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ImgToVid AI 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. ImgToVid AI starts at $19.90, Runway at $12. Both have a free tier. Only Runway ships a public API.

ImgToVid AITurns a single photo into a short AI video using Kling, Runway, or Luma models, picked per generation.RunwayVideo, image and audio generation studio built around the Gen-4.5 model, with mobile apps and a developer API

Side by side

FactImgToVid AIRunway
CategoryText-to-Video GeneratorsText-to-Video Generators
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$19.90 month$12 month
Public APINoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, API
Company—Runway AI, Inc.
Launched—2018
Last verifiedSep 1, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

ImgToVid AI

ImgToVid's real value is being a front end over several video models at once, so a user can try Kling, Runway, or Luma on the same photo without separate accounts. The free tier is capped to a weaker base model, and credits burn quickly once you switch to the named third-party models, which is where the real cost of this tool shows up.

Pros

  • Routes to multiple named video models (Kling, Runway, Luma) instead of locking users into one
  • Free tier allows unlimited basic generations with no card required
  • Rollover credits that don't expire, per the site's own claim
  • Commercial license included on paid plans

Cons

  • No company name or country disclosed anywhere on the site
  • Premium models consume credits quickly, so advertised video counts assume the cheaper models
  • No mention of an API for developers who want to automate the pipeline

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
  • Studio, 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 ImgToVid AI if you need

  • Users who want to compare Kling, Runway, and Luma output on the same source photo without juggling accounts
  • Marketers who need quick social clips in preset aspect ratios

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

More comparisons

All ImgToVid AI alternatives →All Runway alternatives →Browse all Text-to-Video Generators →