Runway

This tool offers the following AI models:

• Runway Act-Two
• Runway Aleph
• Runway Gen 3
• Runway Gen-4
• Runway Gen-4 Turbo
• Runway's Gen-4 Image

Plan Name	Tier Type	Cost per Month	Credits per Month	Credits per Image	Credits per Video Second	Credits per Lip Sync Second
Standard	lowest	15.00	625	5.00	10.00	5.00
Allowance per month: 1.04 minutes, or 2.08 minutes, or 125.
* Values for Gen-3 Alpha generation.
Unlimited	top	95.00	2250	5.00	10.00	0.00
Allowance per month: 3.75 minutes, or 450.

Where multiple modes are available, the calculations are done for the most advanced (and costly) ones.

Pricing can change, make sure to check relevant links for any updates to the subscription plans.

Try our simple ai video cost calculator.

• Value of Unlimited Plans: Many users agree that the unlimited plan on video generation platforms like Runway and Hailuo is essential, especially for filmmakers who need numerous iterations to get usable results. Iterations can vary widely, from 5 to 50 attempts, depending on the complexity and randomness in generation.

• Runway Limitations and Pricing: Runway’s unlimited plan is widely criticized for its high cost and excessive content moderation, which often flags non-graphic content. Users frequently struggle to produce cohesive stories, especially for horror genres or PG-13 material, due to overactive censorship.

• Content Moderation Frustration: Runway’s censorship is frustrating for users creating professional or artistic content, with several reporting random flagging of phrases or visual elements. This causes delays and forces users to alter prompts or work around the tool’s restrictions.

• Feature Requests and Optimizations: Users express a need for better continuity tools, such as consistent character appearance across scenes. For workarounds, some use Midjourney for static images and then Runway or Hailuo for video conversion.

• Customer Feedback and Market Competition: Many believe that competitive alternatives and consumer complaints might eventually push Runway to reduce prices and adjust moderation policies. Users are encouraged to contact customer support with feedback, as growing dissatisfaction could influence changes.

• Alternative Tools: Some users are switching to alternatives like Kling, Hailuo, and Pikaso (Freepik) due to better prompt accuracy, lower costs, and fewer moderation issues. However, Kling is noted to be slower, and Hailuo currently limits videos to 6 seconds. Hailuo Minimax is praised for its understanding of prompts, minimal censorship, and high-quality output with natural-looking results. Users find it more intuitive and effective than Runway for specific effects, camera movements, and character expressions.
• Blocking Critics: Some users claim they were banned from Runway’s Discord server for questioning the company’s actions, leading to complaints about silencing the community.
• Declining Service Quality: Many feel Runway has lost its edge, with worsening generation quality, server overloads, and slower response times. Several users mentioned canceling subscriptions due to these issues.
• Impact on Creators: Professional creators have expressed frustration, saying service downgrades significantly hurt their productivity. One user mentioned being throttled from rendering hundreds of shots per session to just a fraction.
• Skepticism About Sustainability: Speculation arose about Runway either struggling financially or underestimating the strain of unlimited plans, leading to widespread dissatisfaction.

Source: [ Reddit ] [ Reddit ] [ Reddit ]

Runway Gen-4 came out after a long wait and left folks feeling let down. Gen-4 improves on Gen-3 no doubt but still feels like it's playing catch-up with Kling and others. Some say it should've been called Gen-3.5. Others defend it saying you just need the right prompting style. There's a divide—some canceling subscriptions and calling Runway mid while others say it's good enough if you’re on the unlimited plan. [ Reddit ]