Made in Ziztu · Micro drama
Made in Ziztu · AnimeSee what Ziztu makes
Real outputs, exactly as they came out. Each one shows the prompt that made it, and you can start from it.
Micro dramaMade in Ziztu
Micro dramaMade in ZiztuAnimeMade in Ziztu
Micro dramaMade in Ziztu
AnimeMade in Ziztu
AnimeMade in ZiztuWhat a finished clip costs
Runway against Ziztu, on the cheapest monthly plan of each.
| What | Runway | Ziztu |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest monthly plan | $15 a monthStandard, 625 credits | $12 a monthStarter, 1,000 credits |
| One short video clip | about $1.44Gen-4.5, 5 seconds, 60 credits, Standard plan on monthly billing | $0.37 at 480P$0.60 at 768P, 5 seconds, 50 credits |
| Try it free | 125 one-time credits | 40 credits, no cardscripts, character art, storyboards, voices and sound, with a watermark |
| A 60 second episode | about $17.28 for the clips12 clips, Gen-4.5, Standard, monthly billing; clips only | $8.56713 credits: shots, voices, score and the cut |
Ziztu costs less to start: $12 a month against $15 a month. Per finished clip, Ziztu costs less on these figures. Credits are not the same unit across tools, so compare finished clips, not credit counts.
Runway figures from its own pricing, checked 14 October 2026. Source: Runway pricing page. Ziztu figures from the plans and credit costs shown before every generation; Starter is $12 for 1,000 credits. The check mark marks the lower cost.
Switching from Runway? 30% off your first 3 months
Monthly plans, for new customers. 100 of 100 left. Ends 13 November 2026.
The code is added at checkout for you. It takes 30% off each of the first 3 monthly payments, then the plan costs its normal price. It does not apply to yearly plans or credit packs. Stripe counts the redemptions and stops the offer at 100 or on the end date. Cancel anytime.
- Starter
$12$8.40a month for 3 months - Creator
$29$20.30a month for 3 months - Studio
$79$55.30a month for 3 months
| Plan | Monthly billing | Yearly billing, per month | Credits | What the page lists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 125, one time | 5GB storage, a selection of models to test concepts |
| Standard | $15 | $12 | 625 a month | 52 s of Gen-4.5, no watermarks, 4K upscaling, 20GB, all video and image models |
| Pro | $35 | $28 | 2,250 a month | 187 s of Gen-4.5, top-up credits, 1 custom voice clone, unlimited 4K upscaling, 100GB |
| Max | $95 | $76 | 9,500 a month | 791 s of Gen-4.5, unused credits roll over for 1 month, early access to new models, 500GB |
Is Runway free?
Partly. The Free plan costs $0 and the credits do not expire, but it is a one-time deposit of 125 credits, not a monthly allowance. Gen-4.5 uses 12 credits a second, so 125 credits is about 10 seconds of video: two 5 second clips. When they are used you move to a paid plan or stop.
The pricing page lists "No watermarks" from Standard up and does not list it for Free, and it states no commercial terms for free output, so read Runway's terms before using free results in client work. Extra credits are sold in the dashboard from 1,000 credits, and bought credits never expire.
What a Runway credit buys
On Standard, a credit costs $0.0240 on monthly billing and $0.0192 billed yearly, if you spend all 625 credits each month. Standard and Pro credits reset each billing cycle and do not roll over; Max rolls up to one month over.
| Result | Runway credits | Monthly billing | Yearly billing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen-4.5 video, 5 s | 60 | $1.44 | $1.15 |
| Gen-4 Turbo video, 5 s | 104 s a month on Standard | $0.72 | $0.58 |
| Gen-4 image, 1080p | 8 | $0.19 | $0.15 |
| Seedance 2.0 Fast video, 4 s | 116 | $2.78 | $2.23 |
Bigger plans lower the price per clip. Gen-4.5 for 5 seconds works out to $0.75 on Pro billed yearly and $0.48 on Max billed yearly.
Runway and Ziztu: cost per 5 second clip
Credits are not the same unit across tools, so compare finished clips. Entry plans, one 5 second clip, every credit of the plan spent. Ziztu prices come from its rate card: Starter is $12 for 1,000 credits, Creator is $29 for 2,500, and the plan list names Kling, Seedance and Grok video from Creator up.
| Clip | Plan | Credits | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runway Gen-4.5 | Standard, monthly billing | 60 | $1.44 |
| Runway Gen-4.5 | Standard, yearly billing | 60 | $1.15 |
| Runway Gen-4 Turbo | Standard, monthly billing | n/a | $0.72 |
| Ziztu H3 Max Turbo, 480P | Starter | 31 | $0.37 |
| Ziztu Grok Imagine 1.5 Lite, 720P | Creator | 40 | $0.46 |
| Ziztu H3 Max Turbo, 768P | Starter | 50 | $0.60 |
| Ziztu Kling O3 Standard, 720P with sound | Creator | 139 | $1.61 |
Where the math favours Ziztu: the clip itself. Its two cheapest clips, H3 Max Turbo at 480P and 768P, cost less than a Gen-4.5 clip or a Gen-4 Turbo clip on Runway Standard. They are different models with different looks, so judge the clip, not only the price.
Where it favours Runway: volume. On Max billed yearly a Gen-4.5 clip is $0.48, below Ziztu's $0.55 for a 768P clip on its biggest plan. Runway also includes its own Gen-4.5 model, other models such as Kling 3.0, Seedance 2.5 on Pro and Max, and upscaling to 4K.
What a finished episode costs
A clip price is not an episode price. Take one episode of 60 seconds: 12 shots of 5 seconds at 768P, 6 reference images for the cast, 8 spoken lines, one score cue and 5 Director chats to plan the shots.
On Ziztu Starter that is 713 credits, or $8.56, and it comes out as one cut with the same characters in every shot. Retakes cost extra: the 287 credits left in the month cover 5 of them. This is a worked example from the rate card, not a quote.
The same 12 clips cost about $17.28 on Runway (Gen-4.5 on Standard, monthly billing, read from the official page on 14 October 2026). That is more than the whole Ziztu episode, and it is the clips only. The rest of the job is still to do: the script, the shot list, a cast that looks the same in every shot, the voices, the score and the cut. Each of those is another tool or another hour, and each handoff is a chance for a character to change face. On Ziztu they share one credit balance and one timeline.
Our pick for micro dramas and anime: Ziztu
If the job is an episode where the same characters appear in every shot, Ziztu is the pick: one idea in, a planned and finished cut out, on one credit balance. New Ziztu accounts get 40 free credits after email signup, no card, for scripts, character art, storyboards and voices. Animating shots into video starts on any plan.
- A whole micro drama or anime episode from one idea. The Director turns an idea or a script into a shot list, character sheets keep the cast the same from shot to shot, and clips, music, voice and captions sit on one timeline. See the AI micro drama generator and the AI anime video generator.
- Many models in one plan. H3 Max Turbo, Kling, Seedance and Grok video and several image models draw on one pool of credits, so a shot can use whichever model suits it.
- Credit packs with no plan. The smallest pack is 500 credits for $7, about 16 five second clips at 480P, and you do not need a subscription to buy it.
Runway is the one to keep for its Gen-4.5 model, upscaling to 4K and editing tools. The full price list is in the AI video price index, and the plans are on the pricing page. See the Runway alternatives page and the text to video tool.
Sources (checked 14 October 2026)
Every price and limit on this page comes from the official pages below, read on 14 October 2026. Prices change often, so check them before you buy. Where a page did not state a number, this page says so instead of guessing. Ziztu's own prices come from its pricing page.
- Runway pricing (official page, read 14 October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Is Runway free?
Only for a first try. On 14 October 2026 the Free plan was $0 with 125 credits given once, no monthly refill. At 12 credits a second for Gen-4.5 that is about two 5 second clips. Paid plans start at $15 a month, or $12 a month billed yearly.
How much does Runway cost per month?
On monthly billing: Standard $15 (625 credits), Pro $35 (2,250 credits), Max $95 (9,500 credits). Billed yearly they are $12, $28 and $76 a month, 20 percent off. Read from Runway's pricing page on 14 October 2026.
How much does a Runway video cost?
A 5 second Gen-4.5 clip is 60 credits. On Standard that is $1.44 on monthly billing and $1.15 billed yearly, if you use all of the month's credits. Other models cost different numbers of credits; Seedance 2.0 Fast was listed at 116 credits for 4 seconds.
Do Runway credits roll over?
On Standard and Pro, no: monthly credits reset within 24 hours of your billing date. On Max, up to one month of unused credits rolls over. Credits you buy on top never expire.
Does Runway put a watermark on videos?
The pricing page lists "No watermarks" for Standard, Pro and Max and does not list it for Free. Check the free plan's output before you rely on it.
Is Runway cheaper than Ziztu?
On the entry plans, no: Ziztu is cheaper per clip. A 5 second Gen-4.5 clip is $1.44 on Runway Standard, while a 5 second H3 Max Turbo clip on Ziztu Starter is $0.37 at 480P (31 credits) or $0.60 at 768P (50 credits). On Runway Max billed yearly, Gen-4.5 falls to $0.48, below Ziztu's price on its biggest plan.
What is a good Runway alternative?
Ziztu, for micro dramas and anime from one idea: 40 free credits and no card are enough to try the script, characters and storyboard, and its clips cost less than Runway's at the entry plans. Other options, with prices from each official page, are on the Runway alternatives page.
Why creators switch
One idea, the same cast in every shot
Describe a micro drama or an anime episode once. Ziztu plans the shots and keeps each character looking the same from scene to scene, with voices, music and the cut.
Many models in one plan
Video, image, music and voice models draw from one credit balance, so you pick the right one for each shot instead of paying for Runway and a second tool.
Credit packs, no plan
Not ready for a subscription? Buy credits once, from $7. They never expire, and you only pay for what you make.
Make your first result free
40 free credits, no card. Type an idea and see it. Then 30% off your first 3 months with SWITCH30.