How Much Does AutoCAD Cost? The Price and How to Pay Far Less Legally

A single AutoCAD subscription from Autodesk costs roughly 2,600 euro per year, about 220 euro a month billed annually or around 260 euro a month if you pay monthly. Autodesk no longer sells a perpetual version. Through Licono you can buy a genuine, legally resold licence from 69.95 euro.

The AutoCAD price breaks down into a few fixed tiers, depending on how far ahead you pay and which edition you pick. Below you will find exactly what Autodesk charges monthly, annually and over several years, why Licono costs a fraction of that, and when AutoCAD LT or the AEC Collection is the smarter buy than the full standalone version.

How much does AutoCAD cost from Autodesk?

Autodesk sells AutoCAD as a subscription only. You rent the software for a set period instead of owning it. The price depends on how far ahead you pay: the longer the term, the lower the monthly rate. Exact figures vary by country and Autodesk adjusts them almost every year, so treat the numbers below as approximate.

Autodesk term	Price (approx.)	Effective per month
Monthly plan	260 euro per month	260 euro
Annual plan	2,600 euro per year	around 220 euro
Three-year plan	around 7,000 euro total	around 195 euro

The monthly plan is by far the most expensive per month and is meant for short-term use, such as a single project. Commit to one or three years and the monthly rate drops, but you are locked into that term. In every case your access ends the moment you stop paying: you keep your drawings, but AutoCAD itself stops working.

Why has AutoCAD become so expensive?

Until 2016 you could buy AutoCAD as a perpetual licence: pay once, use it indefinitely. Autodesk then moved entirely to subscriptions. For Autodesk that means predictable, recurring revenue; for the user it means the cost never stops. Work with AutoCAD for ten years and you can easily pay Autodesk more than 25,000 euro in subscription fees.

The perpetual licences sold before that switch still exist. Those genuine, previously sold licences may be legally resold within the European Union, and that is exactly what Licono offers.

How can Licono sell AutoCAD from 69.95 euro?

Licono sells genuine Autodesk licences that were first issued within the European Economic Area and are now being legally resold. Because these are existing licences rather than a new subscription straight from Autodesk, the price sits at a fraction of the official list price. You pay once, usually receive the licence by email within minutes, and get an invoice with VAT.

Is that actually legal?

Yes. The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in UsedSoft v Oracle (case C-128/11, 3 July 2012) that a software licence first sold in the EEA may afterwards be resold. This exhaustion principle applies to downloaded software, not just to boxed copies on a disc. The rights holder cannot block the resale, as long as the original buyer no longer uses the licence.

Is it the same software?

It is exactly the same software. You download AutoCAD from Autodesk and activate it with the licence Licono provides. The difference is not in the product but in where the licence comes from: resold rather than new. Features, file formats and updates within that version are identical to a licence bought directly from Autodesk.

What exactly do you get from Licono?

• A genuine, working Autodesk licence, not a counterfeit or trial.
• Delivery by email, usually within minutes of payment.
• An invoice with VAT for your bookkeeping.
• Payment by iDEAL, Klarna or PayPal.
• Support if you run into trouble during installation.

AutoCAD LT or full AutoCAD?

AutoCAD LT is the lighter, cheaper edition, built for 2D drafting. Full AutoCAD adds 3D modelling, specialised toolsets (for mechanical, electrical or mapping work, for example) and scripting for automation. If you mainly draw 2D floor plans, LT is enough. If you work in 3D or need industry-specific tools, you need the full version. Autodesk charges roughly 500 euro a year for LT and about 2,600 euro for the full version.

How much do you save against the list price?

We will not promise an exact percentage, because Autodesk list prices change and differ by region. The ratio is clear all the same: where a year of AutoCAD from Autodesk costs around 2,600 euro, a licence at Licono starts below 70 euro. You pay a fraction of the list price, and once rather than every year.

A worked example: three years of AutoCAD

Say you work with AutoCAD for three years. On an Autodesk annual plan that comes to around 7,800 euro (three times 2,600 euro), and after those three years you still own nothing; stop paying and your access ends. Buy a resold licence at Licono over the same period and you stay well under 100 euro for the starting price, paying more only if you deliberately move to a newer version. Across three years the gap runs into the thousands of euro.

What should you watch out for with a cheap AutoCAD licence?

Not every cheap seller is trustworthy, so check a few things. Buy only from a seller who provides an invoice with VAT, which makes the purchase demonstrably legal. Ask what the resale is based on: a serious seller points to the UsedSoft ruling and supplies genuine licences rather than shared accounts. And choose a seller with reachable customer support, so you are not on your own during activation. Licono meets all three.

Frequently asked questions about the AutoCAD price

Can I use this licence for business?

Yes. The resale is legal under the UsedSoft ruling, and the included invoice with VAT goes straight into your accounts. Freelancers and companies both buy this way.

Can I switch from an Autodesk subscription?

Yes. When your current subscription ends, you simply do not renew it. You reinstall the same AutoCAD version, or keep it installed, and activate it with the resold licence. Your drawings and settings stay in place. That is how you move from recurring subscription fees to a one-time purchase.

Do I get updates?

You get the version you buy, with every update released within that version. A brand-new yearly release is a separate licence. For most users that is no obstacle, because AutoCAD files are interchangeable between recent versions.

Does the licence work on Windows and Mac?

AutoCAD runs on Windows and on recent versions of macOS. To be safe, check the system requirements for the version you buy, because some specialised toolsets are available on Windows only.

How quickly do I receive the licence?

After a successful payment you usually receive the licence by email within minutes, together with a short installation guide. If anything goes wrong, customer support is on hand.

AutoCAD on its own or the AEC Collection?

If you need more than AutoCAD alone, the Architecture, Engineering and Construction Collection is often better value. The bundle combines AutoCAD with Revit (for BIM), Civil 3D (for infrastructure) and several other programs. Autodesk charges around 3,800 euro a year for the AEC Collection. Buying AutoCAD, Revit and Civil 3D separately from Autodesk costs far more than the bundle.

Product	Best for	Autodesk per year (approx.)	Licono from
AutoCAD LT	2D drafting	around 500 euro	a fraction of that
AutoCAD (full)	2D and 3D, toolsets	around 2,600 euro	from 69.95 euro
AEC Collection	AutoCAD + Revit + Civil 3D	around 3,800 euro	a fraction of that

So if you run several Autodesk programs side by side, look at the full collection rather than separate licences. For a single drafting workflow, standalone AutoCAD stays the logical choice.

In short: what is the AutoCAD price?

Directly from Autodesk, AutoCAD costs around 2,600 euro per year, every year, with no perpetual option. Through Licono you buy a genuine, legally resold licence from 69.95 euro, with instant delivery and an invoice with VAT. If you use several Autodesk programs, the AEC Collection is the cheapest route.