Imaginode vs Runway: two ways to pay for AI video
An alternative to Runway where purchased credits never expire: Imaginode bills per generation, Kling and Seedance included. Honest comparison, price per video.
Competitor data verified on August 23, 2026
Frank HoubreFounder of Imaginode
Recorded at Runway on August 23, 2026
- Free : Free125 credits, one time only
- Standard : $15/month625 credits/month
- Pro : $35/month2,250 credits/month
- Max : $95/month9,500 credits/month
Our pricing, same day
- Starter : $17/month900 credits/month
- Creator : $55/month3,100 credits/month
- Studio : $188/month10,500 credits/month
Runway is the AI video tool of the studios: Gen-4.5, Motion Brush, Director Mode, a post-production timeline. Imaginode plays a different tune: a simple, multi-model canvas where every generation displays its price before it runs.
The most concrete difference is the lifespan of your credits. At Runway, monthly credits expire at the end of the month (rollover of one month at most on the Max plan); at Imaginode, credits bought as top-ups stay. A 5-second Kling 2.5 Turbo video costs 26 credits (31 cents), a Seedance 2.0 goes up to 4K, and a failure is refunded automatically.
Since 2026, Runway also hosts third-party models (Kling 3.0, Veo 3.1, Seedance): on that point, the two platforms are converging. What remains is the price, the interface and the philosophy: compare them line by line. On video specifically, the public calculator gives the price of a 5 or 10 second shot on every model, no account needed.
Starting price
Runway
$12/month billed annually (Standard, 625 credits/month)
Imaginode
$17 excl. tax/month (900 credits) or a one-off top-up from $7 with no subscription
Billing
Runway
Monthly credits, lost at the end of the month (1-month rollover on Max only)
Imaginode
Per-cent credits, non-expiring once purchased, price shown before every click
Cost of a 5 s video
Runway
60 credits on Gen-4.5, i.e. ~10 videos/month on Standard
Imaginode
26 credits (Kling 720p) up to ~330 credits (premium 4K), your choice
Models
Runway
Gen-4.5/Gen-4 (in-house) + recent third parties: Kling 3.0, Veo 3.1, Seedance, Nano Banana Pro
Imaginode
100+ multi-provider models, image + video + LLM + voice, all included in every plan
Getting started
Runway
125 credits one time only (~2 Gen-4.5 videos)
Imaginode
Credits from $7, no subscription, refunded when a generation fails
Failed generation
Runway
Refunds are not systematic
Imaginode
Credits refunded automatically
Interface
Runway
Post-production suite (timeline, Motion Brush, Director Mode)
Imaginode
Node-based canvas: text, image, video, camera and references wired together
Runway prices recorded on August 23, 2026 from runway.com/pricing, monthly billing in US dollars excluding taxes (annual billing is about 20% cheaper). Check the official site.
When to choose Runway
- You do post-production: Motion Brush, Director Mode and the timeline have no equivalent on our side.
- You work in a studio with professional API and pipeline needs.
- The Gen-4.5 look is exactly what your art direction expects.
When to choose Imaginode
- You refuse to lose your credits every month: here top-ups are bought without a subscription and stay yours.
- You want the same Kling or Seedance, but paid 31 cents per test video rather than a flat fee.
- You build shots with camera direction, recurring characters and moodboards on a single canvas.
- You are just getting started: the interface takes two minutes to learn and the AI assistant wires workflows for you.
- You create from a phone: the canvas is designed for mobile.
Frequently asked questions
Isn't Runway more complete for video?
For post-production, yes. For pure generation, both give access to the same model families (Kling, Seedance, Veo); Imaginode adds the choice of provider at the best price and automatic refunds on failure.
Do my credits expire at Imaginode?
Credits bought as top-ups, no: they stay on your balance with no time limit. Monthly subscription credits, yes: they cover the month you paid for and reset to the plan allowance at renewal, as at Runway. The difference is that top-ups here need no subscription, from $7.
What is the real price of a 5-second video?
At Imaginode: 26 credits on Kling 720p, ~48 on Seedance 2.0 Fast, up to ~330 on premium 4K. At Runway: 60 credits on Gen-4.5, out of a monthly allowance that expires.
Is Imaginode a good alternative to Runway?
For creators who work in bursts and want Kling or Seedance paid per clip, with top-up credits that stay theirs, yes. If you rely on Motion Brush, Director Mode and the timeline, or your art direction expects the Gen-4.5 look, Runway remains the better tool: we have no equivalent for its post-production suite.
Sources
More verified comparisons
Same rules: pricing grids recorded on a given date, source cited, updated as soon as a price changes.
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