Blender AI render add-on

The free PopNow add-on for Blender adds a PopNow tab to the 3D Viewport sidebar. Block out a scene with grey shapes, frame it with your camera, and PopNow paints it: a finished picture that keeps your composition, a short video that follows your camera move, or a seamless texture for the selected object. It uses your PopNow API key and the same credits as popnow.ai.

Download it from the Blender add-on page on popnow.ai (current version 0.1.0, about 58 KB, Windows, macOS and Linux, Blender 4.2 or newer).

What it does

Install in three steps

What a render looks like

1. Frame your shot with the camera, or switch the panel to Viewport.
2. Write what you want to see, pick a style and a model. The button shows the price.
3. The add-on renders the clay image, uploads it and gets an exact quote.
4. Click Start. Blender stays responsive while it runs; progress shows in the Tasks panel.
5. The result opens in the Image Editor and is saved in a popnow folder next to your .blend file.

Models and prices

Prices are in credits (1 credit = $0.01), match popnow.ai, and are the lowest tier of each model. The panel shows the estimate for your settings and you confirm the exact quote before anything starts.

If a generation fails, its held credits go back to your balance automatically and the Tasks panel says so. See Credits and refunds.

The API calls behind it

The add-on is an ordinary API client: it uploads the clay render, quotes, creates a task and polls it. If you script Blender yourself, or want the same result from a render farm, call the API directly. This is what Render with AI does with Seedream 5.0 Pro:

curl -X POST "https://api.popnow.ai/api/v1/jobs/createTask" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $POPNOW_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: $(uuidgen)" \
  -d '{"model": "bytedance/seedream-5.0-pro/edit", "input": {"prompt": "Turn this clay render into a sunlit cafe photo. Keep the camera, layout and silhouettes exactly.", "image_urls": ["popnow://f/fil_clay_render"], "aspect_ratio": "16:9", "resolution": "1k"}}'

import os, time, uuid, requests

API = "https://api.popnow.ai/api/v1"
H = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['POPNOW_API_KEY']}"}

def upload(path):
    data = open(path, "rb").read()
    ticket = requests.post(f"{API}/common/upload-url", headers=H, json={"contentType": "image/png", "bytes": len(data)}, timeout=30).json()["data"]
    requests.put(ticket["uploadUrl"], data=data, headers=ticket.get("headers", {}), timeout=120).raise_for_status()
    return requests.post(f"{API}/files/{ticket['fileId']}/commit", headers=H, timeout=30).json()["data"]["uri"]

clay = upload("/tmp/clay_render.png")
task = requests.post(
    f"{API}/jobs/createTask",
    headers={**H, "Idempotency-Key": str(uuid.uuid4())},
    json={
        "model": "bytedance/seedream-5.0-pro/edit",
        "input": {"prompt": "Turn this clay render into a sunlit cafe photo. Keep the camera, layout and silhouettes exactly.", "image_urls": [clay], "aspect_ratio": "16:9"},
    },
    timeout=30,
).json()["data"]

while task["state"] in ("queued", "running"):
    time.sleep(3)
    task = requests.get(f"{API}/jobs/recordInfo", headers=H, params={"taskId": task["taskId"]}, timeout=30).json()["data"]
print(task["state"], task.get("output", {}).get("assets", [{}])[0].get("url"))

const res = await fetch('https://api.popnow.ai/api/v1/jobs/quote', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.POPNOW_API_KEY}`, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    model: 'bytedance/seedream-5.0-pro/edit',
    input: { prompt: 'Turn this clay render into a sunlit cafe photo.', image_urls: ['https://media.popnow.ai/movie/lighthouse.webp'], aspect_ratio: '16:9' },
  }),
});
console.log((await res.json()).data.maxCredits, 'credits');

Replace popnow://f/fil_clay_render with the URI your own upload returns; see Media.

What leaves your computer

• Only the rendered clay image or preview clip and the reference images you pick. Your .blend file, meshes and textures stay on your machine.
• Your API key is kept in Blender's preferences, never inside a .blend file, so sharing a project never shares your key.
• Results download to a popnow folder next to your .blend file, or to a folder you choose.

Common errors

Is the Blender add-on free?

Yes. The add-on costs nothing; each generation uses PopNow credits from the same balance as popnow.ai, and the price is shown before you start.

Which Blender versions does it support?

Blender 4.2 and newer on Windows, macOS and Linux. It installs as a Blender extension with no extra Python packages.

Do I need a GPU?

No. Generation runs on PopNow. Your computer only makes a quick Workbench clay render, plus a one-sample Cycles pass if you ask for depth, normals or line art.

Can I use a local Stable Diffusion model instead?

No. The add-on calls models hosted on PopNow. For a local graph that also calls cloud models, use the ComfyUI node.

Blender is a registered trademark of the Blender Foundation. PopNow is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Blender Foundation.

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