Runway

What it does

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Runway generates original video clips from a text prompt or a still image, rather than editing footage you already shot. It also includes a more conventional video editor and smaller AI tools for background removal and slow motion, but the generative models are what it's known for.

The image-to-video and text-to-video generation is genuinely useful for producing b-roll, concept visuals, or short atmospheric clips that would otherwise require stock footage or a shoot. Quality has improved noticeably with the Gen-4 and Gen-4.5 models, though results still need picking through.

The free plan hands you 125 one-time credits that never refresh, which works out to about 5 seconds of the newer Gen-4

Who this helps

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• A creative team wanting short original video clips for ads without a shoot or stock license.

• A marketer testing AI-generated b-roll to fill gaps in a longer edited video.

• An agency exploring generative video as a cheaper alternative to stock licensing for one-off concepts.

• Not a fit for someone expecting an ongoing free tier, since the credits are one-time only.

Free tier:

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See the vendor site for current free tier details.