Download the free edition of RenderMan 26.1
Pixar’s feature reel for RenderMan 26. The free Non-Commercial edition of the renderer is available now, and includes most of the features from the commercial edition.
Originally posted on 9 April 2024, and updated for the RenderMan 26.1 update.
Pixar has released the free Non-Commercial edition of RenderMan 26.1, its latest update to the free version of the renderer.
The release includes many of the key features from RenderMan 26, including the updates to hybrid CPU/GPU renderer RenderMan XPU, and to the new AI denoiser.
A free licence of RenderMan for non-commercial work and tools development
As with previous versions of Non-Commercial RenderMan, the release can be used for personal projects, research, and tools development, including development of commercial plugins.
Output isn’t watermarked, although Pixar stipulates that users should add its ‘rendered with RenderMan’ logo to the credits of any project released publicly.
Includes many of the key features of the commercial edition
Non-Commercial RenderMan includes most of the key features of the commercial edition, including RenderMan XPU, Pixar’s hybrid CPU/GPU rendering system.
The main exception is Stylized Looks, RenderMan’s non-photorealistic rendering toolset, since it was developed in partnership with Lollipop Shaders.
System requirements
Non-Commercial RenderMan 26.1 is available for Windows 10+, CentOS/RHEL 7.2-7.9 Linux and macOS 10.15+. Plugins are available for Blender 3.0+, Houdini 19.0+, Katana 5.0+ and Maya 2022+.
To download it, you will need to register for a free account on Pixar’s forum, which entitles you to two node-locked licences. The licence times out after 120 days, after which you have to renew.
Download the free Non-Commercial edition of RenderMan 26.1
(Registration required)
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Homepage image: a still from Pixar’s Inside Out 2, used to promote RenderMan 26.0.