MoonRay is an open-source production path tracer for prepared 3D scenes. RENDERCAD creates presentation renders from an existing CAD or design screenshot.
IMAGE RENDERS COMPLETE IN 60 SECONDS.
MoonRay is an Academy Software Foundation open-source production path-tracing renderer originally developed at DreamWorks for animation, VFX, and high-end scene rendering. It is built for prepared 3D scenes, Universal Scene Description or RDL pipeline data, physically based materials, volumes, AOVs, and local or distributed rendering rather than quick viewport-to-image cleanup.
MoonRay is a strong fit for studios and technical artists who can prepare complete 3D scenes, shaders, cameras, lights, render passes, and infrastructure around a production path tracer. RENDERCAD fits a different moment: when a CAD, product, or architectural viewport already communicates the design and the team wants a polished still or short visual without exporting geometry, rebuilding materials, or maintaining a renderer pipeline. Use MoonRay for controlled animation and VFX rendering; use RENDERCAD for fast presentation visuals from existing design images.
MoonRay rewards a full scene pipeline. It can integrate through Hydra in supported DCC environments, render with physically based layered materials, handle volumes, output EXR, deep image, AOV, and Cryptomatte style passes, and scale across local, multi-machine, or cloud render sessions when a team has the technical setup. That depth is valuable for animation and VFX shots, but it is more process than many CAD or product teams need for a single review image. RENDERCAD starts from the image already on screen - a CAD viewport, product concept, architectural view, or presentation screenshot - and generates refined render output in the browser. It is not a replacement for MoonRay's shader API, render passes, distributed batch rendering, or studio pipeline control; it is the lighter option when the practical job is improving a design view for review, sales, or marketing without creating a production render scene.
Screenshot the CAD viewport you already have, render in the browser, and download a client-ready still or video without exports, plugins, or GPU setup.
Modeled by CADSharp in Onshape. Rendered with RENDERCAD.
Add | Change | or Remove referenced objects with the stroke of a brush.
RENDERCAD uses a maintained selection of image-generation models for different rendering tasks. Results can vary by model and input, so compare generated output with the source design before relying on geometry, materials, or dimensions.
| Feature | RENDERCAD | MoonRay |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Generative AI | Path Tracing |
| Output | Images + Video | Varies by tool |
| Resolution | HD / 4K | Varies |
| Image Speed | Image renders complete in 60 seconds. | Interactive previews to offline batch renders |
| Video Speed | Videos complete in 2-5 minutes. | Varies by workflow |
| Scene Set Up | No separate local scene | Varies by workflow |
| Input | Screen Snip | Varies by tool |
| Materials | 2,600+ Textures | Library varies |
| Backgrounds | 1300+ Backgrounds | Tool-dependent |
| Conditions | 40+ Effects | Tool-dependent |
| References | Up to 6 Per Render | Varies |
| Hardware | Cloud (None Required) | Desktop and pipeline builds (Linux/macOS/container) |
| Install | None | Varies (web or app) |
| Cost | from $9/mo | Open source |
Side by side, feature by feature. See how RENDERCAD's AI approach compares with MoonRay's rendering workflow.
Skip a separate local scene build. Pick a condition, material, and background while RENDERCAD handles the image-generation step. Image renders complete in 60 seconds.
™
RENDERCAD™
Use the browser workflow directly, capture a selected view with the desktop app, or start from the browser extension.
Get StartedCommon questions about RENDERCAD vs MoonRay
RENDERCAD avoids much of the scene, shader, and local-renderer setup used by traditional rendering tools. Users still need to prepare a useful source image, choose suitable options, describe the intended result, and review generated details.
RENDERCAD starts at $9/month with credits that refresh monthly - predictable costs with no upfront investment or perpetual license fees.
RENDERCAD is designed to create more polished, realistic-looking presentation images from a source view. Results vary by input and settings, and generated images should be checked against the original model before they are used to communicate exact design details.
RENDERCAD can generate a visual interpretation of a described or referenced material without requiring shader parameters. It does not guarantee physically measured or specification-accurate material behavior, so validate critical color, grain, reflectivity, and finish details against approved references.
Describe the wood species and finish you want, and provide a reference image when scale or grain direction matters. RENDERCAD can generate a wood-like visual treatment, but it does not replace model-level texture mapping or guarantee an exact, repeatable grain pattern.
With RENDERCAD, upload or snip a clear image, describe carbon fiber, and add a material reference when exact visual direction matters. Image renders complete in 60 seconds.
Yes. Request a golden-hour look and describe the mood or direction you want. The generated warmth, shadows, and light direction can vary between results, so compare important design details with the source image.
Describe an environment such as a sunny forest or urban street and use a reference image when needed. Image renders complete in 60 seconds without building a local scene file or environment map.
RENDERCAD's Create Video workflow generates a video from a single image and provides Camera and Product Motion controls. Videos complete in 2-5 minutes.
RENDERCAD can generate orbit-style motion from a single image using a Camera option. Because the motion is inferred rather than rendered from a complete 3D model, review geometry and hidden-side details before publishing the result.
Usually. Generation runs in the cloud, so it does not occupy a local renderer. Keep the relevant browser workflow available as required, and expect normal network and browser resource use while the job is submitted and results are loaded.
RENDERCAD processes generation in the cloud, so it does not require a dedicated local rendering GPU. You still need a supported browser and internet connection, and normal browser, upload, and download activity can use local device resources.
Trusted by Architects, Product Designers, and Engineering Teams