AI Tool Podium

Which AI tool? · updated

Which AI tool is best for making a video from text?

Runway is our top pick for making a video from a text prompt, out of 3 tools we compared. Pro-oriented video generation and editing tools for short clips.

Quick picks

  • Top pick: Runway. Pro-oriented video generation and editing tools for short clips.
  • Free plan or tier in our sourced pricing facts: Runway and Kling.

The 3 tools, in order

From official sites
#1 Runway
Pro-oriented video generation and editing tools for short clips.Why we picked it: Gives you video models such as Gen-4.5 in one app, with 4K upscaling and no watermarks on paid plans. Source: runway.comFree plan: Free plan with 125 one-time credits. Source: runway.comPricing: Free with 125 one-time credits. Source: runway.com, checked Official site: runway.com · Our profile
#2 Google Veo
High-quality text-to-video with native audio, via Gemini and Flow.Why we picked it: Veo 3.1, Google DeepMind's current video model, is offered in the Gemini app and Google Flow. Source: ai.google.devFree plan: none in our sourced pricing facts.Pricing: Veo 3.1 is offered in the Gemini app and Google Flow. Source: ai.google.dev, checked Official site: deepmind.google · Our profile
#3 Kling
Strong motion quality at a low price for short generated clips.Why we picked it: Turns text, images and references into video, and its API lists Kling 3.0 from $0.084 per second of 720p video. Source: kling.aiFree plan: Basic plan at $0 in the Kling web app. Paid plans add watermark removal and commercial use. Source: kling.aiPricing: The Kling API is priced per second of video. Source: kling.ai, checked Official site: kling.ai · Our profile

Method

How we ordered this list

The list follows the order of our AI video generation ranking, limited to the 3 tools that do this job. We rank each tool by how well it does the job for a solo builder or small team, based on official product information. Payment never changes a ranking. How we rank

Next steps

Related comparisons

All comparisons

Questions

Frequently asked

Which AI tool is best for making a video from text?

Runway is our top pick for making a video from a text prompt. Pro-oriented video generation and editing tools for short clips. The other 2 we compared: Google Veo and Kling.

Which of these tools have a free plan?

Free plan or free tier in our sourced fact sheets: Runway and Kling (2 of 3). Prices change, so confirm on the official pricing page before you buy.

How is this list ordered?

The list follows the order of our AI video generation ranking, limited to the 3 tools that do this job. We rank each tool by how well it does the job for a solo builder or small team, based on official product information. Payment never changes a ranking.

Are any placements sponsored?

Some placements on AI Tool Podium are sponsored. Every sponsored placement is clearly labeled.

When was this page last updated?

This page was last updated on 2026-11-13. Features and prices change often, so check each official site before you buy.

Sources

More answers

The weekly podium

Ranking changes and new releases, once a week.

The tools that moved, the launches worth knowing about, and new head-to-head comparisons. Read issue #1.

  • Free
  • One email a week
  • Unsubscribe anytime