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3D & CAD · head to head

Redshift vs V-Ray

Redshift logo

Redshift

3D & CAD

World's first fully GPU-accelerated biased renderer

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
V-Ray logo

V-Ray

3D & CAD

Professional 3D rendering software

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; V-Ray licences are subscription only with no perpetual option listed for any product
  • They diverge on capability: Redshift covers Out-of-core rendering, V-Ray covers Ray tracing.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Redshift and V-Ray differ
AttributeRedshiftV-Ray
Founded20141997

Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Windows, MacOS, Linux), user rating (Not yet rated), category (3D & 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 Redshift

  • Out-of-core rendering
  • Proxy system
  • AOVs
  • Motion blur
  • Production shading
  • Houdini
  • Maxon account
  • Floating licenses

Only in V-Ray

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

Both cover

  • GPU rendering
  • Maya
  • 3ds Max
  • Cinema 4D
  • Blender
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Redshift

  • Production renderingnot V-Ray
  • Motion graphicsnot V-Ray

V-Ray

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Redshift

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

V-Ray

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Redshift if

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

Choose V-Ray if

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

Questions people ask

Is Redshift or V-Ray better?
Neither clearly leads. Redshift starts at $29/month and V-Ray at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Redshift or V-Ray?
Redshift starts at $29/month and V-Ray at $29/month.
Does Redshift or V-Ray run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, MacOS, Linux, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Redshift best used for?
Redshift is most often used for production rendering, motion graphics. Of those, production rendering and motion graphics are not what V-Ray is typically brought in for.
What can Redshift do that V-Ray cannot?
Redshift covers Out-of-core rendering, Proxy system, AOVs, Motion blur. V-Ray covers Ray tracing, Global illumination, CPU rendering, Materials. Both handle GPU rendering, Maya, 3ds Max, Cinema 4D.
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