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Video Production · head to head

HitFilm vs Ray32

H

HitFilm

Video Production

Video editor and 3D compositor in one application, now owned by Artlist

From
Free
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

  • Only HitFilm has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HitFilm editing and compositing share one interface, which suits a single operator and obstructs a team that wants to split the edit from the effects work.; 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: HitFilm covers Composite shots, Ray32 covers Text-to-video.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 17 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HitFilm and Ray32 actually diverge.

Attributes where HitFilm and Ray32 differ
AttributeHitFilmRay32
Starting priceFree$9.9/one-time
Pricing modelPer user per monthone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOSWeb

Identical on both: 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 HitFilm

  • Composite shots
  • Particle simulator
  • Camera tracking
  • Keying
  • Text and titling
  • Export presets

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.

HitFilm

  • Cutting and finishing an effects-heavy short film without moving between an editor and a compositornot Ray32
  • Producing a YouTube channel with recurring motion graphics on one subscriptionnot Ray32
  • Learning compositing concepts on the free tier before committing to a paid effects toolnot Ray32
  • Adding tracked 3D elements to live footage in a one-person productionnot Ray32

Ray32

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

Where each one falls short

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

HitFilm

  • Editing and compositing share one interface, which suits a single operator and obstructs a team that wants to split the edit from the effects work.
  • The perpetual HitFilm Pro licence was retired after the Artlist acquisition, so long-standing owners who bought outright must subscribe to receive current versions.
  • Effects and add-on packs were historically sold separately, and archived projects can open with missing effects if the current plan does not cover them.
  • Performance falls off sharply on integrated graphics, so a machine that edits comfortably can still be unusable for the particle and 3D work that is the reason to choose HitFilm.
  • Colour management and delivery options are thinner than DaVinci Resolve, so any project with a broadcast or cinema deliverable ends up round-tripping to another application anyway.

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

HitFilm

Free
  • Free$undefined/month
    • Editing and basic compositing
    • Limited export resolution
    • Limited effects set
  • Creator$undefined/month
    • Expanded effects
    • Higher export resolution
    • Additional export formats
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Full effects set
    • Highest export resolution
    • Advanced compositing and tracking

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 HitFilm if

  • You need composite shots.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want particle simulator.
HitFilm review

Choose Ray32 if

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

Questions people ask

Is HitFilm or Ray32 better?
Neither clearly leads. HitFilm starts at Free 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, HitFilm or Ray32?
HitFilm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HitFilm and $9.9/one-time for Ray32.
Does HitFilm or Ray32 run on more platforms?
HitFilm runs on Windows, macOS. Ray32 runs on Web.
Can I use HitFilm for free?
Yes. HitFilm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Ray32 starts at $9.9/one-time.
What is HitFilm best used for?
HitFilm is most often used for cutting and finishing an effects-heavy short film without moving between an editor and a compositor, producing a youtube channel with recurring motion graphics on one subscription, learning compositing concepts on the free tier before committing to a paid effects tool, adding tracked 3d elements to live footage in a one-person production. Of those, cutting and finishing an effects-heavy short film without moving between an editor and a compositor and producing a youtube channel with recurring motion graphics on one subscription are not what Ray32 is typically brought in for.
What can HitFilm do that Ray32 cannot?
HitFilm covers Composite shots, Particle simulator, Camera tracking, Keying. Ray32 covers Text-to-video, Image-to-video, Video edit, Reframing without cropping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HitFilm: Is HitFilm still free?

There is still a free tier with limited effects and export resolution. The perpetual Pro licence is gone; the paid tiers are subscriptions.

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
HitFilm: What hardware does it actually need?

A discrete GPU with adequate video memory. Integrated graphics will run the editor but stall on composite shots, particles and 3D layers.

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
HitFilm: Does the Artlist acquisition affect the software?

It puts HitFilm inside a stock media subscription business. The licence model changed after the acquisition, and the roadmap now serves that business.

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
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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