kitio.aiRunway vs Twelve Labs
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Runway has the lower starting price: about $15 a month, against $29 for Twelve Labs.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Gen-4.5 video model
- Aleph video-to-video editing
- Image-to-video
- 4K upscaling
- Developer API
- Semantic video search
- Video embeddings
- Video-to-text
- Highlight detection
- Developer API
| Feature | Runway | Twelve Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | AI video generation and editing suite for filmmakers and studios | Video understanding models for search, analysis and summaries |
| Category | Video | Video |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $15/mo | $29/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Runway AI | Twelve Labs |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
|
Both offer: Developer API.
Pricing compared
Runway has the lower starting price: about $15 a month, against $29 for Twelve Labs.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
5 plans
Free
Free
- 125 one-time credits
- Selection of generative models
- 5 GB asset storage
Standard
$15/mo
- 625 credits / month
- All AI video and image models
- App Studio
Pro
$35/mo
- 2,250 credits / month
- All AI video and image models
Max
$95/mo
- 9,500 credits / month
- Credits roll over 1 month
- Early access to new models
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Team and enterprise plans
- Custom usage and security
4 plans
Free
Free
- Explore and test the APIs
- 3 GB cumulative storage
Plus
$29/mo
- 50 GB storage
- Usage capped at plan limits
Pro
$99/mo
- 200 GB storage
- Scale with growing usage
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Custom needs
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Runway
- High-quality cinematic output
- Edits real footage, not just generation
- Mature web editor and API
- Standard plan covers under a minute of video
- Free credits are one-time only
Twelve Labs
- Purpose-built for video
- Natural-language search
- Free tier for testing
- Requires development work
- Indexing large libraries costs more
Which one should you choose?
Choose Runway if you want:
- High-quality cinematic output
- Edits real footage, not just generation
- Mature web editor and API
Watch out: standard plan covers under a minute of video.
Choose Twelve Labs if you want:
- Purpose-built for video
- Natural-language search
- Free tier for testing
Watch out: requires development work.
Runway vs Twelve Labs FAQ
What is the difference between Runway and Twelve Labs?
Runway: AI video generation and editing suite for filmmakers and studios. Twelve Labs: Video understanding models for search, analysis and summaries. Both are video tools.
Is Runway or Twelve Labs cheaper?
Runway has the lower starting price: about $15 a month, against $29 for Twelve Labs.
Do Runway and Twelve Labs have free plans?
Runway: Yes. Twelve Labs: Yes.
Who makes Runway?
Runway is made by Runway AI, based in United States.
Who makes Twelve Labs?
Twelve Labs is made by Twelve Labs, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Runway or Twelve Labs?
Choose Runway if you value high-quality cinematic output and edits real footage, not just generation. Choose Twelve Labs if you value purpose-built for video and natural-language search.