Skip to content
DATASHEET // INSTANT-NGP

Instant-NGP

NVIDIA's seconds-to-train hash-grid NeRF.

OPEN SOURCE8–12 GB VRAMRuns locally
Actually FreeNo SignupWatermark-FreeHobbyist-OK
Visit Instant-NGPUPDATED 2025-03-14 · DIRECT LINK
github.com/NVlabs/instant-ngp
Instant-NGP — preview image

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS //

Runs locally · Entry GPU (6–8 GB)

8–12 GB VRAM
Min VRAM
8 GB
Rec. VRAM
12 GB
Min RAM
16 GB
Rec. RAM
16 GB
Disk
10 GB
GPU class
Entry GPU
11.0+No Apple SiliconGPU RequiredQuant: FP16

Comfortable on a 2060/3060. CUDA arch 75+ required.

[ EDITORIAL PICK ]

Why we recommend Instant-NGP

DERIVED FROM METADATA — NOT SPONSORED
  • Genuinely free

    No paywall, no signup wall — you can use Instant-NGP today without handing over an email.

  • Runs on 8 GB

    Comfortable on a mid-range consumer card — no need to remortgage for an A100.

  • Beginner-friendly

    You don't need to read a paper before getting your first result — sensible defaults and a quick install.

[ EVIDENCE NOTE ]

Documentation-led datasheet

This page summarizes upstream documentation, release information, and editorially reviewed catalogue fields. It is not presented as a hands-on benchmark. Verify changing requirements at the official project; report stale data through our corrections channel.

AT-A-GLANCE SIGNALS //

DERIVED FROM THIS PAGE'S DATA
  • Install difficulty
    Standard

    A standard local install — download, install dependencies, point at your GPU.

  • Hardware comfort
    Mainstream

    Needs 8 GB minimum — RTX 3060 12GB or 4070 territory.

  • Ecosystem
    Standard

    Not open source and no public API — what you see is what you get.

  • Verification
    Stale

    489 days since the last refresh — treat hardware numbers as a floor, not a ceiling.

[ MORE IN THIS NICHE ]

Other 3d & spatial tools we rate

Three picks across different tradeoffs — so you don't end up with three near-clones of Instant-NGP.

LIGHTEST HARDWARE //

Nerfstudio

The open framework for NeRF and Gaussian Splatting research.

OPEN SOURCE8–24 GB VRAM
BEST FREE OPTION //

3D Gaussian Splatting

The INRIA original — train your own splats.

OPEN SOURCE12–24 GB VRAM
TOP QUALITY //

Luma AI

Phone-scan to NeRF, Genie text-to-3D, and Dream Machine video.

FREEMIUM · $30/MOCLOUD · NO GPU

What is Instant-NGP?

Instant-NGP from NVIDIA Research showed NeRFs could train in seconds instead of hours by replacing the MLP with a multi-resolution hash grid. Largely superseded by Gaussian Splatting in 2024+, but still relevant if you want a NeRF specifically and want it fast.

Pros & cons

✓ PROS

  • Seconds-to-minutes NeRF training (was hours before)
  • Real-time interactive viewer
  • Tiny model footprint per scene

– CONS

  • Largely superseded by Gaussian Splatting in quality + speed
  • Non-commercial licence
  • CUDA-only; no Apple Silicon path

What's actually free?

NVIDIA Source Code License — free for non-commercial research.

✓ Actually FreeNo SignupWatermark-Free

Alternatives

Nerfstudio

The open framework for NeRF and Gaussian Splatting research.

OPEN SOURCE8–24 GB VRAM
VRAM fit8–24 GB