SketchUp is a 3D modeling computer software for a wide range of drawing applications such as architectural, interior design, landscape architecture, civil and mechanical engineering, film and video game design. It is available as a web-based application, SketchUp Free, and a paid version with additional functionality, SketchUp Pro. There are several outstanding render farms that support SketchUp rendering, this article shows you 6 popular SketchUp render farms in 2023.
Top 6 Render Farms for SketchUp in 2023
RebusFarm
RebusFarm is a German-based company that offers rendering services for studios around the world. It operates on the SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) model. With almost 15 years of experience in the field of 3D rendering, RebusFarm has continually improved to become a trusted cloud rendering service. RebusFarm is relatively easy to use because uploading and downloading files are managed by a software component called “Rebusdrop”. For SketchUp, it supports the V-Ray 3.X and V-Ray Next render engines.
For SketchUp rendering, RebusFarm offers CPU rendering with Intel i9-7980XE processors (2.6GHz). The cost is relatively high, which may be suitable for medium-sized businesses that frequently render large architectural projects and work under tight deadlines. One potential drawback is that their customer service response times can be slow, even during German business hours. Therefore, it’s important to understand the service thoroughly before submitting your render to RebusFarm.
For Render
ForRender render farm is a cloud rendering service that is based on SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) and PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service). It’s considered SaaS because they support specific software and plugins, requiring users only to upload their files. It’s also considered PaaS as they provide remote servers with a particular CPU configuration.
Each CPU server is equipped with 2x Intel Xeon E5-2670 (Sandy Bridge) processors and 64 or 120 GB RAM. For GPU rendering, ForRender uses “Pascal” graphics cards (GTX1080 Ti and GTX 1080). Users can choose between CPU or GPU servers, depending on their needs. A calculator helps estimate the rendering time. Regarding SketchUp, this service only provides SketchUp 2020 without renderers like Vray. ForRender’s system is not automatic for SketchUp plugins; users need to contact support to check for compatibility.
Render Now
Renderwow is a brand name whose parent company is Shinewonder Hongkong Limited. Renderwow provides a cloud rendering service platform to users worldwide. Their subsidiary (Shinewonder Information Technology Beijing Co., Ltd) is a leader in the rendering service industry in China. Their customers include those in architecture, interior design, film, engineering, and education.
For SketchUp, this service supports SketchUp 2020 and V-Ray Next Update 2. Each server has 32 threads, 64GB RAM, with a performance of 122 GHZ, and the cost starts from 2 cents/hour. CPU-based rendering can take many hours, so users should consider selecting multiple servers (up to 10) simultaneously to accelerate rendering, although this will increase the cost.
GarageFarm
GarageFarm, a cloud rendering service provider, was established in 2010 by Tomek and Minhee. GarageFarm operates on a SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) model. GarageFarm supports SketchUp versions from 2017 with Vray 3.5 and higher. Users can easily send projects to the cloud directly from SketchUp’s interface and submit their jobs.
COPERNICUS COMPUTING
Copernicus render farm is a cloud rendering platform founded in 2016 in Poland. This service is based on SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) and focuses on renting CPU power. A key advantage is its pricing, offering rendering starting at 1.5 cents per GHz/h. Using their prepayment system can lower the price to 0.4 cents per GHz/h.
They support SketchUp 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 with Vray 3.6 & 4+. They currently only offer CPU rendering and do not support GPU rendering. Therefore, rendering a project on Copernicus can take a significant amount of time (potentially hours) due to its CPU-based service. This render farm might be a good option for freelancers or small studios with flexible schedules and no tight deadlines.
Choosing the Right Render Farm
Many articles about render farms for SketchUp are available online. These services empower you to produce high-quality work from SketchUp. This overview provides a general comparison; the best render farm for your SketchUp needs depends on your specific requirements, project scope, intended use, and budget.
