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Arnold vs Redshift

Arnold logo

Arnold

Software

Advanced Monte Carlo ray tracing renderer

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Redshift logo

Redshift

Software

World's first fully GPU-accelerated biased renderer

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Redshift redshift is sold only as part of the Maxon One subscription bundle (via the Maxon App, 14-day free trial), with no standalone perpetual license offered on the vendor page
  • They diverge on capability: Arnold covers Ray tracing, Redshift covers Out-of-core rendering.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arnold and Redshift actually diverge.

Attributes where Arnold and Redshift differ
AttributeArnoldRedshift
Founded19982014

Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Windows, MacOS, Linux), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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
  • OSL
  • Denoising
  • Katana
  • License management

Only in Redshift

  • Out-of-core rendering
  • Proxy system
  • AOVs
  • Motion blur
  • Blender
  • Maxon account
  • Floating licenses

Both cover

  • GPU rendering
  • Production shading
  • Maya
  • 3ds Max
  • Cinema 4D
  • Houdini
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Arnold

  • Film productionnot Redshift
  • Animationnot Redshift
  • VFXnot Redshift

Redshift

  • Production renderingnot Arnold
  • Motion graphicsnot 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.

Redshift

  • Redshift is sold only as part of the Maxon One subscription bundle (via the Maxon App, 14-day free trial), with no standalone perpetual license offered on the vendor page

Pricing, plan by plan

Arnold

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

Redshift

$29/month
  • Redshift$45/month
    • Full GPU rendering
  • Maxon One$149.91/month
    • Redshift + C4D + ZBrush

Which should you pick?

Choose Arnold if

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

Choose Redshift if

  • You need out-of-core rendering.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want proxy system.
Redshift review

Questions people ask

Is Arnold or Redshift better?
Neither clearly leads. Arnold starts at $29/month and Redshift at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arnold or Redshift?
Arnold starts at $29/month and Redshift at $29/month.
Does Arnold or Redshift run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, MacOS, Linux, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 Redshift is typically brought in for.
What can Arnold do that Redshift cannot?
Arnold covers Ray tracing, OSL, Denoising, Katana. Redshift covers Out-of-core rendering, Proxy system, AOVs, Motion blur. Both handle GPU rendering, Production shading, Maya, 3ds Max.
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