# Cerebras vs Runware

> Runware generates images and video cheaply across 300+ priced models. Cerebras generates text at top speed. Different modalities, different buyers.

Canonical: https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/cerebras-vs-runware · By The Subconscious Team · Updated September 30, 2026

## How they compare

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 $2.76 an hour. Apps using Runware need their own storage, since output URLs expire after seven days by default.

## What each one does

### 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 Gemma 4 31B as of August 2026. More model families live on dedicated endpoints and through partners like OpenRouter, Hugging Face, Vercel and AWS Marketplace.

### Runware

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.

## Which is best, and when

### Choose Cerebras for

- Real-time text for chat and voice
- Fast long text outputs
- Open-weight GPT-OSS 120B at low per-token cost

### Choose Runware for

- High-volume image and short video generation
- Fine-tuned diffusion and community checkpoints at scale
- One schema across image, video, audio and 3D

## At a glance

| Attribute | Cerebras | Runware |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Open weights | Hosted media models |
| Flagship models | GPT-OSS 120B, Gemma 4 31B | Seedance 2.5, Qwen-Image-3.0 |
| Speed | ~3,000 tok/s on GPT-OSS 120B | - |
| Price | $0.35 in, $0.75 out (GPT-OSS 120B) | Images from fractions of a cent |
| Customization | - | Fine-tuned diffusion checkpoints |
| Deployment | Shared API, dedicated, partners | Unified API, raw GPUs |
| Long context | - | Not applicable |

## FAQ

### 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.

## Running long-horizon agents?

If your agents run past 200K tokens, compare both against Subconscious: [Subconscious vs Cerebras](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-cerebras.md), [Subconscious vs Runware](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-runware.md).

Full profiles: [Cerebras](https://www.subconscious.dev/providers/cerebras.md), [Runware](https://www.subconscious.dev/providers/runware.md).