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Video Production · head to head

Captions vs Runway

Captions logo

Captions

Video Production

AI video editor that automates post-production at scale

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Runway logo

Runway

Social Media

AI-powered creative tools for video and images

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Captions credit rollover limited to 3x monthly maximum, forcing spending within quarters; Runway the free tier is 125 one-time credits rather than a monthly allowance, so it runs out and does not refill
  • They diverge on capability: Captions covers AI Edit, Runway covers Gen-2 video generation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Captions and Runway actually diverge.

Attributes where Captions and Runway differ
AttributeCaptionsRunway
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryVideo ProductionSocial Media
FoundedUnknown2018

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Captions

  • AI Edit
  • Auto-Captions
  • AI Avatars
  • Eye Contact Correction
  • Background Noise Removal
  • Pause Trimming
  • Text-to-Edit
  • Royalty-Free Music

Only in Runway

  • Gen-2 video generation
  • Green screen
  • Inpainting
  • Super resolution
  • Motion tracking
  • Adobe Premiere
  • Final Cut Pro
  • API access

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Captions

  • Rapid video production for social media content at scalenot Runway
  • Converting long-form recordings into short-form clipsnot Runway
  • Adding captions and translations for global audience reachnot Runway
  • Cleaning up podcast and interview audio automaticallynot Runway
  • Building library of branded videos with consistent stylingnot Runway

Runway

  • Generating video clips from text or image promptsnot Captions
  • Extending or editing existing footage with generative modelsnot Captions
  • Removing objects and backgrounds from videonot Captions
  • Storyboarding and previsualisation for productionnot Captions

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Captions

  • Credit rollover limited to 3x monthly maximum, forcing spending within quarters
  • Free plan provides limited editing capability, requiring immediate paid upgrade
  • Minimum 3-day refund window and 10-20 percent credit usage threshold restricts refunds
  • Per-credit pricing model increases costs for high-volume video production
  • Enterprise plan requires custom negotiation with no transparent pricing

Runway

  • The free tier is 125 one-time credits rather than a monthly allowance, so it runs out and does not refill
  • Outputs carry a watermark until the Standard plan at $12 a month
  • Everything is metered in credits, and Gen-4.5 video costs 60 credits per 5 seconds, so a Standard plan covers roughly 125 short videos a year
  • Only the Max plan at $76 a month rolls unused credits over, and only for one month
  • The free tier gives a selection of models rather than the full set

Pricing, plan by plan

Captions

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic editing tools
    • Trim functionality
    • Transitions
  • Max$24.99/month
    • 500 AI credits per month
    • AI Edit styles
    • Digital twins and custom AI actors
  • Scale 1x$69.99/month
    • 1,400 AI credits per month
    • Everything in Max
    • Sophisticated generative AI model access
  • Scale 2x$139.99/month
    • 2,800 AI credits per month
    • Everything in Max
    • Sophisticated generative AI model access

Runway

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 125 credits
    • Basic tools
    • 720p exports
  • Standard$12/month
    • 625 credits/month
    • Gen-2 access
    • 4K exports
  • Pro$28/month
    • 2250 credits/month
    • All tools
    • Priority processing
  • Unlimited$76/month
    • Unlimited generations
    • Custom models
    • API access

Which should you pick?

Choose Captions if

  • You need ai edit.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want auto-captions.
Captions review

Choose Runway if

  • You need gen-2 video generation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want green screen.
Runway review

Questions people ask

Is Captions or Runway better?
Neither clearly leads. Captions starts at Free and Runway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Captions or Runway?
Captions starts at Free and Runway at Free.
Does Captions or Runway run on more platforms?
Captions runs on Web, iOS, Android. Runway runs on Web.
Can I use Captions for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Captions best used for?
Captions is most often used for rapid video production for social media content at scale, converting long-form recordings into short-form clips, adding captions and translations for global audience reach, cleaning up podcast and interview audio automatically. Of those, rapid video production for social media content at scale and converting long-form recordings into short-form clips are not what Runway is typically brought in for.
What can Captions do that Runway cannot?
Captions covers AI Edit, Auto-Captions, AI Avatars, Eye Contact Correction. Runway covers Gen-2 video generation, Green screen, Inpainting, Super resolution.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Captions: What is the price of the Max plan?

The Max plan costs $24.99 per month and includes 500 AI credits per month, AI Edit styles, digital twins, chat-based editor, and custom B-roll.

Source
Runway: How much does Runway cost?

Runway publishes four tiers on annual billing: Standard at $12 per month, Pro at $28 and Max at $76, against monthly rates of $15, $35 and $95. Enterprise is quoted. Annual billing is advertised as 20% off.

Source
Captions: How many languages are supported for captions?

Captions supports 100+ languages for auto-caption generation with 100+ caption style options.

Source
Runway: Does Runway have a free plan?

Yes. The free plan costs nothing and includes 125 one time credits to explore the AI tools, plus 5GB of asset storage. The credits are one time rather than monthly.

Source
Captions: Can I use Captions on mobile devices?

Yes, Captions is available on iOS App Store and Google Play for mobile editing, along with the web-based editor.

Source
Runway: How many credits does each Runway plan include?

Standard includes 625 credits a month, Pro includes 2,250 and Max includes 9,500. Only Max offers credit rollover, and it rolls over for one month.

Source
Captions: What does the Scale pricing tier include?

Scale plans offer 1,400, 2,800, or 5,600 AI credits per month at $69.99, $139.99, and $279.99 respectively, with everything in Max plus access to sophisticated generative AI models.

Source
Runway: When do I need Runway Pro rather than Standard?

Pro adds custom voices for lip sync, raises storage to 500GB and gives access to the best models, on top of Standard's AI image and video models, 4K upscaling and watermark free output.

Source
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