The Houdini render farm built with SideFX. Render frames and run simulations- Pyro, FLIP, Vellum, Axiom, Paradigm - on a global CPU and GPU pool, submitted straight from your Houdini session. Automatic asset gathering. No new workflow.
Why Houdini artists and studios choose GridMarkets
Built with SideFX
GridMarkets has been an official SideFX partner since 2015. The Houdini integration was designed alongside SideFX and has been maintained through every release, including the current version, with support for TOPs, Solaris/USD, and GPU simulation solvers as they shipped.
We run simulations, not just frames
GridMarkets runs Houdini simulations: Pyro, FLIP, Vellum, RBD, GPU solvers like Axiom & Paradigm, and more, directly in the cloud. Results stay cached for rendering, so there’s no need to move hundreds of GB of data. Chain sims and renders in a single submission, with full dependency support.
Native Solaris USD Submission
Submit USD directly from LOPs with full asset gathering of nested USDs without any export workarounds. Runs Husk with support for Redshift, Arnold and V-Ray Hydra delegates.
TOPs/PDG
Run TOPs/PDG graphs with dependency chaining on the farm, so wedging, procedural iterations and multi-stage pipelines distribute properly instead of being flattened into a frame list.
Costs you can predict before you commit
Per-second billing, with data, storage, and renderer licences included. Set a credit cap to stop runaway renders. Credits never expire. Use our Cost & Time Calculator to estimate a full sequence. Students and schools get bonus programmes.
Security designed for production work
Each job runs in its own isolated environment, connected only to your allocated storage. Worker nodes are never exposed to the Internet, and content is encrypted at rest and in transit. The platform follows MPA/MPAA common security guidelines. Full security detail
Scales from one artist to a full studio
Start with up to 5 concurrent machines on Economy, or scale to 50 on Standard and 100 on Rush. Ramp up or down as needed, always under your control. Studios can connect local and GridMarkets jobs through Deadline and manage artists and credits from the Admin Portal.
What artists say
Renderers and features
Per-job credit caps - set a budget ceiling before you submit, and get alerted or have your jobs automatically stopped or suspended
Python 2.x & 3.x supported
Dependency chaining in ROPs
OS-agnostic pathing - absolute and relative for Windows, Linux or MacOS
Multiple 1st & 3rd party plugins: SideFX Labs, Axiom Solver, Paradigm Solver & MOPs"
How GridMarkets compares
GridMarkets
Typical render farm
SideFX Relationship
Versions supported
Submission
Houdini simulations
GPU sim solvers
Solaris / USD
TOPs / PDG
Transfer, storage & licences
Per-job budget cap
Official partner since 2015
All production versions since 19.0
From inside Houdini
Yes - sims run and cache on the farm
Supported
Native USD submission from LOPs
Supported, with dependency chaining
Included in the machine rate
Yes, set before submitting
Not permitted
Limited
Web upload or separate client
Frame rendering only
Rarely supported
Export and re-import workflow
Rarely supported
Often billed separately
Uncommon
Pay in multiple currencies
Return of results
150+ supported or via bank transfer
Remote job monitoring
Automatic via Envoy
Via Envoy Mobile
Few payment options
Usually manual
Not available
How it works
Get started in 3 easy steps
Sign up and get 5 free credits. NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED.
Create your account
Download Envoy and install the plugin to submit directly from Houdini
Submit
Review the Preflight window to check assets and set a budget before anything is submitted.
Track progress in Envoy or the mobile-friendly version to monitor your files and submissions, while frames or sim caches are automatically returned as they finish.
Monitor & download
Introduction to Houdini with GridMarkets
Watch this 4 minutes introduction to Houdini with GridMarkets.
This video is an introduction where we explain the main advantages of using GridMarkets for your Houdini projects. We also give a brief overview of each of our services, linking to dedicated content for every section.
Learn how to get the most out of your Houdini projects, optimize your simulation workflows, and speed up your renders, whether working in LOPs or ROPs. Perfect for 3D artists, VFX artists, and Houdini students looking to streamline their rendering workflows.
► Learn even more by visiting our tutorial page - https://www.gridmarkets.com/tutorials
► Watch our full Houdini tutorial playlist - Media - YouTube Houdini Tutorials
Pricing
$0.37
per machine-hour
Billed by the second. Transfer, storage and licences included. Set a credit cap per job so you never spend more than you planned.
Need maximum throughput? Ultra nodes deliver roughly 6× faster a Ryzen 9 9950X3D with 380GB RAM, at $20/hour. for Houdini.
Send your first Houdini job today
5 free credits. No credit card. Submit from inside Houdini in three steps.
Questions? Contact us at support@gridmarkets.com
Have a question?
Check our frequently asked questions.
You cannot find the answer? Contact our support team at support@gridmarkets.com