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Inventor

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Company health

Employee growth
3% increase in the last year
Web traffic
2% increase in the last quarter

Ratings

G2
4.4/5
(435)
Capterra
4.5/5
(254)
Glassdoor
4.3/5
(4861)

Inventor description

Inventor is a 3D design software for professionals who need to create, simulate, and document mechanical designs. It's used across various industries by engineers and designers to build a digital prototype before physical production. Inventor helps reduce development costs and speed up time to market by letting you test form, fit, and function virtually. It offers powerful tools for 3D modeling, including standard 2D drawings, and can be integrated with existing design data.


Who is Inventor best for

Autodesk Inventor is 3D design software for professionals creating and simulating mechanical designs. It helps reduce development costs and accelerates time to market by enabling virtual testing. Users praise its user-friendly interface and robust modeling capabilities but note difficulties with file management and large assemblies. Best for engineers, designers, and manufacturers needing advanced 3D modeling and simulation.

  • Best fit for small, medium, and enterprise businesses.

  • Ideal for Manufacturing, with applications in various other sectors like Healthcare and Retail.


Inventor features

Supported

Inventor can create 2D technical drawings directly from 3D models.

Supported

Inventor supports creating, editing, and manipulating 3D models, including extrusions, cuts, and revolves.

Supported

Inventor supports FEA through the Inventor Nastran tool.

Supported

Inventor allows assembling multiple parts into larger assemblies and defining relationships between them.

Supported

Inventor supports motion simulation for mechanical systems.

Qualities

We evaluate the sentiment that users express about non-functional aspects of the software

Value and Pricing Transparency

Strongly negative
-0.75

Ease of Use

Rather positive
+0.67

Reliability and Performance

Neutral
+0.26

Ease of Implementation

Rather positive
+0.43

Scalability

Rather negative
-0.5

Inventor reviews

We've summarised 687 Inventor reviews (Inventor Capterra reviews and Inventor G2 reviews) and summarised the main points below.

Pros of Inventor
  • User-friendly interface, easy for both beginners and experienced users.
  • Robust solid modeling software with part and assembly variations.
  • Excellent customer support.
  • Integrates well with other Autodesk products, especially Vault.
  • Powerful design automation capabilities, including iLogic.
Cons of Inventor
  • Difficult file management; need to understand file structure to avoid errors.
  • Large assemblies can be challenging for users unfamiliar with assembly modeling.
  • Limited sheet metal generation and plastic component tools; requires additional licenses.
  • Steep learning curve, especially for advanced features like iLogic.
  • Unintuitive work planes can make assembly difficult.

Inventor pricing

The commentary is based on 44 reviews from Inventor Capterra reviews and Inventor G2 reviews.

Inventor is a powerful CAD software, but its high cost is a recurring concern. While many find its features valuable, the price point may be prohibitive for some users, especially students and those in smaller businesses. A free educational license is available, however.

Users sentiment

Strongly negative
-0.75

See the Inventor pricing page.


Inventor alternatives


Inventor FAQ

  • What is Inventor and what does Inventor do?

    Inventor is a 3D CAD software by Autodesk for creating, simulating, and documenting mechanical designs. It offers tools for 3D modeling, 2D drawings, assembly design, and motion simulation. Inventor helps reduce development costs and accelerate time to market by enabling virtual prototyping and testing.

  • How does Inventor integrate with other tools?

    Inventor integrates well with other Autodesk products, especially Vault, allowing for seamless data management and collaboration. It also supports data interoperability, enabling integration with existing design data from various sources.

  • What the main competitors of Inventor?

    Solid Edge, CATIA, AutoCAD, Ansys Discovery, SketchUp, and Autodesk Product Design & Manufacturing Collection are all strong competitors to Inventor. They offer comparable 3D modeling, simulation, and design tools for various industries and company sizes.

  • Is Inventor legit?

    Inventor is safe and legitimate software for 3D modeling, simulation, and documentation. It's known for its user-friendly interface and robust features, though some users find the file management and advanced features complex. It integrates well with other Autodesk products.

  • How much does Inventor cost?

    I cannot find pricing information for Inventor. Contact an Autodesk sales representative for a personalized quote based on your needs. Consider exploring alternative CAD software options if budget is a concern.

  • Is Inventor customer service good?

    Customer reviews on Inventor's support are mixed. While some praise the "great customer support" and helpful resources, others mention delayed response times. Overall, the feedback suggests that while support is generally available, its effectiveness can vary.


Reviewed by

MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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