Runway Gen-4.5 pricing: cost per second and per 30 second video

Runway Gen-4.5 costs $0.12 per second through the Runway API, which is 12 credits at $0.01 a credit. A 30 second video is $3.60. Gen-4 Turbo costs $0.05 per second, or $1.50 for 30 seconds. wiro.ai lists Gen-4.5 at the same $0.12 per second.

In our list, 6 of the 6 comparable models cost less than Gen-4.5 for 30 seconds. The cheapest is Veo 3.1 Lite at $0.90. We compare list prices and documented features only, not output quality. Prices were checked October 29, 2026.

How much does Runway Gen-4.5 cost per second?

The API rates come from Runway's API pricing page: 12 credits per second for gen4.5 and 5 for gen4_turbo, with credits sold at $0.01 each in the developer portal. Sales tax may apply. The wiro.ai rate is on its Gen-4.5 page. Our list has no wiro.ai row for Gen-4 Turbo.

How do Runway credits map to seconds?

On the API, one credit is $0.01, so seconds follow directly: 12 credits buy one second of Gen-4.5 and 5 credits buy one second of Gen-4 Turbo. A 5 second Gen-4.5 clip is 60 credits, which matches the "60 credits/5s" on Runway's pricing page.

The subscription plans work differently. On October 31, 2026, Runway's pricing page showed these plans. A plan credit costs more than an API credit, because the plan includes the app and its tools.

Two details are worth knowing. First, the page says 625 credits make 104 seconds of Gen-4 Turbo, which implies 6 credits per second in the app against 5 on the API. Second, the free plan gives 125 one time credits, enough for 10 seconds of Gen-4.5. The cheapest way to buy Gen-4.5 seconds is the API, at $0.12. The yearly Pro plan is $0.149 per second if you use every credit.

What does Gen-4.5 support?

Runway lists Gen-4.5 as a text to video and image to video model, released on 10 February 2026 according to its models page. Gen-4 Turbo is listed as an image to video model released in April 2025.

• Clip length: wiro.ai documents 2 to 10 seconds. Runway's own pages we could read do not state a range, and other hosts list different options, such as 5, 8 and 10 seconds on Adobe Firefly. Check the host you use.
• Resolution: wiro.ai documents 720p output, with sizes such as 1280 by 720 for 16:9 and 720 by 1280 for 9:16. Adobe also lists 720p as the default.
• Audio: none of the pages we read describe generated audio for Gen-4.5. Treat it as video only and plan on adding sound separately. We could not confirm this from Runway itself.
• Inputs: a prompt up to 1,000 characters and an optional first frame image, per wiro.ai.

How much does a 30 second video cost on Gen-4.5?

Thirty seconds of Gen-4.5 is 360 credits, or $3.60. If the longest clip is 10 seconds, that is 3 generations stitched together, and each cut is a chance for a character or a light to drift. Gen-4 Turbo is $1.50 for the same length, but it starts from an image, so you need a first frame for every clip.

Those figures assume every clip is kept. Most people regenerate. If you keep one take in three, the effective Gen-4.5 cost is three times higher, about $10.80. The Reel budget planner lets you set that ratio.

Which Runway alternatives are cheaper for 30 seconds?

Veo 3.1 Lite is the cheapest option in the table at $0.90 for 30 seconds from fal.ai / Sume / Google Vertex AI, which makes Gen-4.5 4.0x as expensive. Kling 3.0 Standard costs $2.52 and Veo 3.1 Fast costs $2.40. The most expensive alternative here, Kling 3.0 Turbo, is $3.36, still $0.24 less than Gen-4.5.

Clip length matters as well. Veo 3.1 Lite and Veo 3.1 Fast stop at 8 seconds per generation, so a 30 second video needs 4 clips. Kling 3.0 and Seedance 2.0 allow 15 seconds. Tier is not the same as quality, and we have not tested output. For a model-by-model look, read the Veo, Kling and Seedance comparison and the 30 second Reel cost guide.

When is Runway still worth paying for?

• You already use Runway's editing tools. The plans bundle Gen-4.5 with image, audio and editing features, so the per second rate is only part of the value.
• You need a model you like the look of. If Gen-4.5 gives you the footage you want, a lower price on another model does not help. Test with a short clip first.
• You work from a still. Gen-4 Turbo at $0.05 per second costs 2.4x less than Gen-4.5 when a still is your starting point.

How to spend less on Runway

1. Use the API for volume. Its credits cost $0.01. The cheapest plan credit in the table above costs more.
2. Draft with Gen-4 Turbo. At $0.05 per second it costs 2.4x less than Gen-4.5.
3. Approve a still first. Check the first frame before you pay for motion.
4. Compare providers before you commit. The pricing tool shows every provider side by side.

Raytake is a Mac app that makes short videos through a chat with an AI assistant. It shows each model's price before it runs, and it asks you to approve still frames before paying for video.