# FLUX by Black Forest Labs vs Runway

> FLUX by Black Forest Labs: Image and video generation models with a pay-per-use API and open weights
> Runway: AI video, image and audio creation suite with Gen-4.5, agents and an API

- FLUX by Black Forest Labs profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/flux-ai
- Runway profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/runway
- Comparison page: https://finderatlas.com/compare/flux-ai-vs-runway
- Last reviewed: October 2026

## Verdict

FLUX by Black Forest Labs and Runway are both Image & Visual AI tools. Only Runway has a free plan or trial. Only Runway is available on iOS and Android.

### Choose FLUX by Black Forest Labs if

- You want a tool built for adding image generation or editing to an application through an API.
- Pay-per-use pricing with no subscription or seat fees.
- Klein models start at $0.008 per image.

### Choose Runway if

- You want a tool built for Text-to-video and image-to-video generation.
- Combines video, image and audio generation and editing in one workspace.
- Offers Runway's own Gen-4.5 plus third-party models such as Seedance 2.0.

## Pricing

| | FLUX by Black Forest Labs | Runway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing model | Paid | Freemium |
| Free plan or trial | No | Yes |
| Starting price | $0.008 | $0 |

## Features

| Feature | FLUX by Black Forest Labs | Runway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FLUX 3 Image | Yes | Not listed |
| FLUX 3 Video | Yes | Not listed |
| FLUX 3 Image Klein | Yes | Not listed |
| FLUX.2 family | Yes | Not listed |
| FLUX.1 Kontext | Yes | Not listed |
| FLUX Tools | Yes | Not listed |
| FLUX 3 Action | Yes | Not listed |
| Playground | Yes | Not listed |
| Open weights | Yes | Not listed |
| Gen-4.5 video model | Not listed | Yes |
| Creative Agent | Not listed | Yes |
| Multiple models | Not listed | Yes |
| Characters | Not listed | Yes |
| Aleph and Act-Two | Not listed | Yes |
| Audio tools | Not listed | Yes |
| Workflows and Recipes | Not listed | Yes |
| Runway Dev API | Not listed | Yes |
| Runway MCP | Not listed | Yes |

## Platforms

| Platform | FLUX by Black Forest Labs | Runway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | No | No |
| macOS | No | No |
| iOS | No | Yes |
| Android | No | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Browser Extension | No | No |

## FLUX by Black Forest Labs strengths

- Pay-per-use pricing with no subscription or seat fees
- Klein models start at $0.008 per image
- One API covers image, video, audio and action models
- Open weights available for selected models, with commercial licence tiers for self-hosting
- Company holds SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022 certifications, according to its site

## FLUX by Black Forest Labs limitations

- The pricing page mentions no free tier or free credits
- Commercial licence prices are not published and require Contact Sales
- Open weights come under several licences, and some are non-commercial
- No mobile app

## Runway strengths

- Combines video, image and audio generation and editing in one workspace
- Offers Runway's own Gen-4.5 plus third-party models such as Seedance 2.0
- Creative Agent builds videos from a conversation
- Runway Dev API with Node and Python SDKs
- Free plan with 125 credits that do not expire
- Native iOS and Android apps

## Runway limitations

- Credit-based pricing: a 5-second Gen-4.5 clip costs 60 credits, so the 625 credits on Standard cover about 10 such clips
- Standard and Pro credits do not roll over at the end of the month
- Some App Store reviewers complain about the cost of failed or unusable generations
- 4K upscaling is unlimited only on Pro and Max

## FAQ

**Is FLUX by Black Forest Labs better than Runway?**

It depends on your workflow. FLUX by Black Forest Labs is built for adding image generation or editing to an application through an API. Runway is built for Text-to-video and image-to-video generation.

**What are the key feature differences between FLUX by Black Forest Labs and Runway?**

FLUX by Black Forest Labs: Image and video generation models with a pay-per-use API and open weights. Runway: AI video, image and audio creation suite with Gen-4.5, agents and an API.

**Does FLUX by Black Forest Labs or Runway have a free plan?**

Runway has a free plan or trial; FLUX by Black Forest Labs is paid only.

**Which is cheaper, FLUX by Black Forest Labs or Runway?**

Both can be used for free. Paid plans differ in limits and features, so compare the tiers in the pricing table above.