# DeepInfra vs Runware

> Runware is a low-cost media generation API across image, video, audio and 3D. DeepInfra is a low-cost text host. Both compete on price, in different modalities.

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

## How they compare

Runware and DeepInfra share an identity, the cheapest option in their lane, but the lanes differ. Runware sells what it calls the lowest-cost API for media generation. One task schema covers image, video, audio, 3D and text, its rate sheet lists 300+ priced models, and a Model Lake keeps 400K+ models resident. Images run from fractions of a cent to a few cents, and video bills per second, like Seedance 2.5 at about $0.10 a second at 480p. DeepInfra is the price floor on open LLM tokens, with 150+ models across text, image and speech. Runware itself treats LLM hosting as a side line.

So the realistic setup is both. A consumer app might run its prompts, captions and chat on DeepInfra at rates like $0.14 in and $0.28 out on DeepSeek V4 Flash, and send images and short videos to Runware. Runware also supports fine-tuned diffusion checkpoints and rents H100s by the second at $2.76 an hour. DeepInfra has no managed fine-tuning. Each has a practical catch. Runware's output URLs expire after seven days by default, so apps need their own storage, and DeepInfra's default quantization needs checking per model.

## What each one does

### DeepInfra

DeepInfra is the price floor for open-model inference. Developers treat it as the reference point for what a token should cost, with small models like Llama 3.1 8B at $0.02 per million and DeepSeek V4 Flash at $0.14 in and $0.28 out. The catalog covers 150+ open models across text, image and speech behind a fully OpenAI-compatible API. There are no minimums, setup fees or contracts on the shared API.

### 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 DeepInfra for

- LLM chat and text processing at floor prices
- The text layer of a media app
- Bulk extraction and synthetic data jobs

### Choose Runware for

- High-volume image and short video generation
- Running community or fine-tuned diffusion checkpoints
- One request schema across image, video, audio and 3D

## At a glance

| Attribute | DeepInfra | Runware |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Open weights | Hosted media models |
| Flagship models | DeepSeek V4 Flash, Llama 3.1 8B | Seedance 2.5, Qwen-Image-3.0 |
| Speed | ~33 tok/s on DeepSeek V4 Pro (FP4) | - |
| Price | From $0.02 per 1M | Images from fractions of a cent |
| Customization | No managed fine-tuning | Fine-tuned diffusion checkpoints |
| Deployment | Shared API, no contracts | Unified API, raw GPUs |
| Long context | 66K on FP4 DeepSeek V4 Pro | Not applicable |

## FAQ

### What is the difference between DeepInfra and Runware?

Runware is a low-cost media generation API across image, video, audio and 3D. DeepInfra is a low-cost text host. Both compete on price, in different modalities.

### When should I choose DeepInfra over Runware?

LLM chat and text processing at floor prices; The text layer of a media app; Bulk extraction and synthetic data jobs.

### When should I choose Runware over DeepInfra?

High-volume image and short video generation; Running community or fine-tuned diffusion checkpoints; One request schema across image, video, audio and 3D.

### Is DeepInfra or Runware cheaper?

DeepInfra: From $0.02 per 1M. Runware: Images from fractions of a cent. The cheaper choice depends on the model and workload.

### Which has more context, DeepInfra or Runware?

DeepInfra: 66K on FP4 DeepSeek V4 Pro. Runware: Not applicable.

## Running long-horizon agents?

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

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