AI Image to Video vs Runway

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors.

The short answer

Cheaper paid plan: AI Image to Video — $7.99/mo vs $12/mo for Runway
Free plan: Only Runway (AI Image to Video has paid plans only)
Public API: Runway has one; not confirmed by us for AI Image to Video
Higher Trust score: Runway — 98 vs 64 for AI Image to Video
Best fit: AI Image to Video: comparing Seedance, Veo, Kling and Runway output on the same still · Runway: Filmmakers and studios prototyping shots and VFX before committing budget

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

AI Image to VideoAnimates a still image into a 5-12 second clip using Seedance, Veo, Kling, Wan, Runway or Hailuo.

RunwayVideo, image and audio generation suite built around the Gen-4.5 model, with mobile apps and a developer API

Side by side

Fact	AI Image to Video	Runway
Category	Text-to-Video Generators	Text-to-Video Generators
Pricing model	Paid	Freemium
Starts at	$7.99/mo	$12/mo
Public API	Not confirmed	Yes
Trust score	64 / 100	98 / 100
Platforms	Web	Web, iOS, Android, API
Company	—	Runway AI, Inc.
Launched	—	2018
Last verified	Oct 15, 2026	Oct 15, 2026

What our research says

AI Image to Video

A cheap way to try several commercial video models from one credit balance without holding six subscriptions. What you give up is any relationship with the vendor: no company name, no country, no terms you can pin to a legal entity. Treat it as a disposable credit wallet rather than a tool you standardise on.

Pros

Routes to several named commercial models from one account
Entry plan is $7.99 a month, cheaper than most single-model subscriptions
Commercial licensing stated as included on the Pro and Studio plans
1080p output and clip lengths up to 12 seconds

Cons

No company name or country published anywhere, and the terms name no governing law
No free tier — the cheapest way in is $7.99
Clips cap at 12 seconds
Credits per clip depend on model and quality setting, so the plan allowances do not translate into a fixed number of videos
The Starter card does not list the commercial-use licence that Pro and Studio carry

Runway

One of the few AI video vendors with a full pipeline - generation, editing, upscaling, API - rather than a single model demo, and its film-industry adoption is real. The catch is credit economics: high-resolution generations drain a month's allowance quickly, so the advertised entry price rarely reflects working costs.

Pros

Gen-4.5 delivers strong motion consistency and prompt adherence
Suite, mobile apps and API cover creation through delivery
Max tier exports ProRes and 16-bit HDR for professional finishing
Long operating history (since 2018) compared with newer video startups

Cons

Credit-metered pricing makes real monthly cost hard to predict
Premium models and formats sit behind the more expensive tiers
The free plan is effectively a one-time demo

Which one fits

Choose AI Image to Video if you need

comparing Seedance, Veo, Kling and Runway output on the same still
social clips from product or portrait photos
occasional users who do not want a per-model subscription

Choose Runway if you need

Filmmakers and studios prototyping shots and VFX before committing budget
Marketing and social teams producing short generated clips at volume
Developers who want a video-generation API from an established vendor