Social Media & Content · head to head
DALL-E vs Runway
DALL-E
Social Media & Content
OpenAI's advanced image generation model
- From
- $0.04/per-image
- Rated
- -
Runway
Social Media & Content
AI-powered creative tools for video and images
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
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.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which DALL-E and Runway actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Social Media & Content).
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.
Choose Runway if
- You need gen-2 video generation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want green screen.
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.