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Video Production · head to head

Cinema 4D vs Ray32

Cinema 4D logo

Cinema 4D

Video Production

Professional 3D modeling, animation and rendering software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ray32 logo

Ray32

Video Production

Third-party web access to Luma's Ray 3.2 video model

From
$9.9/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cinema 4D iPad version launching late 2026, not currently available; Ray32 it is not Luma's own product. The model, its capabilities and its future are Luma's, and this site states it has no affiliation with them, so anything that changes upstream changes here without notice.
  • They diverge on capability: Cinema 4D covers 3D modeling, Ray32 covers Text-to-video.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 17 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cinema 4D and Ray32 actually diverge.

Attributes where Cinema 4D and Ray32 differ
AttributeCinema 4DRay32
Starting priceOn request$9.9/one-time
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
PlatformsWindows, macOSWeb
Founded1986Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Video Production).

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 Cinema 4D

  • 3D modeling
  • Character animation
  • Motion graphics
  • Physical rendering
  • Simulation
  • After Effects
  • Red Giant
  • Arnold

Only in Ray32

  • Text-to-video
  • Image-to-video
  • Video edit
  • Reframing without cropping
  • 16-bit HDR and EXR export
  • Prepaid credits, no subscription

What people use each for

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

Cinema 4D

  • 3D modelling and animationnot Ray32
  • Motion graphics and procedural designnot Ray32
  • Character animation and riggingnot Ray32
  • Photorealistic rendering with Redshiftnot Ray32

Ray32

  • Trying Ray 3.2 without committing to a Luma subscriptionnot Cinema 4D
  • Generating short cinematic clips from a written promptnot Cinema 4D
  • Animating a single reference image into a moving shotnot Cinema 4D
  • Reframing an existing clip for another aspect rationot Cinema 4D
  • Producing HDR or EXR output for a grading pipelinenot Cinema 4D

Where each one falls short

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

Cinema 4D

  • iPad version launching late 2026, not currently available
  • Every subscription requires payment; no free tier available
  • Integration with After Effects requires third-party Cineware plugin

Ray32

  • It is not Luma's own product. The model, its capabilities and its future are Luma's, and this site states it has no affiliation with them, so anything that changes upstream changes here without notice.
  • No operator is disclosed. There is no company name, address or team anywhere on the site, only a support email, which is a poor basis for a commercial relationship involving prepaid money.
  • No free credits. Both comparable wrapper services and Luma itself give you something to try; here the cheapest way to see any output is $9.90.
  • Prepaid credits are money held by a vendor you cannot identify, and nothing on the site describes what happens to an unused balance if it stops operating.
  • Clips are 5 or 10 seconds on generation, so anything longer is an editing job assembled from pieces rather than a single output.

Pricing, plan by plan

Cinema 4D

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cinema 4D review.

Ray32

$9.9/one-time
  • Starter$9.9/one-time
    • 160 credits
    • Commercial usage rights
    • Credits never expire
  • Pro$29.9/one-time
    • 580 credits
    • Commercial usage rights
    • Credits never expire
  • Scale$49.9/one-time
    • 1,100 credits
    • Commercial usage rights
    • Credits never expire
  • Max$99.9/one-time
    • 3,330 credits
    • Commercial usage rights
    • Credits never expire

Which should you pick?

Choose Cinema 4D if

  • You need 3d modeling.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want character animation.
Cinema 4D review

Choose Ray32 if

  • You need text-to-video.
  • You also want image-to-video.
Ray32 review

Questions people ask

Is Cinema 4D or Ray32 better?
Neither clearly leads. Cinema 4D starts at On request and Ray32 at $9.9/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cinema 4D or Ray32?
Cinema 4D starts at On request and Ray32 at $9.9/one-time.
Does Cinema 4D or Ray32 run on more platforms?
Cinema 4D runs on Windows, macOS. Ray32 runs on Web.
What is Cinema 4D best used for?
Cinema 4D is most often used for 3d modelling and animation, motion graphics and procedural design, character animation and rigging, photorealistic rendering with redshift. Of those, 3d modelling and animation and motion graphics and procedural design are not what Ray32 is typically brought in for.
What can Cinema 4D do that Ray32 cannot?
Cinema 4D covers 3D modeling, Character animation, Motion graphics, Physical rendering. Ray32 covers Text-to-video, Image-to-video, Video edit, Reframing without cropping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cinema 4D: How much does Cinema 4D cost?

Cinema 4D subscription pricing is not publicly disclosed; you must visit the Maxon store, request a demo, or contact Maxon directly to obtain pricing quotes.

Source
Ray32: Is Ray32 the official Ray 3.2 site?

No. Ray 3.2 is made by Luma AI, and Ray32's own footer states it "is an independent third-party Ray 3.2 AI Video Generator tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially associated with Luma AI, Inc." Luma's own platform is listed separately in this catalogue.

Source
Cinema 4D: Is Cinema 4D a subscription service?

Yes, Cinema 4D is offered as a subscription; every subscription includes Redshift GPU renderer, 5 Team Render nodes, Maxon Capsules access, and Cineversity training.

Source
Ray32: What does Ray32 cost?

One-off credit packs: $9.90 for 160 credits, $29.90 for 580, $49.90 for 1,100 and $99.90 for 3,330. There is no subscription and the site states credits never expire.

Source
Cinema 4D: Is there a free trial for Cinema 4D?

Yes, Cinema 4D offers a 14-day free trial available through the Maxon App; you can download and evaluate the full feature set before committing to purchase.

Source
Ray32: How many credits does a video use?

It is priced per second and rises with resolution. Text and image-to-video cost 4 credits a second at 540p, 9 at 720p and 18 at 1080p. Editing is 6, 10 or 19 a second and reframing 3, 5 or 16. So a ten-second 1080p clip is about 180 credits, which is more than the $9.90 pack holds.

Source
Cinema 4D: What is Maxon One and how is it priced?

Maxon One is a bundle subscription including Cinema 4D, ZBrush, Red Giant, Redshift, and Capsules; pricing for Maxon One is not published and requires contacting Maxon for a quote.

Source
Ray32: How long can the videos be?

Five or ten seconds for text and image-to-video. Video editing accepts clips up to 20 seconds and reframing accepts sources up to 12.

Source
Ray32: Can the output be used commercially?

The site lists commercial usage rights on every credit pack. Because the model is Luma's rather than theirs, anyone relying on this for client work should also read Luma's own terms.

Source
Ray32: Is there a free trial?

No free credits are offered. The cheapest way to generate anything is the $9.90 Starter pack.

Source
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