AutoCAD LT vs. Autodesk Inventor

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
AutoCAD LT
Score 8.6 out of 10
N/A
AutoCAD LT computer-aided design (CAD) software that architects, engineers, construction professionals, and designers rely on to produce solely 2D drawings, drafts, and documentation. AutoCAD LT is a CAD software used for 2D drawing, drafting, and documentation whereas AutoCAD is a CAD software used to create 2D drawings and 3D models. While AutoDesk's AutoCAD includes industry-specific toolsets that can provide productivity gains, both AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT include the AutoCAD web and…
$58
per month
Autodesk Inventor
Score 8.3 out of 10
N/A
Autodesk Inventor 3D CAD software offers professional-grade 3D mechanical design, documentation, and product simulation tools. These blend parametric, direct, freeform, and rules-based design capabilities. Inventor includes integrated tools for sheet metal, frame design, tube and pipe, cable & harness, presentations, rendering, simulation, and machine design. It also features TrustedDWG® compatibility and Model-Based Definition capabilities for embedding manufacturing information directly in…
$300
12 days over 1 year via Flex pricing 100 tokens
Pricing
AutoCAD LTAutodesk Inventor
Editions & Modules
Monthly Subscription
$60
per month per user
Yearly Subscription
$490
per year per user
3-Year Subscription
$1470
3 years per user
Subscription - Monthly
$305
per month per user
Subscription - Yearly
$2440
per year per user
Subscription - 3 Years
$7320
3 years per user
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
AutoCAD LTAutodesk Inventor
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsAlso available for limited use through tokens on a Flex plan.
More Pricing Information
Best Alternatives
AutoCAD LTAutodesk Inventor
Small Businesses
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.0 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.0 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.0 out of 10
Enterprises
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.1 out of 10
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.1 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
AutoCAD LTAutodesk Inventor
Likelihood to Recommend
9.9
(3 ratings)
8.7
(25 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
9.2
(2 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
8.1
(12 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
6.0
(1 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
AutoCAD LTAutodesk Inventor
Likelihood to Recommend
Autodesk
AutoCAD LT is suitable for engineers that uses DWG formats casually and don't rely on AutoCAD as the main tool to issue drawings in the workflow. AutoCAD LT is best suited for firms that do not use LISP functions in AutoCAD and do not care about 3D modeling. Although AutoCAD LT has other missing functions when compared to standard AutoCAD, these features are of less importance and can't be noticed.
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Autodesk
Autodesk Inventor is a great tool for students and faculty for engineering areas that don't require great precision or development of more thorough scientific results. Is you are conducting research, or deal with very intricate and complex systems I would recommend a more robust platform that complies more to industry standards.
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Pros
Autodesk
  • The library feature for all areas is to me AutoCAD LT's extra strong point, it makes it easier to find information within the program itself.
  • The fast solutions and precise development of drawings and projects is also another strong point.
  • I use the floor plans, elevations, sections and the hydraulic designs to work with my students on physics projects.
  • The software allows you to scale model and remodel as many times as you need, from simple to more complex designs
  • Importing and exporting files is also very simple to perform making corrections and quick feedback to students easy.
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Autodesk
  • The program is very good at simplicity. Each of the buttons, menus, and options has an explanation of exactly what the feature does, and even a more advanced description if you desire to learn more about what each one does.
  • Autodesk Inventor is a very fast program. Everything renders extremely quickly and there are no delays when examining a 3D model, part, or assembly. This is especially useful when giving a presentation about a product or design, and you need to be able to show a concept to an audience in real time.
  • The software has an extremely accurate simulation feature that lets users do stress analysis on a 3D model. It can calculate precisely where the stress concentrations are going to be in a particular model and even give you an accurate depiction of where the part could likely fracture and/or fracture during loading.
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Cons
Autodesk
  • All individual lines are to be made a polyline to perform actions like Hatching, filling, etc which is very hectic. - Wish need not make it in the future.
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Autodesk
  • Inventor demonstrates a lack of fluidity in the process of transferring data between programs.
  • Inventor shows some lack of sophistication that certain features that are readily available in other design software packages are limited in use in Inventor.
  • Inventor can often have difficulty in creating models that show true color, as in blacks can come out as dark grays in certain renders, even when the material and appearance settings are the same from part to part.
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Likelihood to Renew
Autodesk
No answers on this topic
Autodesk
Inventor continues to meet our enterprise needs. I don't see a need to change unless we change our business model significantly.
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Usability
Autodesk
No answers on this topic
Autodesk
It’s easy and very good for mechanical design
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Support Rating
Autodesk
No answers on this topic
Autodesk
I'm giving the overall support rating a 5 only because I rarely have to use it. Trying to find the answer on the help pages hardly ever helps me because any problem I have is usually too deep for what the help offers. Given the popularity of Autodesk, I have always been able to find an answer online after doing enough looking!
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In-Person Training
Autodesk
No answers on this topic
Autodesk
I got the training during college, so mostly i learned on my own
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Alternatives Considered
Autodesk
Although AutoCAD LT is the lite software when compared to standard AutoCAD, it does all the work when it comes to 2D modeling and issuing design drawings. When comparing it to BricsCAD, AutoCAD LT shines, as it works without freezing and is usually more responsive than BricsCAD, it just outclasses it.
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Autodesk
When it comes to solid modeling, the bad choices died out years ago. So we looked at the total ecosystem and chose Autodesk Inventor because of the integration with Nastran, HSM (machining), Autodesk CFD, MoldFlow, and AutoCAD. This means our legacy data (2D) is still a valid part of our design methodologies going forward, and we have the full breadth of engineering tools at our disposal. Other solutions in this space have similar offerings but not nearly as potent of a portfolio in total. It's worth saying that we do not consider Inventor in the same space as CATIA or NX, but that the entire Autodesk portfolio (e.g. Alias, PowerMill, etc) includes a total toolset that exceeds these industry giants.
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Return on Investment
Autodesk
  • The impact is always positive in my case when I use AutoCAD LT, because I provide intelligent lessons with few resources
  • The negative impact usually happens with professionals who don't like to innovate, study, or put a little more effort into their work. AutoCAD LT enables the enchantment at the end of the project by the public and at the beginning by the students that are delighted with so many tools
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Autodesk
  • Working on a project designed with Inventor provides a modular design platform that can quickly be configured or changed as required. This allows for the quick turn around time for the design and revision of drawings.
  • We've used Inventor over the years (since 2013) and the updates and newly released versions of Inventor do not require re-training or restrict use.
  • Autodesk follows an intuitive approach and users or designers who have worked on other design platforms like SolidWorks can transition easily to Inventor.
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ScreenShots