Skip to content
effecthub

Runway vs Viva AI

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. Runway starts at $12, Viva AI at $6. Both have a free tier. Only Runway ships a public API.

RunwayVideo, image and audio generation studio built around the Gen-4.5 model, with mobile apps and a developer APIViva AIText or image to video, stills and 3D models, priced in credits from $6 a month.

Side by side

FactRunwayViva AI
CategoryText-to-Video GeneratorsText-to-Video Generators
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$12 month$6 month
Public APIYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb
CompanyRunway AI, Inc.HiDream.ai
Launched2018—
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 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
  • 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

Viva AI

Vivago is HiDream.ai's own consumer front end, which is why it undercuts most Western generators: $6 a month for a thousand credits and a genuinely usable free daily allowance. Breadth is its selling point - video, images, 3D and 4K enhancement in one place. The catches are output rights on the cheap tiers and the fact that the site blocks automated access, which makes independent verification awkward.

Pros

  • Covers text-to-video, image-to-video, stills, 3D models and 4K enhancement on one credit balance
  • Free tier with daily resetting credits, not a one-off trial
  • Entry paid tier is $6 a month, cheaper than most video generators
  • Editing tools (magic eraser, expand, replace) alongside generation
  • Backed by HiDream.ai's own models rather than reselling someone else's API

Cons

  • Free and Basic users get only a royalty-free licence while Vivago keeps broader usage rights; full ownership starts at Plus
  • Free-tier output is watermarked and video length is capped at a few seconds
  • vivago.ai returns HTTP 403 to automated fetches, so pricing cannot be read from the vendor
  • Corporate details are inconsistent across third-party listings

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 Viva AI if you need

  • Creators who want video, images and 3D from one credit balance
  • Budget-conscious testing before paying for a premium generator
  • Upscaling existing footage to 4K

More comparisons

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