Comparison ยท updated
Runway vs Kling (2026): which should you use?
Pick Runway, our #1 video tool, if you want generation plus voice, music and sound tools in one app at a clear monthly price.
Verdict
Pick Runway, our #1 video tool, if you want generation plus voice, music and sound tools in one app at a clear monthly price. Pick Kling if you want longer multi-keyframe clips from Kling 4.0 or per-second API pricing for an app. Both have a free start, so test the same prompt in each.
| Criteria | Runway | Kling |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Video and image generation with models such as Gen-4.5, plus music, voice and sound effects on paid plans | Video and image generator from text, images and references. Kling 4.0 adds native 30 second generation and multiple keyframes |
| Free start | Free plan with 125 one-time credits | Basic plan at $0 in the Kling web app |
| Paid plans | Standard $15 a month ($12 billed annually), Pro $35 ($28) and Max $95 ($76) | Standard, Pro, Premier and Ultra+ credit plans. The page shows first-month discounts, so check the current price |
| Paid plan output | No watermarks, 4K upscaling and parallel generations | 1080p and 4K video, watermark removal and commercial use |
| For developers | Our fact sheet covers the Runway app plans | API priced per second: Kling 3.0 from $0.084 per second at 720p and $0.112 at 1080p |
Based on each product's official site: Runway, Kling. Features change often, so check before you buy.
Sourced pricing
Pricing from the official sites
- Runway. Free with 125 one-time credits. Standard $15 per month ($12 billed annually). Pro $35 per month ($28 billed annually). Max $95 per month ($76 billed annually). Source: runway.com/pricing, checked .
- Kling. The Kling API is priced per second of video. Kling 3.0 list prices start at $0.084 per second at 720p without native audio, $0.112 per second at 1080p and $0.42 per second at 4K. Kling 3.0 Turbo with native audio is $0.112 per second at 720p and $0.14 at 1080p. Images start at $0.014 each. Subscription plans for the web app are listed separately. Source: kling.ai/pricing, checked .
Questions
Frequently asked
Which is better, Runway or Kling?
Pick Runway, our #1 video tool, if you want generation plus voice, music and sound tools in one app at a clear monthly price. Pick Kling if you want longer multi-keyframe clips from Kling 4.0 or per-second API pricing for an app. Both have a free start, so test the same prompt in each.
How do Runway and Kling compare on what it is?
Runway: Video and image generation with models such as Gen-4.5, plus music, voice and sound effects on paid plans. Kling: Video and image generator from text, images and references. Kling 4.0 adds native 30 second generation and multiple keyframes.
How do Runway and Kling compare on free start?
Runway: Free plan with 125 one-time credits. Kling: Basic plan at $0 in the Kling web app.
When was this comparison last updated?
This comparison was last updated on 2026-11-10. Features change often, so check each official site before you buy.
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