Leonardo.ai vs Runway — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Leonardo.ai starts at $12/mo. Runway starts at $15/mo. Leonardo.ai is $3/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Runway.
See price history: Leonardo.ai · Runway
AI image generation platform with a strong game-art community. Pricing: Free (150 daily tokens), Apprentice $12/mo, Artisan $30/mo, Maestro $60/mo. Popular with game developers, concept artists, and marketers who need consistent character generation and stylized art.
Leader in AI video generation (Gen-3 Alpha, Gen-4). Pricing: Free (limited daily credits), Standard $15/mo (625 credits), Pro $35/mo (2,250 credits), Unlimited $95/mo (unlimited generations), Enterprise custom. Popular with filmmakers, marketers, and content creators producing AI-generated video at high quality.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Leonardo.ai monthly | Leonardo.ai annual | Runway monthly | Runway annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Essential (formerly Apprentice) / Standard | $12 | $10 | $15 | $12 |
| Mid tier | Premium (formerly Artisan) / Pro | $30 | $24 | $35 | $28 |
| Pro / power | Ultimate (formerly Maestro) / Max | $60 | $48 | $95 | $76 |
| Enterprise | — / Enterprise | — | — | Custom | Custom |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Leonardo.ai is worth it if… Leonardo is worth it for game developers and concept artists who need consistent character generation across multiple prompts. The pre-trained model library specialized for game art is a real differentiator vs Midjourney's general aesthetic.
Runway is worth it if… filmmakers and video-heavy content creators who need the highest-quality AI video generation available. Standard ($15) suits casual experimentation; Pro ($35) suits regular creator use; Unlimited ($95) suits professional filmmakers.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Leonardo.ai over Runway if…
Choose Leonardo.ai if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (tiered, from $12/mo).
- You match the profile Leonardo.ai is built for: Leonardo is worth it for game developers and concept artists who need consistent character generation across multiple prompts.
- You need a general-purpose design & creative option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Runway if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (tiered, from $15/mo).
- You match the profile Runway is built for: filmmakers and video-heavy content creators who need the highest-quality AI video generation available.
- You need a general-purpose design & creative option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Leonardo.ai | Runway | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $12/mo | $15/mo |
| Enterprise available | No | Yes |
| Pricing model | Tiered | Tiered |
| Verification | Checked October 2, 2026 | Pricing under review |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified October 2, 2026. Verification cadence varies by tool; check each tool page.