What is Runway?
Runway is an AI video generation and editing platform developed by Runway AI, Inc., a New York company that was among the first to bring generative video models into the work of agencies, studios and post-production houses. Its flagship model is Gen-4.5, alongside Aleph 2 for editing existing footage.
Today Runway is no longer tied to a single model: subscriptions also include models from other companies, such as Kling 4.0, Seedance 2.5 and Nano Banana Pro. Its main strength remains a workspace designed for professional production, with HDR and ProRes exports on the top plan.
Main Features
- Gen-4.5 to generate high-quality clips from text or images
- Aleph 2 and Edit Studio to edit shot or generated footage: objects, lighting, framing
- Third-party models in the same plan, including Kling 4.0, Seedance 2.5 and Nano Banana Pro
- Music, voice and sound effects generated inside the platform
- Agentic collaborator, App Studio to build creative apps and Runway Ads for advertising
- 4K upscaling, no watermark on paid plans, HDR and ProRes on the Max plan
How Does Runway Work?
From the browser or the app you pick a tool, upload an image or write a prompt and generate the clip. Every action uses credits: on the Standard plan, the 625 monthly credits equal about 52 seconds of Gen-4.5 video or 104 seconds of Gen-4 Turbo.
What sets Runway apart is editing: with Aleph 2 you change an existing video by describing the edit, instead of regenerating it from scratch. This lets AI fit into a post-production workflow, not just the creation of single clips.
Who is Runway for?
- Communication agencies and production companies
- Editors and post-production professionals
- Directors of music videos and short films
- Marketing teams producing ads at scale
- Creators who want several models under one subscription
Use Cases
- Changing the lighting, setting or objects in footage already shot
- Generating inserts and B-roll for an edit
- Creating variations of an ad for advertising campaigns
- Comparing the same prompt on Gen-4.5, Kling and Seedance
- Producing scene previsualizations before a shoot
Pricing
The Free plan gives 125 credits once. On the web Standard costs $15/month ($12 billed annually) with 625 credits, Pro $35/month ($28) with 2,250 credits and Max $95/month ($76) with 9,500 credits, one-month credit rollover and HDR and ProRes output. In the iPhone app in Italy Standard costs €17.99/month and Pro €39/month, and credit packs start at €10. Until November 30, Kling 4.0 generations are 25% off.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Some of the most advanced video editing tools available
- Several models, its own and third-party, under one subscription
- Professional HDR and ProRes formats
Cons:
- Credits run out fast: 52 seconds of Gen-4.5 per month on Standard
- The free plan does not renew
- HDR, ProRes and credit rollover only on the most expensive plan
Final Verdict
Runway is the right choice for people who work on video professionally and want generation and editing in one place. For occasional clips it costs more than other platforms, but the Pro plan, with third-party models included, is a good compromise for agencies and freelancers.