I recently got into 3D printing and found I often need to modify models to get better prints. This has lead me into learning some modeling basics.

Started with fusion 360 (because it’s free), but even as a new user the entire interface is clunky and hard to use.

I then switched over to Blender 2.8. To be honest, it’s not a simple set of tools for a beginner. However there are tons of great articles and videos about how to do things. After a few weeks of working through simple tasks and then on to more complex things, I’ve grown to love Blender.

Once you learn some concepts and get a handle on workflows, I can honestly say Blender is a much better tool than fusion 360. Not only is it more powerful and faster, the folks working on Blender have clearly put a lot of thought into usability. If you’re frustrated with Blender as a new user, just keep at it and you’ll pick it up quickly.

To add another point, my experiences are specifically oriented towards modeling and modifications for 3D printing. You’ll still probably want to use tools like fusion if you’re doing other tasks like mechanical design.