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BlendSplat

ADDON
📖3 min read
Gaussian Splatting in Blender (fast + free) by Nicko16

Introduction​

BlendSplat is a node-based asset library for working with 3D Gaussian Splats (3DGS) directly inside Blender. It is built around Geometry Nodes and EEVEE, rendering splats mostly in the shader to keep the viewport responsive. Unlike external-viewer workflows, BlendSplat lets you add, edit, and render splats natively, without a dedicated render engine or a separate application.

Key Takeaways​

Node-native GS toolchain

Add, edit, and render Gaussian Splats inside Blender's Geometry Nodes workflow.

Real-time viewport

Shader-based EEVEE rendering keeps the viewport responsive while you work.

Free + Blender-native

An alternative to external splat viewers. No separate render engine needed.

Installation​

  1. Get BlendSplat (free) from the Gumroad listing.
  2. Install via Preferences → Add-ons → Install, then enable.
  3. Requires Blender with EEVEE (Next) support and a GPU capable of real-time EEVEE rendering.

Usage​

Load a splat· import

Import a 3DGS splat into the scene and wire it into a Geometry Nodes setup.

Edit in the node tree· nodes

Add, edit, and adjust splat content natively. The shader-based rendering keeps interaction responsive in the viewport.

Explore in scene context· viewport

Place splat content alongside other scene elements (geometry, images, camera-matched references) and explore the result in real time. This is the core use for investigation context work.

In an Investigation​

Splat work inside Blender is part of the processing chain.

  • Method section: record the splat source (file and the tool that made it) and the Blender version that opened it.
  • Decision log: note the node edits you made (what you added or removed, and why). A reader should be able to replay the edits from the node tree.
  • Verification: export the edited splat and compare it against the source before treating the edited version as the working copy.

Limitations​

  • Focused on viewing/editing splats natively. It does not supply geometric measurement guarantees; use with measured photogrammetry for dimension-critical claims.
  • Requires EEVEE (Next) GPU support.
  • Community addon. Check the listing for Blender version support and current maintenance.

Resources​