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Social Media · head to head

DALL-E vs Runway

DALL-E logo

DALL-E

Social Media

OpenAI's advanced image generation model

From
$0.04/per-image
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Runway logo

Runway

Social Media

AI-powered creative tools for video and images

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Runway has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DALL-E dALL-E 3 API pricing as captured 6 January 2024 ranged from $0.040 per Standard 1024x1024 image up to $0.120 per HD widescreen image; DALL-E 2 was cheaper at $0.016 to $0.020 per image depending on resolution; 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: DALL-E covers Text-to-image, 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 DALL-E and Runway actually diverge.

Attributes where DALL-E and Runway differ
AttributeDALL-ERunway
Starting price$0.04/per-imageFree
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Api, ChatgptWeb
Founded20152018

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Social Media).

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 DALL-E

  • Text-to-image
  • Prompt refinement
  • Multiple aspect ratios
  • HD quality
  • OpenAI API
  • ChatGPT integration
  • Api support
  • Chatgpt support

Only in Runway

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

DALL-E

  • ai tools managementnot Runway
  • Workflow automationnot Runway
  • Reportingnot Runway

Runway

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

Where each one falls short

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

DALL-E

  • DALL-E 3 API pricing as captured 6 January 2024 ranged from $0.040 per Standard 1024x1024 image up to $0.120 per HD widescreen image; DALL-E 2 was cheaper at $0.016 to $0.020 per image depending on resolution

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

DALL-E

$0.04/per-image
  • Standard$0.04/per-image
    • 1024x1024 resolution
  • HD$0.08/per-image
    • HD quality
    • 1792x1024 resolution

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 DALL-E if

  • You need text-to-image.
  • You work on Web, Api, Chatgpt.
  • You also want prompt refinement.
DALL-E 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 DALL-E or Runway better?
Neither clearly leads. DALL-E starts at $0.04/per-image and Runway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DALL-E or Runway?
Runway has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $0.04/per-image for DALL-E and Free for Runway.
Does DALL-E or Runway run on more platforms?
DALL-E runs on Web, Api, Chatgpt. Runway runs on Web.
Can I use Runway for free?
Yes. Runway has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DALL-E starts at $0.04/per-image.
What is DALL-E best used for?
DALL-E is most often used for ai tools management, workflow automation, reporting. Of those, ai tools management and workflow automation are not what Runway is typically brought in for.
What can DALL-E do that Runway cannot?
DALL-E covers Text-to-image, Prompt refinement, Multiple aspect ratios, HD quality. Runway covers Gen-2 video generation, Green screen, Inpainting, Super resolution. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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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