Using high-quality rendering software in 2022 is really important. It will pretty much dictate what your renderings look like, how they are done, what their purpose is, and more. We cannot stress enough how important it is to find the perfect rendering software to use in 2022. It will determine the course of your rendering career.

Visual architects, 3D renderers, and 2D designers are highly dependent on the technology they use. Some software is more used than others, and this is perfectly fine – as long as you find something you won’t regret learning, everything will be fine.

Our guide is here to help you choose some of the finest rendering software. Make sure that you read it until the end, and you’ll get a glimpse of what to use in 2022.

Revit

Revit is a BIM software generally used by architects, engineers, construction workers, and many more. Its specifications allow for high-quality images and renders, most commonly used for specific purposes.

Ever since it was developed in 1997, architects have found a use for it, and it developed according to modern needs as time progressed. Even in 2022, Revit is a popular rendering software, and numerous people are still using it.

It allows architects to design documents and build parametric three-dimensional models that include geometry and non-geometry in their core. If you are an aspiring architect and you still didn’t start working in any rendering software, starting in Revit can be worth your while.

Lumion

Lumion, yet another of the most commonly used rendering software, is crucial for architects and architectural visualization. This software offers architects the possibility to create spectacular videos, images, and many more.

Despite being a decently priced software, we believe it is worth it, even for beginners. Lumion offers advanced commands and options, which some other programs don’t. Every rendering software serves the same purpose, but some are simply better than others.

Most freelance 3D visual artists use Lumion for their projects, and they aren’t regretting it one bit. Lumion allows the artists to create new worlds and experience different possibilities. It’s perfect for both interior and exterior design, and we highly recommend trying it out in 2022.

SketchUp

This program is absolutely necessary for architects. It allows them to create drawings and design interior design, exterior design, industrial design, product design, and many more. It heavily relies on the user’s skill to create wonderful designs, so expect to take some time to learn it.

However, you’ll barely need any other rendering software once you learn SketchUp. You should keep in mind that SketchUp also comes with a free and pro version. The free version offers basic commands of the program, while the pro version allows for full access.

While you can still work in a free SketchUp program, you won’t be able to create complex designs of architectural visualization. It’s worth picking up the pro version, and we know for sure that you’ll not regret it.

Cinema 4D

Cinema 4D is one of the finest German 3D rendering software designed for 3D visualization, rendering, and creating lifelike 3D images and videos. As its name suggests, this software resembles a movie-maker more than a rendering software due to its ability to perfectly render videos, animation, and 3D objects.

It was released in 1991 under the name FastRay, but it continued developing throughout the years, and in 2022, you can use Cinema 4D for your rendering purposes. The newest version has all the best qualities from all the earlier versions and easy-to-use settings.

Every aspiring architect should try Cinema 4D out at least once. You can try several versions of the program, and if you’re new to this, we highly recommend the 2014 version Cinema 4D Lite. If you feel like you’d be able to handle it, you can swap to the full Cinema 4D version.

This software will allow you almost everything other rendering software will, but it’s not hard to use, and it can help kick off your rendering career – it’s definitely something you should check out.

Maxwell Render

If you are interested in something different, then Maxwell Render is the perfect rendering software for you. It is primarily used in animation, film, and VFX industries and rarely in architecture. Nevertheless, you’ll still be able to design/render 3D animations in it, and it’s one of the better programs you can use for it.

It’s never a bad idea to learn as much as possible about rendering. You never know when you might end up using your rendering skills for something else entirely. We highly recommend checking out this software.

Maxwell Render offers plugins for 3D/CAD and post-production applications. It is something you would often find yourself using for post-production, and it can be a valuable weapon in your “arsenal” of rendering software. It is never a bad idea to learn more about it since you never know if you’ll find it useful in the future.

V-Ray

Yet another one of the “old” rendering software, V-Ray, was developed in 1997 by a Bulgarian company called Bulgarian Chaos Group. V-Ray is a plugin for third-party 3D computer graphics software, and most architects use it for visualization in film, videos, animation, media, and many more.

Naturally, the older version of the program was regularly updated, and V-Ray is one of the programs that most professionals will still use in 2022. We highly recommend checking it out, especially if you are into industrial and product design.

You cannot go wrong with V-Ray. The only thing you need to do is purchase the software and give it a go.

D5 Render

D5 Render is one of the finest architectural tools you can find. It was designed for architects who do interior design and landscape design. The idea of D5 Render is that it’s relatively easy to use but hard to master.

If you want to learn how to work in D5 Render, you’ll need to spend a lot of time and effort. We estimate that you’d need at least a year to learn everything this software has to offer. If you want to learn it, the sooner you start, the better it will be.

Chief Architect Premier

Chief Architect Premier is one of the finest residential and commercial design software. Architects often use it to design residential buildings, and they have a lot of incredible options they can choose from. For instance, they can:

• ‍Model the residential building entirely in 3D – This software allows for 3D modeling and rendering. Some of the finest residential renders are done in Chief Architect Premier.‍
• Use tools to achieve results – This software also has built-in tools architects can use to get the best results. We highly recommend checking it out.

Chief Architect Premier is one of the rare rendering programs which you’d enjoy learning and using. All you need to do is purchase the license.

Modo

This rendering software is used for polygon and surface modeling. Architects often use it for sculpting, 3D design, and animation. Modo is one of the rare rendering software programs that can be used for almost anything an architect needs.

It’s a program you should be itching to learn. All good architects need polygon and surface modeling, and Modo is one of the best choices for that.

A good thing about this software is that you can run it on all operating systems from Windows and Linux to macOS. A perfect tool for a good architect.

Blender

In Blender, you can create 3D animated films, videos, motion graphics, printed models, and many more. It’s something all good renderers should learn how to use if they want to seriously work 3D rendering.

Another use for Blender is for application making and computer game design. 3D rendering is a valuable tool for professions other than architecture.

Nevertheless, architects still use Blender for 3D rendering, and we highly recommend learning it if you want to work either as an architect or a graphic designer.

Blender is simply a must for everyone who wants to achieve high-quality renderings of both 2D or 3D objects, models, graphics, videos, and more. The best part is that it’s free to use.

Enscape

If you’re into virtual reality simulation, this plugin will serve you well. It is used in architecture, construction, engineering, and many more. Enscape offers a simple yet effective solution for all 3D rendering issues.

Enscape is one of the newest rendering programs. It was developed in 2015, and it has improved here and there ever since it came out. In essence, Enscape had a good basis to start off, and it is relatively easy to use and master.

If you are interested in some incredible 3D renderings and designs, then this is the perfect software for you.

The Wild

The Wild is one of the best collaboration software you can encounter nowadays. If you are working on group/team projects, this rendering software is the perfect choice for you and your team.

There are issues with using this program since it depends on the mutual skills of everyone using it. In other words, everyone who is collaborating with you will need to have sufficient experience with this program. Otherwise, there might be complications.

Nevertheless, once you learn how to properly use the program and everything it offers, then The Wild is one of the best choices you can make. That’s especially true if you and your team are working on highly-advanced 3D renderings of buildings, interior design, exterior design, and many more.

The Wild was founded in 2017, and it has remained pretty much the same ever since it came out. There were minor updates and fixes, but nothing drastically changed. We recommend checking out the first version as well if you are interested in starting to learn working in this program.

Objectively speaking, this program offers excellent value, and you should definitely learn it.

Archicad

Archicad is one of the finest building information modeling tools architects use, and they use it for a good reason. Archicad is one of the finest products which implements BIM, and you can create both 2D and 3D objects/models on your personal computer.

Archicad is not easy to learn, but it is worth it. You shouldn’t be able to imagine yourself doing advanced 3D renderings and models without a good rendering software like Archicad.

Think of Archicad as an advanced CAD program with numerous options and settings you can choose/adjust for your particular needs. If you’re looking for quality, then you shouldn’t be looking past Archicad by all means.

Conclusion

Overall, there are many 3D rendering software you should be using in 2022. All of the ones we have mentioned have their specific purposes and uses, and they will be popular in 2022 as well.

Naturally, your skill and experience will play a significant role here. We know for sure that your knowledge as an architectural 3D designer can improve the more time you spend learning one or more of these programs. All you need to do is not give up, and everything will become as clear as day.

We want to let you know that some programs like Blender, Archicad, Lumion, Revit, and Maxwell Render are some of the finest programs you should start learning as soon as possible if you want to do graphic design or 3D rendering for a living. They might not be the easiest to learn, but once you do it, it will be worth your while. Good luck and have fun with this!