Compare · Last checked October 20, 2026
OpenArt vs Runway: what each one offers for images
Runway is a video-first creative platform that also prices image models such as Gen-4 Image and Nano Banana Pro per image, and it edits by "telling the model what you're looking for". OpenArt is an image and video platform with a long image model menu, a canvas for erasing, expanding and restyling, and a chat mode. Runway has a free plan with 125 one-time credits and mobile apps; OpenArt has a trial with daily credits and prints approximate image counts per plan. Choose Runway when video is the main job and images support it, and OpenArt when you want many image models and canvas editing in one place.
We make ImageQuarry, which is not one of these two products. We compared OpenArt and Runway using their own public pages, checked October 20, 2026.
Last updated October 20, 2026
At a glance
| OpenArt | Runway | |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Images and video, with mostly video use cases on the homepage | Video first: "A new frontier for video generation." |
| Image models | GPT Image 2.5, Nano Banana 2, Seedream 5.0 Pro and others | Gen-4 Image, Gen-4 Image Turbo and Nano Banana Pro on the pricing page; Seedream 5.0 and FLUX.3 named on the product page |
| Editing in words | Chat Mode: "Chat to create anything" | Describe the change to relight, restyle or remove elements (shown for video); Agent edits "in plain language" |
| Start without paying | Trial plan with daily credits | Free plan with 125 one-time credits that do not expire |
| Entry paid plan | Starter shown at $14, or $13 per seat with 10% off | Standard at $15 a month, or $12 a month billed yearly |
OpenArt and Runway: the differences that matter
How each prices an image
Runway prices image models in credits, for example 8 credits for a 1080p Gen-4 Image and 20 for a 2K Nano Banana Pro image, and states how many images a year each annual plan covers. OpenArt turns its credits into approximate image counts per plan, starting at about 4,000 images on Starter.
Apps and plugins favor Runway
Runway lists iPhone and Android apps, an API, an MCP server, a ChatGPT plugin and plugins for Premiere Pro and After Effects. OpenArt lists a web app, an MCP and CLI and an After Effects plugin, with no mobile app linked on its homepage.
A longer image model menu at OpenArt
OpenArt's menu lists GPT Image 2.5, Grok Imagine, Qwen Image 3, Nano Banana 2 and Seedream 5.0 Pro, and its canvas can erase, expand, swap backgrounds, restyle and upscale to 4K. Runway prices four image models on its pricing page and names a few more on its product page.
Projects, workflows and storage
Runway caps projects by plan, from up to 3 on Standard to up to 10 on Max, offers 20GB to 500GB of storage and chains models in node-based Workflows. OpenArt's workspace shows Assets, Director Projects, a brand kit, folders and labels.
Brand references
Runway Brand Kits hold "logos, colors and style references" from the Pro plan. OpenArt keeps a brand kit in its workspace and holds a likeness across edits from a reference image.
OpenArt vs Runway, side by side
Checked against each vendor's public pages on October 20, 2026. "Not stated" means the pages we read do not say; it is not a claim that the feature is missing.
| Topic | OpenArt | Runway |
|---|---|---|
| Text to image | Yes, many third party models | Yes, Gen-4 Image and others, priced per image |
| Editing | Canvas erase, expand, background swap, restyle; Chat Mode | Describe the change; Change Image Style and Reshoot Product apps |
| References and brand | Reference image holds likeness; character builder | Brand Kits for logos, colors and style references (Pro and up) |
| Upscaling | Upscale to 4K | 4K upscaling from Standard |
| Watermark | Watermark-free on paid cards | No watermarks from Standard |
| Platforms | Web, MCP and CLI, After Effects plugin | Web, iPhone and Android, API, MCP, Premiere Pro and After Effects plugins |
| Credit rollover | Not stated | Standard and Pro monthly credits do not roll over; Max rolls over for one month |
As of 2026-10-20
Sources: OpenArt homepage; OpenArt edit; OpenArt pricing; Runway homepage; Runway product; Runway pricing; Runway agent
Pricing
Prices as of October 2026, from each vendor's own pages. Credits are not comparable across products, because each vendor defines its own credit. Check the vendor for current pricing.
| Product | Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenArt | Starter | $14 or $13 per seat per month (monthly or annual toggle, not labelled) | 4,000 credits a month |
| OpenArt | Plus | $34 or $27 per seat per month (monthly or annual toggle, not labelled) | 12,000 credits a month, commercial use rights |
| OpenArt | Pro | $56 or $44 per seat per month (monthly or annual toggle, not labelled) | 24,000 credits a month, commercial use rights |
| OpenArt | Wonder | $240 or $175 per seat per month (monthly or annual toggle, not labelled) | 106,000 credits a month |
| Runway | Free | $0 | 125 one-time credits |
| Runway | Standard | $15 per month, billed monthly | 625 credits a month |
| Runway | Pro | $35 per month, billed monthly | 2,250 credits a month |
| Runway | Max | $95 per month, billed monthly | 9,500 credits a month |
| Runway | Standard, Pro, Max (yearly) | $12, $28, $76 per month, billed yearly | Yearly 20% off |
Prices as of 2026-10
About each product
OpenArt
OpenArt sells one subscription for AI images and video. Its menu lists image models from several makers, and its canvas handles erase, expand, background swap, restyle and 4K upscaling. Characters can be built from reference images and reused by tag, and the workspace sorts assets into folders, labels and a brand kit. Most use cases on its homepage are video, from short films to product ads. A trial plan gives daily credits, and paid cards run from Starter to Wonder.
Runway
Runway describes its Creative platform as a cloud workspace to "generate and edit video, images and audio". Its product page leads with video, and the Standard plan is "For curious creators trying AI video". For images, the pricing page lists Gen-4 Image, Gen-4 Image Turbo and Nano Banana Pro per image, and apps such as Change Image Style and Reshoot Product work from an upload and a description. It runs on the web, iPhone and Android, with an API and editing plugins. Paid plans run from Standard at $15 a month to Max at $95.
Which one fits your work
Choose OpenArt when
- You want a long menu of image models from different makers
- You edit images on a canvas and in a chat mode
- You want approximate image counts per plan up front
- You reuse characters built from reference images
Choose Runway when
- Video is your main output and images support it
- You want iPhone or Android apps
- You work in Premiere Pro or After Effects
- You want a free plan whose credits do not expire
Where ImageQuarry fits
For people whose work is mostly still images, ImageQuarry keeps the whole path of an image in one place: the prompt, the uploaded source, the references, each change you asked for in words, and every version. You can make variations, compare versions and download the one you choose. It runs on paid monthly plans, from $9 a month.
Questions about OpenArt vs Runway
Is Runway only for video?
No. Runway is video first, but its pricing page lists image models such as Gen-4 Image and Nano Banana Pro priced per image, and its product page offers image apps like Change Image Style and Reshoot Product.
Which has more image models?
OpenArt's menu lists more image models by name, including GPT Image 2.5, Grok Imagine, Qwen Image 3, Nano Banana 2 and Seedream 5.0 Pro. Runway prices four on its pricing page and names Nano Banana 2.1, Seedream 5.0 and FLUX.3 on its product page.
Can I edit an image by describing the change?
Runway says you can change lighting, restyle or add and remove elements by telling the model what you want, shown on its product page for video, and its Agent edits in plain language. OpenArt offers a Chat Mode and says Nano Banana Pro supports natural-language image manipulation.
Which is cheaper to start?
Runway has a free plan with 125 one-time credits and paid plans from $15 a month, or $12 billed yearly. OpenArt has a trial with daily credits, and its Starter card shows $14, or $13 per seat with a discount. Credits differ between the two, so compare by what you plan to make.
Do either of them have mobile apps?
Runway lists iPhone and Android apps. The OpenArt pages read link no mobile app.
Sources
Every competitor fact on this page comes from the vendor's own pages, checked on the date shown. Recheck them before you buy.
Checked October 20, 2026
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