5 other AI Video Creation tools we have sourced reviews for, all in the same niche as Runway (Video Generation). Within that, they're ordered by aitrove popularity, not by a quality score: we haven't tested them hands-on, so we don't rank them as "best".
Best for: Creators who need controllable cinematic shots and will budget for credits.
Biggest catch: The free plan is 125 credits once, not monthly.
Skip it if: You want lots of footage for little money.
Price: Free tier: 125 one-time credits. Standard $12/mo billed annually ($15 monthly), Pro $28/mo annually ($35 monthly). (checked Oct 10, 2026)
| Tool | Best for | Biggest catch | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pika | Playful social clips and effects. | Free has no monthly credits. You buy credit packs | Free tier: yes (no monthly credits; packs only). Starter $10/mo (900 credits). Higher tiers $35 and $95/mo. (checked Oct 10, 2026) |
| Luma Dream Machine | Creators who want transparent credit math. | No free plan on the current pricing page | Free tier: none listed. Plus $30/mo, $90/mo and $300/mo tiers. (checked Oct 10, 2026) |
| PixVerse | Social video and effects on a budget. | Credit cost varies by model, resolution, length and audio, so it's hard to budget | Free tier: yes. Standard $10/mo, Pro $30/mo, Premium $60/mo, Ultra $249/mo (third-party report). (checked Oct 11, 2026) |
| Hailuo AI | Short social and action clips on a budget. | Membership credits expire monthly and don't roll over. Users report losing credits at renewal | Free tier: free credits for new users and promotions. Standard $14.99/mo (limited-time $7.99), 1,000 credits/mo. Plans up to Max at $199.99/mo. (checked Oct 10, 2026) |
| Kling AI | Budget AI video with commercial rights. | The intro price jumps at renewal: Standard goes from $6.99 to $8.80/mo | Free tier: yes (credits shown in app). Standard $6.99 first month, then $8.80/mo (660 credits). (checked Oct 10, 2026) |
Best for: Playful social clips and effects.
Free has no monthly credits. You buy credit packs
Skip it if: You need photorealistic, client-grade footage.
Starting price: Free tier: yes (no monthly credits; packs only). Starter $10/mo (900 credits). Higher tiers $35 and $95/mo. (checked Oct 10, 2026)
Full Pika review · Runway vs Pika · Pika alternatives
Best for: Creators who want transparent credit math.
No free plan on the current pricing page
Skip it if: You want to try before paying.
Starting price: Free tier: none listed. Plus $30/mo, $90/mo and $300/mo tiers. (checked Oct 10, 2026)
Full Luma Dream Machine review · Runway vs Luma Dream Machine · Luma Dream Machine alternatives
Best for: Social video and effects on a budget.
Credit cost varies by model, resolution, length and audio, so it's hard to budget
Skip it if: You need predictable billing.
Starting price: Free tier: yes. Standard $10/mo, Pro $30/mo, Premium $60/mo, Ultra $249/mo (third-party report). (checked Oct 11, 2026)
Full PixVerse review · Runway vs PixVerse · PixVerse alternatives
Best for: Short social and action clips on a budget.
Membership credits expire monthly and don't roll over. Users report losing credits at renewal
Skip it if: You need long-form continuity or have sensitive client data.
Starting price: Free tier: free credits for new users and promotions. Standard $14.99/mo (limited-time $7.99), 1,000 credits/mo. Plans up to Max at $199.99/mo. (checked Oct 10, 2026)
Best for: Budget AI video with commercial rights.
The intro price jumps at renewal: Standard goes from $6.99 to $8.80/mo
Skip it if: You hate intro pricing and expiring credits.
Starting price: Free tier: yes (credits shown in app). Standard $6.99 first month, then $8.80/mo (660 credits). (checked Oct 10, 2026)
Full Kling AI review · Runway vs Kling AI · Kling AI alternatives
Pros, catches and prices are compiled from public sources (official pricing and docs pages, published reviews, user reports), not hands-on testing. Prices change often, so check the vendor page before you buy.