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3D & CAD · head to head

Arnold vs CryEngine

Arnold logo

Arnold

3D & CAD

Advanced Monte Carlo ray tracing renderer

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CryEngine logo

CryEngine

Game Development

Build worlds, break limits. Professional game development engine.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CryEngine has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Arnold the Internet Archive's capture of Autodesk's Arnold overview page on 30 December 2022 stated a subscription can be installed on up to 3 computers or devices, though only the named user may run it on one machine at a time, and includes access to the 3 previous major versions.; CryEngine a royalty of 5% of Gross Receipts is payable to Crytek on every game built with CRYENGINE
  • They diverge on capability: Arnold covers Ray tracing, CryEngine covers Advanced graphics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arnold and CryEngine actually diverge.

Attributes where Arnold and CryEngine differ
AttributeArnoldCryEngine
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxWindows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux
Category3D & CADGame Development
Founded19981999

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Arnold

  • Ray tracing
  • GPU rendering
  • Production shading
  • OSL
  • Denoising
  • Maya
  • 3ds Max
  • Cinema 4D

Only in CryEngine

  • Advanced graphics
  • Physics engine
  • AI system
  • Animation tools
  • Flow Graph visual scripting
  • C++ and Lua support
  • Entity component system
  • Sandbox editor

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Arnold

  • Film productionnot CryEngine
  • Animationnot CryEngine
  • VFXnot CryEngine

CryEngine

  • Building photorealistic first person and open world games with real time global illuminationnot Arnold
  • Developing with full engine source code accessnot Arnold
  • Sandbox based level design with what you see is what you get exportnot Arnold

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Arnold

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Autodesk's Arnold overview page on 30 December 2022 stated a subscription can be installed on up to 3 computers or devices, though only the named user may run it on one machine at a time, and includes access to the 3 previous major versions.

CryEngine

  • A royalty of 5% of Gross Receipts is payable to Crytek on every game built with CRYENGINE
  • Royalties are waived only on the first USD 5,000.00 of Gross Receipts per year per game
  • Royalties are calculated at source on gross receipts before any publisher or platform deductions, so a developer receiving 70% of USD 100,000 still owes USD 4,750
  • Military projects, gambling, simulation, science, architecture and serious games are excluded from the standard licence and are not covered as Games
  • The licence forbids combining CRYENGINE with code from other game engine providers
  • Supported platforms are limited to those Crytek announces at its sole discretion, listed in the agreement as Windows, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
  • Support is only provided against payment of a separate Support Fee that Crytek may change at its sole discretion
  • Crytek may modify the licence agreement at any time, with the only remedy for disagreement being to stop using CRYENGINE

Pricing, plan by plan

Arnold

$29/month
  • Arnold$360/month
    • Standalone renderer

CryEngine

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full engine access
    • Source code
    • Asset library

Which should you pick?

Choose Arnold if

  • You need ray tracing.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want gpu rendering.
Arnold review

Choose CryEngine if

  • You need advanced graphics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux.
  • You also want physics engine.
CryEngine review

Questions people ask

Is Arnold or CryEngine better?
Neither clearly leads. Arnold starts at $29/month and CryEngine at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arnold or CryEngine?
CryEngine has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Arnold and Free for CryEngine.
Does Arnold or CryEngine run on more platforms?
Arnold runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. CryEngine runs on Windows, Playstation, Xbox, Linux.
Can I use CryEngine for free?
Yes. CryEngine has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arnold starts at $29/month.
What is Arnold best used for?
Arnold is most often used for film production, animation, vfx. Of those, film production and animation are not what CryEngine is typically brought in for.
What can Arnold do that CryEngine cannot?
Arnold covers Ray tracing, GPU rendering, Production shading, OSL. CryEngine covers Advanced graphics, Physics engine, AI system, Animation tools. Both handle Windows support.
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