Compare · AI video generators

Sora 2 vs Runway

Sora 2: OpenAI's AI video app and website, discontinued in April 2026; the Sora 2 API followed in September. Runway: An AI creative suite for video, images and audio, with its own Gen-4.5 and Aleph 2.0 plus other labs' models.

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Updated October 16, 2026

Sora 2 has been discontinued. The Sora app and website were discontinued on April 26, 2026. This page compares what it offered with Runway, which you can still use, and lists other Sora 2 alternatives. See also what happened to Sora 2 and the models in Luren AI that replace it.

Sora 2 and Runway details as published on sora.chatgpt.com and runway.com (and their official app store listings), checked October 16, 2026. Luren AI shown for reference.
	Sora 2	Runway	Luren AI
Platforms	No longer available	Web, iOS, Android	iPhone and Android app
Mobile app	No	Yes	Yes, iPhone and Android
Free plan	None: the Sora app and website were discontinued on April 26, 2026.	Free plan with 125 one-time credits and a selection of models.	Free to download and try
Pricing	No longer sold. OpenAI Support said remaining Sora credits could be used with Codex or refunded through the usual process.	Credit-based plans: Standard $15, Pro $35 and Max $95 a month, or $12, $28 and $76 a month billed yearly (as listed on its pricing page). Extra credits can be bought, from 1,000 credits.	Pay per creation with coins, or a weekly or yearly Pro subscription
What you need to start	Not applicable: the service has been discontinued.	None: start from a text prompt, or upload an image, video or audio as a reference.	One photo, or just a prompt; no training
AI models	OpenAI's own Sora 2 and Sora 2 Pro, which OpenAI shut down in its API on September 24, 2026.	Its own Gen-4.5, Gen-4 Image and Aleph 2.0, plus models from other labs such as Seedance 2.5, Kling 3.0, Nano Banana Pro, Nano Banana 2.1, Seedream 5.0, Wan 3.0 and FLUX.3.	Nano Banana Pro, Nano Banana 2.1, GPT Image 2.5, Seedream, Qwen-Image 3.0, Grok Imagine; Veo 3.1, Kling, Seedance
Images	Not offered	Images from a prompt or a reference photo, with consistent characters, objects and locations	300+ styles, your own prompt with a model picker, and an AI agent
Video	Discontinued; Sora 2 generated video with synced audio from text or images	Text-to-video, image-to-video and video-to-video, plus Runway Agent for complete videos from a conversation	Image to video, text to video, UGC videos and 40+ AI dances
Editing	Not offered	Aleph 2.0 edits existing footage up to 30 seconds: change one element, the lighting or the background and keep the rest	Restore, upscale, change clothes, backgrounds, pose and expression

Sora 2 today

Former Sora users who need to export what they made
Anyone comparing today's AI video tools with OpenAI's former Sora

Sora was OpenAI's AI video app and website, built on its Sora video models; OpenAI's developer docs describe Sora 2 as generating video with synced audio from text or images. OpenAI discontinued the Sora web and app experiences on April 26, 2026, and shut down the Sora 2 models and Videos API on September 24, 2026, with no one-to-one replacement API.

Strengths

OpenAI's docs describe Sora 2 as generating richly detailed clips with synced audio from text or images
Sora 2 Pro was OpenAI's higher-quality variant, with 1080p exports
After the shutdown, OpenAI pointed users to an export page for what they had made

Limits to know

The Sora app and website were discontinued on April 26, 2026
The Sora 2 models and Videos API were shut down on September 24, 2026, and OpenAI lists no one-to-one replacement
New videos can no longer be made with Sora

Sora 2 alternatives →

Choose Runway if…

Filmmakers, agencies and brands making ads, short films and music videos
Editing existing footage without a reshoot
Creators who want several top video models in one place

Runway is a cloud-based creative suite for generating and editing video, images and audio, on the web and in apps for iPhone and Android. It pairs its own models, such as Gen-4.5 for video and Aleph 2.0 for editing existing footage, with models from other labs including Seedance, Kling and Nano Banana, and Runway Agent plans and assembles a whole video from a conversation. Its site says it is used by more than 60 million creators.

Strengths

Its own video models, Gen-4.5 and Aleph 2.0, alongside models from other labs in one subscription
Aleph 2.0 edits footage you already have and changes only what you ask for
Runway Agent plans the shots, generates them and assembles the finished video
Work syncs between the phone apps and the web, with plugins for Premiere Pro and After Effects

Limits to know

The free plan is a one-time 125 credits rather than a monthly allowance
Monthly credits do not roll over on the Standard and Pro plans
Its store listing ties more credits, higher resolution and faster generation to paid plans
The iOS app is for iPhone only, and its App Store listing is in English

Runway alternatives →

Key differences

Runway has a mobile app; Sora 2 runs on .
Runway generates images; Sora 2 is built around other jobs.
Sora 2 is listed among ai video generators; Runway among ai video generators and ai image generators and ai product photo tools.
Free plans: Sora 2: None: the Sora app and website were discontinued on April 26, 2026. Runway: Free plan with 125 one-time credits and a selection of models.

A third option

Both kinds of model, in one phone app

Luren AI puts Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2.5, Seedream, Veo 3.1 and Kling side by side on iPhone and Android, with 300+ ready-made styles, UGC ads, AI dances and an AI agent that makes the picture for you. Start from one photo, no training.

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FAQ

Sora 2 vs Runway: questions

Is Sora 2 better than Runway?

It depends on the job. Sora 2 suits former Sora users who need to export what they made; anyone comparing today's AI video tools with OpenAI's former Sora. Runway suits filmmakers, agencies and brands making ads, short films and music videos; editing existing footage without a reshoot; creators who want several top video models in one place.

Is Sora 2 free?

None: the Sora app and website were discontinued on April 26, 2026.

Is Runway free?

Free plan with 125 one-time credits and a selection of models.

Which is better for video, Sora 2 or Runway?

Sora 2: Discontinued; Sora 2 generated video with synced audio from text or images. Runway: Text-to-video, image-to-video and video-to-video, plus Runway Agent for complete videos from a conversation.

Is Sora 2 still available?

No. OpenAI Support said the Sora web and app experiences ended on April 26, 2026, and OpenAI's developer docs say the Sora 2 models and Videos API were shut down on September 24, 2026, with no one-to-one replacement API.

Is there an alternative to Sora 2 and Runway on my phone?

Luren AI is an iPhone and Android app with image models like Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2.5 and Seedream, video models like Veo 3.1 and Kling, 300+ ready-made styles and an AI agent. It is free to download and try.

More comparisons

Sources

Sora 2 and Runway are trademarks of their owners. Luren AI is not affiliated with either. Details are as each company publishes them on its own site and store listings on the date above; plans and prices change, so check their sites before you buy.