Render Monitor

You can watch your current render progress remotely

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Render Monitor iOS App

Inspiration

I’ve been working with Blender for over 3 years, and while rendering complex animations, I often found myself constantly checking progress, estimating time left, and worrying about system performance. That’s when it struck me why not create a native iOS app to monitor renders remotely?

This wasn’t just about convenience. It was about building something that I, and many other Blender users, truly needed.

The Journey

I officially started learning iOS development in July. As an indie developer, everything was new from Swift to Firebase, from UI design to App Store submissions. Each step felt like a small mountain to climb, but the process itself became a journey of self-discovery.

By the first week of August, I began work on Render Monitor. At that point, I didn’t even know how to:

  • Write a Blender add-on
  • Set up a backend or database on Firebase
  • Implement In-App Purchases (IAPs)

But slowly, step by step, I figured things out.

Challenges Faced

  • Blender Add-on: Writing my first add-on in Python was intimidating, but I realized it was just about sending metadata and previews to Firebase.
  • In-App Purchases: The toughest hurdle. Even with RevenueCat’s documentation, I spent hours debugging. My funniest (but painful) mistake? I named my entitlement pro, but in code I was checking for Pro. That single capital letter cost me an entire day of frustration.
  • Ambitious Features: I wanted to include Live Activities in version 1. By early September, I had to make a tough call drop it for now and revisit in the next update. A hard but important lesson: sometimes shipping matters more than perfection.
  • App Store Review: This was the ultimate test of patience. It took 2+ weeks and two rejections before my app was finally approved. Each rejection stung, but also taught me how meticulous Apple’s review process can be.

Launch

Finally, on 22nd September at 9 AM IST, my app went live on the App Store. This was my first ever published app and my second production-ready app overall. The feeling was indescribable a mix of relief, joy, and excitement.

Learnings

Through this project, I learned that:

  • Building apps is less about speed, more about persistence.
  • Documentation (like RevenueCat’s) can be your best friend.
  • Small details (like case sensitivity in code) can make or break things.
  • The App Store review process is a marathon, not a sprint.

Looking Ahead

This is just the beginning. I plan to:

  • Add Live Activities in version 2
  • Improve the UI/UX for smoother workflows
  • Expand monitoring features with more granular controls

This project was born out of curiosity, fueled by frustration, and completed through persistence. More than just an app, it’s a reminder that even as a solo indie developer, with patience and continuous learning, it’s possible to turn an idea into a reality.

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