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Runway vs Vidu

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
Vidu — $10/mo vs $12/mo for Runway
Free plan
Both have one
Public API
Both have one
Higher Trust score
Runway — 98 vs 86 for Vidu
Best fit
Runway: Filmmakers and studios prototyping shots and VFX before committing budget · Vidu: Creators making multi-shot clips with a consistent character

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

RunwayVideo, image and audio generation suite built around the Gen-4.5 model, with mobile apps and a developer APIViduAI video generator that makes clips from text, images or several reference images while keeping characters consistent.

Side by side

FactRunwayVidu
CategoryText-to-Video GeneratorsText-to-Video Generators
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$12/mo$10/mo
Public APIYesYes
Trust score98 / 10086 / 100
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb, API
CompanyRunway AI, Inc.ShengShu AI HK Limited
Launched2018—
Last verifiedOct 15, 2026Oct 29, 2026

What our research says

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

Vidu

Vidu is worth a look for creators and marketers who need the same character or product to stay recognisable across several AI shots. Users who need commercial rights without paying, or who are uncomfortable with uploads being used for model training, should read the terms first.

Pros

  • Reference-to-video keeps subjects consistent across shots
  • Text, image and reference inputs in one tool
  • Published USD plans from $10/month
  • API platform for programmatic use

Cons

  • Commercial use only on paid plans
  • Credit cost varies by model and clip settings
  • Template library leans toward novelty effects

Which one fits

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

Choose Vidu if you need

  • Creators making multi-shot clips with a consistent character
  • Marketers producing product videos from reference photos
  • Developers who want the same models via API

Runway vs Vidu: the questions people ask

Is Runway cheaper than Vidu?

On published entry prices, Vidu starts lower — $10/mo against $12/mo for Runway. Entry price is the lowest paid plan as we last verified it; what each plan includes differs.

Does Runway or Vidu have a free tier?

Both: Runway has a free tier, and Vidu has a free tier.

Which has a public API, Runway or Vidu?

Both ship a public API, so either can be built on; the fact table above shows the platforms each one runs on.

More comparisons

All Runway alternatives →All Vidu alternatives →Browse all Text-to-Video Generators →