A Comprehensive Review of Free Renderforest and Comparison to Paid Versions

Whether you're a beginner with limited video editing skills, a small business owner with limited resources, or a freelancer shuffling multiple projects, finding the right tool can make all the difference. Design and video creation platforms like Renderforest have become essential for creating good-quality content.

Renderforest is a versatile online and mobile application that offers services for video creation, graphic and website design, logos, presentations, and mockups. With its user-friendly interface, comprehensive features, and different price plans, Renderforest has earned a reputation as a platform for creators at all levels.

Renderforest has a free plan that you can use as long as you want. However, it also has subscription plans with varying features.

But here’s the real question: is the free Renderforest enough, or is it worth investing in one of the paid plans? This article will expound on Renderforest’s free version and its paid subscriptions to help you make an informed decision.

Part 1. Free Renderforest: Features, Products and Tools

Several tools offer limited features in their free versions while others offer a limited trial period to explore available tools for free. So when it comes to free online tools, it’s easy to wonder if "free" really means "usable”, or if it’s just a marketing gimmick.

Here’s how much you can achieve with Renderforest free plan!

Video Editing

Renderforest recognizes the importance of videos for brands and businesses that want to connect with their audience. They offer a vast collection of free templates for different video types including animation videos, intros and logos, slideshows, presentations, video ads, social media videos, sales videos, and music visualization.

Video Editing Features Accessible for Free:

• Professional templates
• Text-to-Speech features
• Addition of background music & voiceovers
• Colors and color palettes
• Transition options

Video Editing Features Not Accessible for Free:

• Font editing
• Audio upload
• Watermark removal/customization
• HD 1080export options
• Video duration exceeding 3 mins

Beginners who need a simple and intuitive platform for basic video editing can use free Renderforest if watermarked and a low video resolution isn’t a big deal. However, consider upgrading if you need to create videos for commercial purposes or client projects where watermark-free, higher-resolution output is vital.

Logo Creation

Renderforest has an online logo maker you can use to create unique and professional logos easily using AI. This logo design tool has a template collection that covers several categories including sports, nature, food and drinks, service industry, animals, gaming, etc. You can easily pick anyone and customize it to suit your brand style and message.

Creating a logo on Renderforest is a three-step process:

• Adding a brand name, tagline, and brand keywords
• Helping AI to generate the best logo
• Downloading your finished brand logo

If you haven’t decided on a business name yet, Renderforest has an AI Business Name Generator you can use.

Logo Design Features Accessible for Free:

• Logo templates
• Text editing with a font library
• Logo icons for different categories
• Color palette
• Text layout options
• Background color
• JPG (low-quality) download format

Logo Design Features Not Accessible for Free:

• High-quality JPG, PNG, and SVG vector download formats
• Full brand design kit

This tool is ideal for small business owners, freelancers, or service providers looking to create a simple logo without extensive design knowledge. However, consider upgrading if you need high-quality logos free of watermarks, or logos in vector formats for professional use.

Mockups Generation

From men’s t-shirts and takeaway cups to banners and beauty products, Renderforest allows users to visualize designs in real-world settings with photorealistic mockup templates. This free online mockup generator helps in product promotions across various industries including fashion & clothing, food, interior decor, book, fitness, gadgets, beauty, marketing, and logistics brands, among others.

Features Accessible for Free:

• Mockup templates
• Design upload options
• Color settings

Features Not Accessible for Free:

• High-resolution mockups

Generating mockups on Renderforest for free is not very functional, except if you’re a design hobbyist who needs mockups for personal projects or portfolios as mockups downloaded in the free version are watermarked. To save your mockups without watermarks, make a one-time purchase of $5 or become a subscriber.

AI Website Building & Design

Renderforest’s online design maker makes creating visuals for different design projects fast and easy. You can customize any available design templates for social media flyers, thumbnail kits, presentations, reports, lesson plans, pitch decks, resume templates, certificates, letterheads, etc.

Renderforest’s website builder creates, customizes, and launches responsive websites in different industries including marketing, art & design, real estate, yoga, mental health, photography, etc.

Features Accessible for Free:

• Text editing options
• Design elements like shapes, arrows, stickers, emojis, gifs, image holders, frames, and categorized elements.
• Icons
• Image upload options including built-in stock images,
• Different design/style options
• Low-quality JPG download option
• Basic website templates

Features Not Accessible for Free:

• High-quality JPG and PDF download options
• Shareable public link for designs
• Custom domain

Small businesses testing the online presence without significant investment and those who cannot afford to pay professional designers can benefit from Renderforest’s design tool. However, if you prioritize high-quality designs, you might want to subscribe to a premium plan.

Part 2: Limitations of the Renderforest Free Version

While free Renderforest offers several tools to get your creative projects off the ground, these tools come with limitations that may prevent more advanced editing for professional projects. These limitations can affect the quality, functionality, and flexibility of the final video or design. They include:

Watermarks on Exports

Whether you're exporting a video, logo, or mockup, the free version has watermarks on ALL designs. Exports without watermarks are only available on the paid plans.

Limited Export Options

Free Renderforest limits video exports to low resolutions, which can appear pixelated on larger screens. Higher resolutions, such as HD 1080p, are reserved for paid plans.

Cloud Storage

Free Renderforest provides only about 500MB of cloud storage which can quickly become insufficient if you're working on multiple projects or handling larger files. Paid plans offer increased storage of up to 50GBB.

Time and Length Restrictions

For video making, free users are limited to a maximum video length of 3 minutes which is fine for short clips, intros, or personal projects. Longer videos, however, may require a subscription plan. [a]

Part 3: Use Case Comparison: Free Renderforest Vs Pro Versions

Now that you’ve gotten a detailed breakdown of what you can do with free Renderforest and the features you can unlock with a premium subscription, here is a comparison table that will help you decide which plan suits your requirements best.

As the same features differ between the free and paid plans, so does the level of creative control. Beginners or hobbyists working on personal projects or playing around with different design tools can get away with using Renderforest for free.

However, if you fall into any of the following categories— an intermediate-level editor, a beginner designing for work, a full-time content creator, or a freelancer—you need the advanced customizations and customized watermark options of a paid subscription.

Part 4: Make the Most Use of Free Renderforest

Despite limitations like watermarks and low export quality, you can still work with free Renderforest to create amazing projects. Whether you're making videos, designing logos, or building websites, here are some tips to help you make the most of Renderforest without paying for an upgrade.

1. Adjust Your Project Layout

The watermark in the free Renderforest can be a significant issue, especially if it covers important parts of your design or video. So, when designing videos or logos, avoid placing key elements (like texts or graphics) near the areas where the watermark typically appears. Choose a project layout so the watermark ends up in less noticeable corners.

2. Crop Out Watermarks Using Third-Party Tools

Once you've exported a video from Renderforest, you can use third-party tools to remove the watermark by cropping it out. This may be the built-in video editor on your phone or computer or a simple video editing tool like Inshot.

This method works best when the watermark is near the edges of the video.



3. Blur Out Watermarks

In cases where cropping the watermark would cut out important elements of your video, consider blurring out the watermark to make it less noticeable. You can do this using video editing sites like Renderforest. An example is Wondershare Filmora.

Steps to Blur Watermarks with Filmora

Here is how to remove watermarks from videos using Filmora’s AI Object Remover.

Step 1: Download Filmora on your computer and follow the given instructions to set it up. This should only take a few minutes.

Stabilize Videos with Wondershare Filmora

• Superb video stabilization with low distortion.
• Vast video/audio effects and creative assets.
• Powerful AI for effortless content creation.
• Intuitive, professional yet beginner-friendly.
• Works on Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android.

Get Started for Free Get Started for Free Learn More

Step 2: Open Filmora and Import the video you want to edit. Drag and drop the video you want to edit on the timeline.

Step 3: Click on the two arrows pointing to the right on the timeline toolbar and select AI object Remover from the drop-down menu.

AI will analyze your video.

Step 4: Move the brush over the watermark you want to remove, then click Remove on the bottom left corner of your screen. Repeat this for every scene in your video if it has multiple scenes. You can adjust your brush size to fit the size of your video. Click on Generate when you’re done.

Step 4: AI will track the watermark you want to remove. This dialogue box shows that the watermark removal is in progress.

The watermark removal will continue on the timeline. It may take a few seconds or minutes depending on the length of your video.

Once it is done, your edited video without a watermark is ready. Click on Export to download and save the video without watermark.

1. Improve Low-Quality Videos Using Third-Party Tools

Free Renderforest limits video export to 360p SD, which can result in low-quality videos, especially for larger screens. However, you can enhance the video quality after export using video editors like Filmora.

Steps to Improve Video Quality in Filmora

Step 1: Import the video you want to edit to Filmora. Drag and drop them on the timeline.



Step 2: Select your video clip on the timeline and click on the two arrows pointing to the right on the timeline toolbar. Click Edit.



Step 3: Scroll down and activate Auto Enhance. You can adjust the amount of auto-enhance you want to apply to your video.



You can also make any other adjustments to suit your video needs. Click Ok when you’re done.

Step 4: Click on Export and select the desired resolution.



You can also select your video format and adjust your frame rate here. Once you’re done, click Export.

2. Use Free Stock Resources

The free version of Renderforest has a limited stock media collection which may not satisfy your editing needs.

A solution to this is to download from websites, like Freepik, that provide free stock media that you can import into Renderforest projects. Tools like Filmora, have a free and accessible media library with unlimited stock images, videos, sounds, and effects.

By supplementing Renderforest with external resources or stock media from Filmora, you can elevate the quality of your projects without upgrading to a paid plan.

Part 5: How to Download Renderforest for PC

Although Renderforest is primarily designed as an online tool and a mobile application, you can still use it on a PC if you prefer the convenience of working on a larger screen or need a desktop setup. While no sites allow Renderforest download for PC, you can install Renderforest using these two methods— software that turns websites into desktop apps and Android simulators.

Method 1: Using Software to Turn Websites into Desktop Apps

Tools like WebCatalog turn websites into standalone desktop applications. This allows you to access Renderforest directly from your Windows or Mac, like any other software.

Steps to Turn Renderforest Website into a Desktop App

Step 1: Download WeCatalog for Windows or Mac. Install and open the software.

Step 2: Once the software is installed, enter Renderforest’s URL on WebCatalog. Click on Install in the results to generate a desktop app for the Renderforest website.

After creating the desktop app, you can access it from your desktop and you’ll have direct access to Renderforest on your PC without needing to open a browser each time.

Method 2: Using Android Simulators

If you prefer to use the mobile version of Renderforest on your PC, android emulators like Bluestacks or Noxplayer allow you to run the mobile app directly on your computer. This is a great option if you’re more familiar with the mobile interface but want the benefits of using a larger screen.

Steps to Installing Renderforest Using an Android Simulator

Step 1: Install Renderfoorest through BlueStacks, First, install the Android emulator on your PC.

Step 2: Once you’ve set up BlueStacks on your PC, sign into Google Play and search for Renderforest. Download and install the app like you would on your mobile phone.

You can replace BlureStackks with your preferred Android emulator, the installation process is generally the same.

Conclusion

Despite the limited features of Renderforest’s free version, you can create high-quality videos by adding finishing touches and improving their quality using other tools like Filmora. Unlike other sites like Renderforest, this editing software is only available online and on mobile devices.

But not to worry! If you’re keen on having this software on your computer, two easy-to-use software ensure Renderforest download for pc. They are easy to install and allow you to use web or mobile app versions of Renderforest, depending on your preference.