Runway is an AI company best known for generative video. Its homepage now describes it as building foundational Real-World Intelligence, with a creative platform for video, images and audio, an API platform for developers, and a robotics group. Its Gen-4.5 video model is described on the homepage as the world’s best video model, which is a vendor claim we have not tested.
This guide sets out what Runway’s own homepage and help centre say about its products, credit-based plans, usage rights and privacy position, and how it compares with other video tools. We also have our shorter Runway review. Note that the company’s web address now redirects from runwayml.com to runway.com, so older links and articles may use the earlier address.
How we researched this: we did not run hands-on tests for this article. It is based on the vendor’s own documentation and public sources, checked on 14 November 2026. Features and prices change, so confirm details on the vendor’s site before you buy.
Key takeaways
- Runway describes itself as building foundational Real-World Intelligence models, with Runway Creative for video, images and audio, Runway Dev for API access, and Runway Robotics.
- Plans are measured in credits. Runway’s help centre lists 125 one-time credits on Free and monthly allotments of 625 (Standard), 2,250 (Pro), 9,500 (Max) and 6,900 per seat (Team).
- Gen-4.5 uses 12 credits per second of generated video, according to the help centre, so a 5 second clip costs 60 credits.
- Runway’s help centre says Max is replacing the Unlimited plan, and current Unlimited subscribers move to Max on 30 November 2026.
- Runway says content you create is yours to use without non-commercial restrictions from Runway. A third-party summary of the terms says inputs and outputs are used for model training by default outside Enterprise, which you should verify.
What it is and who makes it
Runway is made by the company of the same name. Its homepage says it is building foundational Real-World Intelligence that is changing how the world’s top brands, companies, agencies and studios tell their stories. The page cites more than 60 million creatives as users, which is the vendor’s own figure that we have not verified, and it does not name specific customers on the page we read.
The product families
The homepage lists several product areas.
- Runway Creative: a cloud platform for generating and editing video, images and audio, for individuals and teams.
- Runway Dev: an API platform for accessing Runway and third-party models, with workflows and recipes.
- Runway Robotics: robot policies built on video pretraining.
- Other tools: Runway Ads, which connects Meta, Google and TikTok to generate ad variants, App Studio for no-code custom creative apps, and plugins for Claude Code, Codex and Cursor.
Models named on the homepage
The homepage names Gen-4.5 as its video model, GWM-1 as a General World Model, and Aleph 2.0 under Research with no description. Runway’s help centre also has guides for Gen-4 video and image, Gen-4 image references, Aleph, Act-Two for multi-character dialogue, and a chat mode. The homepage describes world models as long-term research to build systems that understand the visual world and its dynamics.
Who it is for
Based on the documented products and plans, Runway suits the following groups.
- Video creators and filmmakers who want to generate and edit clips with a dedicated video model and a set of editing tools.
- Marketing and ad teams who want variants, which Runway Ads is described as helping with, and team features such as shared comments and brand kits on the Team plan.
- Developers who want API access to Runway and third-party models.
- Studios and enterprises who want to talk to an account team about larger usage, as Runway directs organisations where ten or more people generate every day.
- Researchers and robotics teams interested in world models, although that area is beyond this guide.
It is a weaker fit for people who want a fixed monthly price with no credit arithmetic, or who need an avatar presenter for training videos, where a specialist may be simpler. Our guide to choosing an AI tool helps you decide which category you need.
Core features
Text and image to video
Runway’s main creative use is generating video from text or images. The help centre example says Gen-4.5 uses 12 credits per second of generated video, so a 5 second clip costs 60 credits and a 10 second clip 120. The help centre also lists a guide for Gen-4 video and a section on Gen-4 image references, which suggests that you can steer generations with reference images. We did not read the individual guides, so we do not describe limits such as maximum length or resolution.
Video editing with Aleph
The help centre has articles on creating with Aleph and on controlling Aleph edits with a reference image, and the homepage lists Aleph 2.0 under Research. Together these indicate a video-to-video editing capability, but we could not confirm the details from the pages we read.
Performance and dialogue with Act-Two
Runway lists Act-Two, with a guide on creating multi-character dialogues. We did not open it, so we leave the description at that.
Image generation
The help centre lists Gen-4 image and image references, so Runway Creative is not only about video. The homepage describes the platform as covering video, images and audio.
Upscaling
The help centre’s plan guide says Pro, Max and Team include unlimited 4K upscale. That is a useful finishing feature if you work with output destined for larger screens.
Newer or advanced features and integrations
Runway Dev and the API
Runway Dev is described as an API platform for accessing Runway and third-party models. The help centre states that Runway plan and app credits are separate from Runway API credits and do not transfer between them, which is an important detail for anyone planning to use both.
Runway Ads and App Studio
The homepage says Runway Ads connects Meta, Google and TikTok to generate ad variants, and App Studio lets you build custom creative apps without code. We did not review either, and they appear aimed at teams more than individuals.
Plugins for coding tools
The homepage lists plugins for Claude Code, Codex and Cursor. These point to Runway wanting to be callable from developer workflows.
World models and robotics
The homepage describes GWM-1 as a General World Model and says Praxis-1, a world action model for robotics, was released with open weights under the Apache 2.0 licence. This is outside the creative use case, and we have not evaluated it.
Pricing and plans
We could not open Runway’s pricing page in our research, so we do not quote subscription prices. The help centre’s credits article, which we did read, gives the monthly allowances below. Check the live pricing page for what each plan costs in your region.
| Plan | Credits | Rollover and expiry | Other points from the help centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | One-time deposit of 125 credits that does not expire | Not applicable | Credits cannot be purchased |
| Standard | 625 a month | Unused monthly credits expire on the billing date | Extra credits can be purchased |
| Pro | 2,250 a month | Monthly credits expire on the billing date | Access to every model and unlimited 4K upscale |
| Unlimited | 2,250 a month | Monthly credits expire on the billing date | Being replaced by Max, with current subscribers switched on 30 November 2026 |
| Max | 9,500 a month | Up to one month of unused credits may roll over | Unlimited 4K upscale and sometimes early access to new releases. Available to all new subscribers from 29 May 2026 |
| Team | 6,900 per seat, shared across the workspace | Up to one month of pooled credits may roll over | Multiple seats, shared comments, more projects, brand kits, unlimited 4K upscale |
| Enterprise | Listed separately in the Enterprise Credits FAQ | Not captured | For organisations where ten or more people generate every day. Contact the account team |
How credits are spent
The help centre says credits are spent in a set order: the current month’s plan credits first, then rollover credits, then purchased credits. Purchased credits and the Free deposit do not expire. The minimum top-up is 1,000 credits, and on Team plans only workspace admins can buy credits, which go into the shared pool, with an auto refill option. Our guide to reading an AI tool’s pricing page explains how to turn a credit allowance into a realistic monthly cost.
A quick worked example
Using the help centre’s own figure of 12 credits per second for Gen-4.5, a Standard allotment of 625 credits covers roughly 52 seconds of Gen-4.5 video if you spent everything on that model, and the Pro allotment of 2,250 credits covers roughly 187 seconds. This is simple arithmetic from the published numbers, not a promise, because other models and features cost different amounts and you will usually discard some attempts.
Strengths
A dedicated video focus
Runway’s homepage leads with a video model and a platform for generating and editing video, images and audio. If video is your main output, that focus is an advantage over general-purpose tools.
Clear credit documentation
The help centre’s credits article states monthly allotments, spending order, rollover rules and the top-up minimum. That is clearer than many vendors, even though we could not read the prices.
Usage rights are stated plainly
Runway’s help centre says the content you create is yours to use without any non-commercial restrictions from Runway, that you retain ownership as between you and Runway, and that you do not have to credit Runway. It points to the terms of use for specific questions.
Team and API options
Team plans add seats, comments and brand kits, and Runway Dev offers API access. That gives a path from individual use to team or product use.
A rapid release cadence
The model names on the homepage and help centre (Gen-4, Gen-4.5, Aleph, Act-Two, GWM-1) show regular releases. For some users that means access to new capabilities, although it also means features change quickly.
Weaknesses and limits
Credits make costs hard to predict
Every generation consumes credits at a rate that depends on the model and duration, and failed or unwanted attempts still cost something. The worked example above shows how few seconds a small plan covers if you use the top model.
Plans are changing
The Max plan replaces Unlimited, with current Unlimited subscribers switched on 30 November 2026. If you rely on a particular plan, check the notice and your billing page.
Expiry on lower plans
On Standard, Pro and Unlimited, unused monthly credits expire on the billing date. Only Max and Team allow up to one month of rollover.
Domain and product change
The move from runwayml.com to runway.com and the broader description of the company as a Real-World Intelligence company mean older reviews may describe a narrower product. Always check the date of any article you read.
Unverified performance claims
The homepage calls Gen-4.5 the world’s best video model. That is a vendor claim, and we have not tested it or seen an independent benchmark we could verify.
Privacy, data handling and security
We read Runway’s help centre article on commercial use, and a third-party summary of its terms. We did not open Runway’s own privacy policy or terms in full, so check them before using sensitive material.
| Topic | What we found | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership of outputs | You retain ownership of your creations and generations as between you and Runway | Runway help centre |
| Commercial use | Content you create is yours to use without non-commercial restrictions from Runway. No attribution required | Runway help centre |
| Training on your content | A legal summary dated March 2026 says inputs and outputs are used to train and improve models by default on Free, Standard, Pro and Unlimited, with no opt-out on those tiers, and that Enterprise terms differ | terms.law, third party |
| Credits and API | Plan credits and API credits are separate | Runway help centre |
Because the training point comes from a third party, treat it as a prompt to read Runway’s current terms, not as a final answer. For client footage, scripts or likenesses, follow our checklist on protecting company data when using AI tools.
How it compares
The table compares Runway with three other tools on our list, using each vendor’s own pages as read on 14 November 2026. We have not tested any of them. Our dedicated comparison of Runway, Pika and Luma goes deeper, and our quarterly update on AI video tools tracks changes.
| Tool | Positioning on its own homepage | Pricing model we could confirm | Distinctive documented point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runway | Intelligent tools for scaling content and teams | Credit-based plans from Free to Enterprise | Video model, API platform and world models |
| Pika | AI creative tools built for creatives, covering video, image and audio | Pricing page exists, details not captured here | Homepage promotes a model called Pika H3 Flex as faster than real time |
| Luma | An AI creative partner for turning ideas into finished work | Pricing page exists, details not captured here | Homepage says Luma is now in Claude and ChatGPT |
| Synthesia | AI video and avatar platform for business, with avatars, voiceovers and motion graphics | Pricing page exists, details not captured here | Homepage says no credit card is required to try |
Getting started
- Open the Runway homepage and read the Pricing page for the current plan table in your region.
- Create an account and use the Free plan’s one-time 125 credits to try a short clip.
- Check the credit cost per second of the model you plan to use, and estimate how many attempts you will need.
- Read the help centre’s usage rights page and the terms before using generated content commercially.
- If you plan to use the API, set it up separately, because API credits are separate from plan credits.
- If you are on Unlimited, read the notice about the move to Max on 30 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is Runway free?
The help centre says the Free plan gets a one-time deposit of 125 credits that does not expire, and that Free users cannot buy more credits. Check the live site for other free limits.
How many credits does a video cost?
The help centre example is that Gen-4.5 uses 12 credits per second, so 5 seconds costs 60 credits and 10 seconds costs 120. Other models have different rates in a table we could not read in full.
What is happening to the Unlimited plan?
The help centre says Max is replacing Unlimited, that Max is available to new subscribers from 29 May 2026, and that current Unlimited subscribers are switched to Max on 30 November 2026.
Can I use Runway videos commercially?
The help centre says the content you create is yours to use without non-commercial restrictions from Runway, and it points to the terms for specifics. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does Runway train on my content?
A March 2026 third-party summary says it does by default outside Enterprise, with no opt-out on lower tiers. We could not confirm this on Runway’s own pages, so read the current terms.
Why does the website address say runway.com?
Our attempts to open runwayml.com redirected to runway.com, so the company appears to have moved its main domain. Older articles may use the earlier address.
Conclusion
Runway is a serious option for people who generate and edit video, with a clearly documented credit system, usage rights statements and options from Free through Team and Enterprise, plus an API. The main cautions are credit-based costs that need careful estimating, plan changes such as Max replacing Unlimited, quick product change, and a training question that you should settle by reading the current terms.
It suits creators and teams who can budget in credits and want a dedicated video model. Compare it with others using our three-way comparison, and read our shorter review for a quicker summary.
Sources
- Runway homepage, viewed 14 November 2026
- Runway Help Center: How do credits work, accessed 14 November 2026
- Runway Help Center: Which plan is right for me, accessed 14 November 2026
- Runway Help Center: Commercial use of content, accessed 14 November 2026
- Runway Help Center: Gen-4 section, accessed 14 November 2026
- terms.law: What Runway’s terms actually say, March 2026, accessed 14 November 2026 (third party)
