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Video Production · head to head

Nuke vs Ray32

Nuke logo

Nuke

Video Production

Node-based compositing used as the standard in feature film and episodic visual effects

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: Nuke nuke Indie caps output resolution, blocks command-line and farm rendering, limits plugins to Indie-enabled versions and writes scripts that commercial Nuke will not open, so nothing built on it transfers into a studio pipeline.; 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: Nuke covers Node graph, Ray32 covers Text-to-video.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 17 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nuke and Ray32 actually diverge.

Attributes where Nuke and Ray32 differ
AttributeNukeRay32
Starting priceOn request$9.9/one-time
Pricing modelquoteone-time
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb

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 Nuke

  • Node graph
  • Deep compositing
  • 3D system
  • Camera tracker
  • Python API
  • Nuke Studio

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.

Nuke

  • Compositing effects shots to a facility specification where deep data and OpenEXR handling are assumednot Ray32
  • Integrating rendered 3D elements into live plates with a solved cameranot Ray32
  • Building automated shot setups through Python for a pipeline handling hundreds of shotsnot Ray32
  • Conforming and reviewing an episodic sequence in a single application with Nuke Studionot Ray32

Ray32

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

Where each one falls short

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

Nuke

  • Nuke Indie caps output resolution, blocks command-line and farm rendering, limits plugins to Indie-enabled versions and writes scripts that commercial Nuke will not open, so nothing built on it transfers into a studio pipeline.
  • The tools most artists consider essential, including the camera tracker and particle system, sit in NukeX rather than base Nuke, so the practical seat cost is well above the entry tier.
  • The node graph rewards convention and punishes improvisation; without enforced naming and structure standards, scripts become impossible for anyone but their author to pick up mid-project.
  • Facility-standard third-party plugin sets are licensed per seat on top of the application and can approach the cost of the host application again.
  • Interactive work at 4K and above depends on large RAM and fast local storage; a workstation that cannot hold the cache turns every parameter change into a wait.

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

Nuke

On request
  • Nuke$undefined/year
    • Node-based compositing
    • Deep compositing
    • Python API
  • NukeX$undefined/year
    • Everything in Nuke
    • Camera tracker
    • Particle system and additional toolsets
  • Nuke Studio$undefined/year
    • Everything in NukeX
    • Timeline, conform and shot management
  • Nuke Indie$undefined/year
    • Restricted output resolution
    • No command-line rendering
    • Indie-enabled plugins only

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 Nuke if

  • You need node graph.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want deep compositing.
Nuke review

Choose Ray32 if

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

Questions people ask

Is Nuke or Ray32 better?
Neither clearly leads. Nuke 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, Nuke or Ray32?
Nuke starts at On request and Ray32 at $9.9/one-time.
Does Nuke or Ray32 run on more platforms?
Nuke runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Ray32 runs on Web.
What is Nuke best used for?
Nuke is most often used for compositing effects shots to a facility specification where deep data and openexr handling are assumed, integrating rendered 3d elements into live plates with a solved camera, building automated shot setups through python for a pipeline handling hundreds of shots, conforming and reviewing an episodic sequence in a single application with nuke studio. Of those, compositing effects shots to a facility specification where deep data and openexr handling are assumed and integrating rendered 3d elements into live plates with a solved camera are not what Ray32 is typically brought in for.
What can Nuke do that Ray32 cannot?
Nuke covers Node graph, Deep compositing, 3D system, Camera tracker. Ray32 covers Text-to-video, Image-to-video, Video edit, Reframing without cropping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Nuke: Is Nuke Indie a cheap way to learn before joining a studio?

It is fine for learning the interface and concepts, but its scripts do not open in commercial Nuke and it blocks farm rendering, so treat it as a separate product rather than a smaller licence.

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
Nuke: Do I need NukeX?

If your work involves camera tracking, particles or the advanced toolsets, yes. Base Nuke covers compositing itself but not those.

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
Nuke: Can it replace After Effects?

For film and episodic effects work, it is the other way round. For motion graphics and design-led animation, After Effects remains the better fit.

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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