The hard part is if you build real ip up in these things that you lose when you get rug pulled. Or have no way to backup. F360 let's you export more complicated formats. But they all let you make stls which are a pita to reverse int drawings but you can.
It took me 50 hours to learn solid works, my first tool so I could kinda make what I wanted. Inventor took 3 to get used to. F360 an hour. The cost goes down.
Pick one your friends are using and design things.
Try openscad if you're more of a mathematical mind. Try blender if your an artist. Those are different yet still you're making things.
If you mentioned what you wanted to make I can point you further. There's many options.
Looking back, it would have been more productive to develop proficiency in and give money/support to any underdog competitor.
Still missing minor advanced features of fusion360 but imo worlds better even if so
If you have the money, and you're fine with windows, I would suggest alibre with the offline license as one of the few options available.
I've bitten the bullet and went with a mixture of freecad/openscad/cadquery/solvespace for my hobby designs. It's more work due to the limits, but zero regrets.
What you'd lose are your designs however. 3D designs don't convert well.
But currently there is no 3D CAD software that is good for mechanical design and has a good and free license for hobbyists.