Render Time Calculator

The average render time
for a single frame is:
on a computer with:
The render job
has a total of: frames
using the renderer:
Calculate the total cost
by purchasing the:
with a priority level:
* Estimated cost:
Estimated render time:
Required credits:
Credits remaining:
Total processing:
Credit price: / credit

* This is only a rough estimate to assist in planning capacity and cost. Actual render times will vary and can be substantially higher depending on several factors including processors speeds and other variables inherent in network rendering.

** Low Priority rendering uses 50% less credits. New frames wait in queue until Standard Priority renders complete. Requires purchase of Pre-Paid Credit Package or Rocket Club Subscription.

Estimating Render Times Accurately

While you can never know exactly how much time a render will take until it is done, there are some guidelines you can follow to keep your production within budget. Here's a list of things you might want consider:

  • Render passes
    Often, shots have multiple layers or passes. Each may have different render times and requirements. Remember to account for this in your calculations.
  • Processor speeds
    Our processor speeds may be slower or faster than yours. And keep in mind that we calculate estimates based on single proc per frame renders . If you normally run jobs on dual processors, you would have to double our estimated times to better approximate total render time. Our tech specs page has more info on our render servers.
  • Advanced options
    If your render job requires any additional processing such as particle or fluid caching, render times could be significantly increased as these dynamics are calculated on our farm.
  • Re-render / error time
    Even the most experienced artists sometimes need to restart a render after submission to fix something that doesn't look right. Make sure to include a margin of time to account for this (we like using 15%).

Cost Effective Rendering
While we've tried our best to come up with pricing options to fit the needs of most projects, below are some tips for getting the most value out of our service every time:

  • Render at least a few frames locally
    Make sure that your frames are running properly on your local machines. This will help you catch any errors before you launch the jobs on our servers.
  • Plan ahead and pre-pay
    Often, our pre-paid packages offer the best balance of priority, capacity, and price. This means it makes sense to plan ahead and pre-pay as much as you can. By working a larger package into your budget, you will be able to save more on your current renders and still have discounted hours for your next project.

Try before you buy
Remember, you can always do a free render test on our service and see some actual render times. This will help you better estimate total times for your jobs.

Try Free