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Cerebras vs Runware
Runware generates images and video cheaply across 300+ priced models. Cerebras generates text at top speed. Different modalities, different buyers.
By The Subconscious Team · Updated
Cerebras vs Runware: key differences
Runware is a media generation API. One request schema covers image, video, audio and 3D, and the rate sheet lists 300+ priced models, with images from fractions of a cent and Seedance 2.5 video at about $0.10 a second at 480p. Its Sonic Inference Engine hardware keeps costs low by Runware's account. Cerebras is a text host on a wafer-scale chip, serving GPT-OSS 120B near 3,000 tokens per second at $0.35 in and $0.75 out. Each builds its own hardware, and each points it at a different output.
Runware does handle text, but its own profile calls LLM hosting a side line and says text fits better elsewhere. Cerebras does not list media generation. That makes them natural partners in a consumer app: Cerebras for real-time chat or captions, Runware for images and short video. Runware also rents raw H100s by the second at $3.95 an hour. Apps using Runware need their own storage, since output URLs expire after seven days by default.
What Cerebras and Runware do
Cerebras
Cerebras builds a single chip the size of a silicon wafer, and its inference cloud is the fastest public host on the models it serves. Its developer table lists GPT-OSS 120B near 3,000 tokens per second, about six times Groq on the same weights, at $0.35 in and $0.75 out per million. The public shared catalog is thin, just GPT-OSS 120B and Qwen 3.8 27B since Gemma 4 31B moved to dedicated-only in September 2026. More model families live on dedicated endpoints and through partners like OpenRouter, Hugging Face, Vercel and AWS Marketplace.
Example models: GPT-OSS 120B, Qwen 3.8 27B
Full Cerebras profileRunware
Runware sells what it calls the lowest-cost API for media generation, and it claims more than 1M developers. One endpoint covers image, video, audio, 3D and text. Every request is a task with the same shape, so switching from a Kling video to a Seedream image mostly means changing the model ID. The published rate sheet lists 300+ priced models, with images from fractions of a cent to a few cents each and video billed per second, like Seedance 2.5 at about $0.10 a second at 480p.
Example models: Seedance 2.5, Qwen-Image-3.0
Full Runware profileShould you choose Cerebras or Runware?
Cerebras vs Runware at a glance
| Attribute | Cerebras | Runware |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Open weights | Hosted media models |
| Flagship models | GPT-OSS 120B, Qwen 3.8 27B | Seedance 2.5, Qwen-Image-3.0 |
| Speed | ~3,000 tok/s on GPT-OSS 120B | Unknown |
| Price | $0.35 in, $0.75 out (GPT-OSS 120B) | Images from fractions of a cent |
| Customization | Unknown | Fine-tuned diffusion checkpoints |
| Deployment | Shared API, dedicated, partners | Unified API, serverless GPUs, bare metal |
| Long context | 131K on GPT-OSS 120B, 128K on Qwen 3.8 27B | Not applicable |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Cerebras and Runware?
Runware generates images and video cheaply across 300+ priced models. Cerebras generates text at top speed. Different modalities, different buyers.
When should I choose Cerebras over Runware?
Real-time text for chat and voice; Fast long text outputs; Open-weight GPT-OSS 120B at low per-token cost.
When should I choose Runware over Cerebras?
High-volume image and short video generation; Fine-tuned diffusion and community checkpoints at scale; One schema across image, video, audio and 3D.
Is Cerebras or Runware cheaper?
Cerebras: $0.35 in, $0.75 out (GPT-OSS 120B). Runware: Images from fractions of a cent. The cheaper choice depends on the model and workload.
Which has more context, Cerebras or Runware?
Cerebras: 131K on GPT-OSS 120B, 128K on Qwen 3.8 27B. Runware: Not applicable.
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