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CAD · head to head

V-Ray vs Ultimaker Cura

V-Ray logo

V-Ray

CAD

Professional 3D rendering software

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ultimaker Cura logo

Ultimaker Cura

CAD

Powerful 3D printing slicer

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ultimaker Cura has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: V-Ray licences are subscription only with no perpetual option listed for any product; Ultimaker Cura support varies by community contribution
  • They diverge on capability: V-Ray covers Ray tracing, Ultimaker Cura covers Universal printer support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which V-Ray and Ultimaker Cura actually diverge.

Attributes where V-Ray and Ultimaker Cura differ
AttributeV-RayUltimaker Cura
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
Founded19972011

Identical on both: platforms (Windows, MacOS, Linux), user rating (Not yet rated), category (CAD).

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 V-Ray

  • Ray tracing
  • Global illumination
  • GPU rendering
  • CPU rendering
  • Materials
  • Lighting
  • VR output
  • Scene intelligence

Only in Ultimaker Cura

  • Universal printer support
  • Custom profiles
  • Plugin marketplace
  • Cloud integration
  • Tree supports
  • Arachne engine
  • Ultimaker printers
  • Most FDM printers

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • MacOS support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

V-Ray

  • Photorealistic rendering for architecture and product visualisationnot Ultimaker Cura
  • Real time and ray traced rendering inside CAD and 3D applicationsnot Ultimaker Cura

Ultimaker Cura

  • 3D print slicingnot V-Ray
  • Professional printingnot V-Ray

Where each one falls short

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

V-Ray

  • Licences are subscription only with no perpetual option listed for any product
  • Subscription terms renew automatically
  • Cloud rendering runs on separately purchased credits, with the Pro tier at $25.30 a month for 1,000
  • Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales

Ultimaker Cura

  • Support varies by community contribution
  • No commercial technical support

Pricing, plan by plan

V-Ray

$29/month
  • V-Ray Solo$60/month
    • 1 workstation
    • 5 render nodes
  • V-Ray Premium$80/month
    • Multiple apps
    • Cloud credits

Ultimaker Cura

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Ultimaker Cura review.

Which should you pick?

Choose V-Ray if

  • You need ray tracing.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want global illumination.
V-Ray review

Choose Ultimaker Cura if

  • You need universal printer support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want custom profiles.
Ultimaker Cura review

Questions people ask

Is V-Ray or Ultimaker Cura better?
Neither clearly leads. V-Ray starts at $29/month and Ultimaker Cura at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, V-Ray or Ultimaker Cura?
Ultimaker Cura has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for V-Ray and Free for Ultimaker Cura.
Does V-Ray or Ultimaker Cura run on more platforms?
V-Ray runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. Ultimaker Cura runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Ultimaker Cura for free?
Yes. Ultimaker Cura has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. V-Ray starts at $29/month.
What is V-Ray best used for?
V-Ray is most often used for photorealistic rendering for architecture and product visualisation, real time and ray traced rendering inside cad and 3d applications. Of those, photorealistic rendering for architecture and product visualisation and real time and ray traced rendering inside cad and 3d applications are not what Ultimaker Cura is typically brought in for.
What can V-Ray do that Ultimaker Cura cannot?
V-Ray covers Ray tracing, Global illumination, GPU rendering, CPU rendering. Ultimaker Cura covers Universal printer support, Custom profiles, Plugin marketplace, Cloud integration. Both handle Windows support, MacOS support, Linux support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

V-Ray: What is included in Chaos software subscriptions?

All Chaos subscriptions include free support, access to a large community of professionals, continuous updates, and a 14-day money-back guarantee. Annual subscriptions save 45% versus monthly billing. Use of AI credits voids the refund right.

Source
Ultimaker Cura: Is Ultimaker Cura free?

Yes. Ultimaker Cura is completely free and open-source under the LGPL license. There are no premium versions, subscriptions, or hidden fees. All features are available to everyone.

Source
V-Ray: Does Chaos offer enterprise pricing?

Yes, Chaos provides enterprise pricing plans for teams with more than 10 licenses. Enterprise customers should contact the Chaos sales team directly for custom pricing quotes tailored to their specific needs.

Source
Ultimaker Cura: How many printers does Cura support?

Ultimaker Cura supports over 400 different 3D printer models with out-of-the-box configuration. Users can add custom printers and profiles.

Source
Ultimaker Cura: What file formats does Cura import?

Ultimaker Cura converts STL, OBJ, 3MF, and other 3D file formats into G-code instructions that 3D printers can execute.

Source
Ultimaker Cura: What features are available?

Cura offers 400+ configurable print settings, material profiles, intent profiles for specific applications, plugin support via the Ultimaker Marketplace, and active community development on GitHub.

Source
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