Design & Media Free Tier

Runway

Runway is an AI platform that generates and edits realistic videos, images, and characters from text prompts or reference media, used by filmmakers and creative teams to produce cinematic content without traditional production.

Last updated 2026-05-04
Our Take
Runway is the most production-ready AI video platform on the market, mixing its own frontier models with the best third-party generators in one editor. It's aimed squarely at professionals — filmmakers, agencies, and studios — and the $12 Standard tier is genuinely usable for paid creative work. If you just want to make TikToks, it's overkill; if you're producing commercials or short films, it's hard to beat.
Best For
Filmmakers, VFX artists, advertising creatives, and enterprise media teams who need high-fidelity AI video generation and editing. Also fits architecture and gaming studios using AI to accelerate visualization and storyboarding.
Platforms
Web · API
Pros
Frontier Gen-4.5 video quality
Bundles Veo, Kling, Sora access
Used by Lionsgate and major studios
Custom node-based Workflows
Real performance capture with Act-Two
Cons
Credit system depletes fast
Free tier is heavily limited
No mobile or desktop apps
Unlimited tier costs $76/user

How It Works

1
Sign up and choose a model like Gen-4.5, Aleph, or Act-Two based on your goal
2
Upload reference images, video, or write a text prompt describing the scene or edit you want
3
Generate, refine, and iterate using apps like Remove from Video, Relight Scene, or Change Backdrop
4
Chain models together with custom node-based Workflows for advanced control
5
Export final video or image, or integrate via API into production pipelines

Plans

Free
$0
125 one-time credits
Standard
$12/user/mo (annual)
625 credits/month
Pro
$28/user/mo (annual)
2,250 credits/month
Unlimited
$76/user/mo (annual)
2,250 credits/month plus Explore Mode
Enterprise
Custom
SSO and advanced security

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Runway cost?
Runway starts free with 125 one-time credits. Paid plans run $12/user/mo (Standard), $28/user/mo (Pro), and $76/user/mo (Unlimited) when billed annually, with custom Enterprise pricing available.
Is Runway free to use?
Yes, Runway has a free tier with 125 one-time credits, roughly enough for 25 seconds of Gen-4 Turbo video. However, the free tier excludes the flagship Gen-4.5 model and outputs include watermarks.
What is Runway Gen-4.5?
Gen-4.5 is Runway's flagship video generation model, marketed as offering state-of-the-art motion quality, prompt adherence, and visual fidelity. It's available on Standard plans and above.
Can Runway edit existing video?
Yes. Runway Aleph is built specifically for video editing tasks like changing lighting, restyling shots, removing or adding elements, and changing backdrops or time of day — all driven by text prompts.
Does Runway have an API?
Yes, Runway offers an API for developers, including a Robotics SDK and the new Runway Characters API for building real-time conversational video agents.
What's the difference between Runway and Sora?
Runway is a full creative platform with proprietary models (Gen-4.5, Aleph, Act-Two), editing tools, and Workflows. It also gives you access to Sora 2 Pro alongside Veo, Kling, and other models inside one subscription.
Who uses Runway?
Runway is used by film studios like Lionsgate, advertising agencies (e.g., Under Armour campaigns), Amazon series like 'House of David', and architectural firms like KPF. It targets professional creative and enterprise users.
Can I remove the Runway watermark?
Watermark removal is available starting on the Standard plan ($12/user/month annually). Free tier outputs are watermarked across all video models.

Integrations

24 native integrations across 5 categories
Including Proprietary Models, Third-Party Video Models, Third-Party Image Models, Language & Audio Models, Hardware & Partnerships
Proprietary Models
Gen-4.5Gen-4Gen-4 TurboAlephAct-TwoGWM-1
Third-Party Video Models
Veo 3.1Veo 3Sora 2 ProKling 3.0 ProSeedance 2.0WAN2.6 Pro
Third-Party Image Models
FLUX.2 [max]Seedream 5.0Nano Banana 2Nano Banana Pro
Language & Audio Models
Claude Opus 4.6Gemini 3 ProGemini 2.5Eleven v3
Hardware & Partnerships
NVIDIA Vera RubinLionsgateUCLAKPF

Alternatives to Runway

How Runway fits in: Unlike single-purpose generators like Sora or Pika, Runway bundles state-of-the-art proprietary models (Gen-4.5, Aleph, Act-Two) with third-party models (Veo, Kling, Sora, FLUX) and a full editing toolkit in one professional workflow.
Midjourney
Midjourney is an AI image and video generation tool that turns text prompts into highly stylized, artistic visuals.
Descript
Descript is an all-in-one video and podcast editor that lets you edit audio and video by editing the auto-generated transcript, like a Google Doc.
Pictory
Pictory is an AI video generator that turns text, scripts, blogs, PowerPoints, URLs, and images into polished videos with auto-captions, AI voiceovers, and avatars in minutes.

Try Runway

Start with the free tier — no credit card needed.

Visit Runway →