Nerfstudio
The open framework for NeRF and Gaussian Splatting research.
Open Source 8–24 GB VRAM
- Min VRAM
- 8 GB
- GPU class
- Mid GPU
- Quant
- FP32
Actually FreeNo SignupOpen SourceWatermark-Free
3D Gaussian Splatting
The INRIA original — train your own splats.
Open Source 12–24 GB VRAMRuns locally
Actually FreeNo SignupWatermark-Free
Visit 3D Gaussian SplattingUpdated 2025-08-25 · Direct link
Hardware requirements
Runs locally · Mid GPU (12 GB)
Min VRAM
12 GB
Rec. VRAM
24 GB
Min RAM
16 GB
Rec. RAM
32 GB
Disk
20 GB
GPU class
Mid GPU
11.6+No Apple SiliconGPU RequiredQuant: FP32
Hard floor at 12 GB; 24 GB needed for typical room-scale scenes.
Screenshot placeholder · 3D Gaussian Splatting
What is 3D Gaussian Splatting?
The original Gaussian Splatting code release from INRIA / Université Côte d'Azur — the paper that broke NeRF's stranglehold by being faster to train and dramatically faster to render. Not as friendly as Nerfstudio, but it's the reference for the technique that's now everywhere in 3D capture.
Pros & cons
Pros
- The reference implementation — every paper compares against this
- Real-time rendering (>100 FPS) for trained scenes
- Significantly faster training than NeRF for similar quality
Cons
- Non-commercial licence — must relicense for commercial use
- No batteries-included pipeline; bring your own COLMAP run
- Windows support is unofficial and fiddly
What's actually free?
Free for academic / non-commercial research; commercial use requires INRIA licence.
✓ Actually FreeNo SignupWatermark-Free
Alternatives
Instant-NGP
NVIDIA's seconds-to-train hash-grid NeRF.
Open Source 8–12 GB VRAM
- Min VRAM
- 8 GB
- GPU class
- Entry GPU
- Quant
- FP16
Actually FreeNo SignupWatermark-FreeHobbyist-Friendly