Contents
The free options
Because Fusion 360 has no native bulk export, the community has built open-source exporters. The two you'll most likely find on GitHub:
- fusion-360-total-exporter (by Jnesselr) — walks your entire hub and exports everything it can, in multiple formats, preserving folder structure.
- Fusion360Exporter (by aconz2) — exports projects and documents to formats like F3D and STEP, with options for which projects to include and some sync-like behavior across runs.
Both are Python scripts that use the same Fusion API an add-in uses. To run one, you download the source from GitHub, place it in Fusion's scripts folder (or point the Scripts and Add-Ins dialog at it), and run it from inside Fusion.
What the free scripts do well
- The price. Free is free. For a one-time export of your library, that's a serious argument.
- Open source. The code is public. You can read exactly what it does, and modify it if you can write Python.
- They genuinely work. These aren't abandoned toys — people have exported large hubs with them successfully.
Where the free scripts fall short
The gaps are less about code quality and more about what a hobby project can reasonably offer:
- Installation is manual. Downloading from GitHub and wiring the script into Fusion's Scripts folder is easy to get wrong, and there's no installer to help.
- Minimal interface and feedback. Typically you pick a few options and wait. Limited pre-flight checks, limited progress reporting, and failures can be hard to diagnose mid-run.
- All-or-nothing runs. Re-running usually means re-exporting everything (some scripts skip existing files; behavior varies). There's generally no version-aware incremental mode, so keeping a backup current is expensive.
- No support and no compatibility promise. When Autodesk changes the Fusion API and the script breaks, you wait for a volunteer fix — or write it yourself.
- Drawings usually aren't covered. Batch-exporting drawing files (.f2d) to PDF is out of scope for most free scripts.
Feature comparison
| Capability | Free GitHub scripts | ExportKit Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $79 one-time (Individual) |
| Bulk export to STEP / F3D | Yes | Yes |
| Install | Manual, from GitHub | Autodesk App Store |
| Pre-export scan with issue detection | Generally no | Yes |
| Live progress window with stop button | Varies / minimal | Yes |
| Incremental mode (skip unchanged files) | No version tracking | Yes |
| Resume interrupted runs | Varies | Yes |
| Bulk PDF export of drawings | Usually no | Yes |
| Support | Community / none | Email support + 1 year updates |
When a free script is the right choice
Honestly: if you need to export your library once — say, you're leaving Fusion or doing a single archival dump — and you're comfortable installing a script from GitHub and troubleshooting if something goes sideways, a free exporter is a perfectly rational choice. The money you'd save is real and the job will probably get done.
When an add-in is worth it
The economics change when exporting is recurring:
- Regular backups. Without incremental export, every backup run re-exports the whole library. With version-aware incremental mode, a weekly backup of a 500-file library touches only the files you changed — minutes instead of hours. That's the single biggest practical difference.
- Client and manufacturing deliveries. When a botched export run costs you an afternoon before a deadline, pre-flight scanning, live progress, resume, and someone to email matter more than $79.
- Drawings. If your deliverables include PDF drawings, most free scripts simply don't do it — see our guide to bulk PDF drawing export.
Try before deciding: ExportKit Pro's trial includes 30 full-featured exports with no registration — enough to run it against a real project folder and compare the workflow yourself. New to bulk exporting? Start with the complete bulk export guide.
Compare it on your own files
Download the free trial from the Autodesk App Store — 30 full-featured exports, no registration, every format included.
Download Free Trial See PricingOne-time purchase · License key by email · 1 year of updates
Frequently asked questions
Is there a completely free way to bulk export Fusion 360 files?
Yes — open-source scripts like fusion-360-total-exporter and Fusion360Exporter on GitHub. They require manual installation and offer minimal interfaces, but for a one-time export by a technically comfortable user they work.
Are the free export scripts safe?
Generally yes — the code is public and reviewable. The practical risks are breakage when Fusion's API changes, no support when a run fails, and fiddly installation rather than anything malicious.
What does ExportKit Pro do that the free scripts don't?
App Store installation, a pre-export scanner, a live progress window with stop, version-aware incremental re-exports, resume after interruption, bulk PDF export of drawings, and email support with a year of updates.
Do free scripts work on the free Fusion personal license?
Format rules are set by Fusion itself, not the tool: STEP, F3D/F3Z, USD and PDF work on all license tiers; IGES, SAT and SMT need a paid Fusion license — regardless of whether you export with a script or an add-in.
Related guides
- How to Bulk Export Fusion 360 Files to STEP, F3D and PDF — the complete guide to every method.
- How to Back Up Fusion 360 Files Locally — where incremental export really pays off.
- Fusion 360 Export Formats Explained — pick the right format before you export.
- How to Bulk Export Fusion 360 Drawings to PDF — the workflow free scripts usually skip.