageMath. For a small project (both symbolical and numerical), in particular, student lab activities, Maxima has been a powerful tool for analyzing and visualizing data. (The Android version is also fantastic, but the poor keyboard.)

    Mathematica is always enemy/friend. (My coworkers are all Mathematica speakers.)

    🏁 Competitors: Wolfram Mathematica
    👍 Pros:    Easy for cli user|Lithghter
    👎 Cons:    Good for advanced users of computers (cli is sometimes hard for newbie)|Hard to find official references, tutors, etc

7 Best MATLAB alternatives for Linux
Another alternative to MATLAB is Maxima which is a computer algebra system (CAS) for manipulation of symbolic and numerical expressions including differentiation, integration, Laplace transformation, linear algebraic equations, tensors, etc.
Matlab Alternatives
Another alternative of Matlab is Maxima which was inspired by the legendary Algebra system Macsyma. It is a system used for manipulating numerical expressions such as Taylor series, Laplace transformations, Vectors, Tensors, and Matrices. Very accurate results are provided by using exact floating numbers, fractional values, and integers. The Source Forge file manager...
Source: www.educba.com
10 Best MATLAB Alternatives [For Beginners and Professionals]
Maxima is extracted from Macsyma, a computer algebra system developed in the late 1960s by MIT. Maxima is frequently updated to fix bugs for a more optimized coding experience
4 open source alternatives to MATLAB
Check out Maxima, it is a system for the manipulation of symbolic and numerical expressions, including differentiation, integration, Taylor series, Laplace transforms, ordinary differential equations, systems of linear equations, polynomials, sets, lists, vectors, matrices and tensors.
Source: opensource.com
3 Open Source Alternatives to MATLAB
Maxima, another frequently updated alternative to MATLAB. It's based on Macsyma, a "legendary computer algebra system" developed at MIT in the 1960s, can be compiled on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows, and is available under GPLv2.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Maxima seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 27 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Autodesk Fusion 360 mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Autodesk Fusion 360 yet. Tracking of Autodesk Fusion 360 recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Maxima mentions (27)

  • Integral Calculator
    I think the really neat piece of software behind this is maxima (https://maxima.sourceforge.io/), a rather influential computer algebra system of ancient lineage still in use today in more place than you might think. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Rye: Homoiconic dynamic programming language with some new ideas
    In the maxima computer algebra system[1] which was ancestrally based on lisp it has a single quote operator[2] which delays evaluation of something and a "double quote" (which acually two single quotes rather than an actual double quote) operator[3] which asks maxima to evaluate some expression immediately rather than leaving it in symbolic form.[4] [1] https://maxima.sourceforge.io/ [2]... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • True or False
    Use wxmaxima, a free and open-source computer algebra system:. Source: over 1 year ago
  • C++ library for solving EQUATIONS
    There are several options, here is one of them: https://maxima.sourceforge.io. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Do you know computer algebra software capable of managing systems of multiple equations with multiple unknowns and multiple variables?
    You may use maxima cas (https://maxima.sourceforge.io/) to solve symbolic complex problems. Source: about 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Autodesk Fusion 360 and Maxima, you can also consider the following products

FreeCAD - An open-source parametric 3D modeler

MATLAB - A high-level language and interactive environment for numerical computation, visualization, and programming

Blender - Blender is the open source, cross platform suite of tools for 3D creation.

Wolfram Mathematica - Mathematica has characterized the cutting edge in specialized processing—and gave the chief calculation environment to a large number of pioneers, instructors, understudies, and others around the globe.

Inventor - Inventor is a 3D CAD software that lets you quickly create 3D models with embedded intelligence, intuitive workflows, and optimized performance.

GNU Octave - GNU Octave is a programming language for scientific computing.