Katana
3D rendering software
3D design software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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$374 per year
Free Trial
Free version unavailable
Small
Medium
Large
- Media and communications
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation
- Agriculture, fishing, and forestry
What is Katana
Katana is a node-based 3D look development and lighting application used to assemble scenes, manage assets, and render shots in visual effects and animation pipelines. It targets studios and technical artists who need to handle complex, multi-shot workflows with consistent lighting and shading. The product emphasizes pipeline integration, scalable scene graph management, and support for multiple renderers through a plug-in architecture.
Pipeline-oriented scene assembly
Katana is designed for studio pipelines where assets, shots, and versions change frequently. Its node graph and scene graph approach supports non-destructive overrides and shot-based variations without duplicating full scenes. This fits teams that need consistent look development across many shots and sequences.
Multi-renderer integration options
Katana supports integration with multiple third-party renderers via official and partner plug-ins, enabling studios to standardize workflows while choosing render back ends. It can manage renderer-specific settings through nodes and templates. This is useful in environments where different productions or departments use different rendering technologies.
Scales to complex productions
Katana is commonly used for large, heavy scenes with many assets, lights, and render layers. It provides tools for managing render passes/AOVs, lighting rigs, and shot overrides in a structured way. Compared with general-purpose 3D creation tools, it focuses more on production-scale lighting and lookdev management than on modeling or animation authoring.
Not a full DCC suite
Katana is not intended to replace end-to-end 3D creation tools for modeling, sculpting, rigging, or animation. Most teams still rely on other applications to create geometry, rigs, and motion, then bring assets into Katana for lookdev and lighting. This increases the need for robust pipeline tooling and interchange standards.
Steep learning curve
The node-based workflow and pipeline concepts (scene graph, overrides, templates, render layers) require training, especially for users coming from simpler, all-in-one 3D tools. Effective use often depends on established studio conventions and technical direction. Smaller teams may find the setup overhead high relative to simpler rendering-focused applications.
Licensing and infrastructure needs
Katana is typically deployed in professional environments with centralized asset management, render farm capacity, and IT support. Total cost can include commercial licensing plus renderer licenses and pipeline integration work. Organizations without this infrastructure may struggle to realize its benefits compared with lighter-weight tools.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive (new customers — up to 10 interactive seats; minimum 3 year term) | $2,499 per year | Interactive artist session license; 3Delight interactive rendering included; access to technical support; price subject to applicable taxes; "Request callback" on site. |
| Interactive (existing customers / studios requiring more than 10 interactive seats) | $4,869 per year | Interactive artist session license; 3Delight interactive rendering included; access to technical support; price subject to applicable taxes; "Request callback" on site. |
| Katana Foresight Rendering (render / command-line / batch) | $374 per year | Unlocks Katana's Foresight Rendering (batch, shell, script mode); required for command-line rendering with renderer plugins; price subject to applicable taxes; "Request callback" on site. |
Seller details
Foundry
London, United Kingdom
1996
Private
https://www.foundry.com/
https://x.com/foundry
https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundry
