SOLIDWORKS FOR MAKERS

Solidworks Premium and Solidworks Professional are 2 of the better 3D CAD modelling packages used by commercial engineers but they are expensive, costing from $2,800 USD to $7,000+ USD per year for an annual subscription.

They now offer a more affordable version, suitable for hobby use.

SOLIDWORKS for Students: is a free version for students and premium educational student bundles cost around $60 USD per year.

SOLIDWORKS for Makers: costs $48 USD per year (or $24 USD per year with promotional pricing). It must be for personal, non-commercial hobbyist use and restricted to generating less than $2,000 USD in annual revenue.

Identical Modeling Tools: The core feature set is the same as commercial SOLIDWORKS, including sketching, part design, multi-part assemblies, 2D drawings, sheet metal, and weldments.

Bonus Apps Included: Both give access to tools like SOLIDWORKS Visualize (for photorealistic rendering) and NC Shop Floor Programmer (for CAM/CNC machining).

File Compatibility & Restrictions:

Watermarks: Files saved in the Maker edition are permanently marked as maker files. (Note: drawings saved in pdf format can be edited with suitable software)

Version Lock: Files created or saved in the Maker version cannot be opened or edited in commercial or student versions of Solidworks.

Import/Export: The Maker version can open commercial Solidwork files, though saving them converts them permanently. You can export neutral formats like STEP, IGES, STL, and Parasolid for 3D printing or sharing, though the feature history and tree are lost.

The maker version of Solidworks is packaged with help files and tutorials, making it much easier to learn than when I started. (also lots of other help available on Youtube, etc).

When I worked as a design draftsman in 2008, we changed from AutoCad to Solidworks and there was no internet help and I was sent on a 5 day course to learn the basics. Three months later after a lot of practice, I was sent on another 5 day advance course. (and I still have not mastered everything that the software can do).

My model traction engine was modelled in an early version of Solidworks and the Maker version opens these files and does everything that I need for hobby use. eg. Creating parts, assemblies and producing detailed drawings, etc.

Your subscription gives you access to two main paths depending on whether you want a local desktop app or a browser-based cloud tool:

3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS for Makers (Desktop installation): 

Features include:3D CAD: Locally Installed, Local & Cloud Storage, Photorealistic Rendering
2.5 & 3-Axis CAM,  Access to Learning Content and Maker Communities

Browser-Based Apps (No Installation Required): 

Features include: Cloud 3D CAD: Browser-based, Cloud Storage, AI-powered Design Guidance and Design Assistant, Cloud Rendering and Interactive 3D Presentations, Access to Learning Content and Maker Communities,  space on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.