Autodesk, AutoCAD, 3ds Max, Revit and Tokens

 I've been a user of Autodesk products for so many years, it's kinda embarrassing. I call myself an AutoCAD "Olde Fart" sometimes. I can remember when..... Well here goes something new, Tokens to use the program. Back in the day, you purchased the software, later to become known as a perpetual license. I seem to remember that this cost something like 3500 CDN$ back in 1985. Than small upgrade fees every so once in a while, 100 to 200 not that much more than that. The whole software industry worked like that. Then companies realized that this was not sustainable.

Then came subscriptions, annual and monthly. Choose between a higher price per month or a better deal if you commit to a full year. Now we have per day, usage tokens. I'm an architect, and over time I'm using these products less and less. I'm just not working as much. So what to do to use these programs in a cost effective fashion. Especially for a person like me that only uses them occasionally.

AutoCAD and Revit both have full versions and LT versions. 3ds Max only a full version. Oh and I forgot to mention the AEC Collection, the whole kit and kaboodle one price. and the AutoCAD/Revit LT Suite, Shish.  So here goes:

AutoCAD (3D Capabilities)

2900 CDN$/ Year

360 CDN$/ Month

29.05 CDN$/ Day (7 tokens at 4.15 per token)

AutoCAD LT

755 CDN$/ Year

95 CDN$/ Month

No Flex / Token version available

Revit

4160 CDN$/ Year

525 CDN$/ Month

41.15 CDN$/ Day (10 tokens at 4.15 per token)

Revit LT

770 CDN$/ Year

95 CDN$/ Month

No Flex / Token version available

AutoCAD/Revit LT Suite

945 CDN$/ Year

120 CDN$/ Month

No Flex / Token version available

3ds Max

2780 CDN$/ Year

350 CDN$/ Month

41.15 CDN$/ Day (6 tokens at 4.15 per token)

AEC Collection (AutoCAD, Revit, 3ds Max and a whole bunch of other software)

5085 CDN$/ Year

635 CDN$/ Month

No Flex / Token version available

WOW, I hope I have not lost you. So many options, depends on how much you are going to use the product or products. Given that I might use a program once a week, and even then perhaps not the same program, flex/tokens might be the route. 

Full version of AutoCAD = 29.05/day * 4 days per month = 116.2 per month

slightly more than paying for AutoCAD LT for 1 month.