by Flame_Python·Rendering
Illustrative cover generated by AnyPlugins — no product screenshot available.
Render Time Calculator earns its place in the superhive library as a focused utility for one job: estimating animation render times from a frame-time input, with an advanced mode for scenes that render unevenly.
Render Time Calculator is a Blender addon from Flame_Python for working out how long an animation will take to render. You provide the time it takes to render a single frame, and the addon calculates the time needed for the full sequence.
It offers two modes. Simple mode takes one input and returns a less accurate output, while advanced mode accepts multiple inputs for a more accurate result. Advanced mode also helps when some parts of an animation take longer to render than others, a situation that would otherwise throw off the estimate. Alongside the total time, it shows remaining frames, remaining time, the estimated finishing time, and progression.
The addon supports a wide span of Blender versions and has been used with render engines including Cycles, Eevee, Arnold, Octane, V-Ray, and more. Changing the input time while rendering complex scenes may cause Blender to freeze. Documentation is included, and a demo video is available.
Render Time Calculator is best for blender users who want to estimate how long an animation render will take, both before starting and while it runs.
Render Time Calculator is completely free to download and use.
Render Time Calculator lists compatibility with Blender versions ranging from 2.6x through 5.1, so it covers a broad span of releases from older builds up to recent ones. It is distributed under the GPL license. Keep in mind the addon relies on you entering the time it takes to render one or more frames, since it calculates from that input rather than measuring automatically. If you change the input time while rendering a complex scene, Blender may freeze, so it's worth setting your figures before a heavy render begins.
Render Time Calculator has been used with a range of render engines, including Cycles, Eevee, Arnold, Blender Internal, the Blender Game Engine, Freestyle, LuxRender, Mental Ray, Octane, V-Ray, and Yafaray. Because it works from the frame render time you supply rather than from an engine's internals, the estimate comes from your input regardless of which engine produced that frame. For a more accurate result, advanced mode lets you enter multiple frame times, which helps when different sections of an animation render at different speeds.
Render Time Calculator offers two modes. Simple mode asks for a single input, the time to render one frame, and returns a less accurate output. Advanced mode accepts multiple inputs and produces a more accurate result. This matters when one part of an animation takes longer to render than another, a case that would otherwise skew a single-frame estimate. Both modes report total time, remaining frames, remaining time, the estimated finishing time, and progression.
Render Time Calculator is listed as free in this catalog. Licensing terms can change, so check the developer's page for the current details before you download. The addon is distributed under the GPL license. It comes with documentation, and a demo video is available if you'd like to see more before installing. Functionally, it stays focused on one task, calculating how long an animation will take to render from the frame times you provide.
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