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Nebius vs Runware
Runware is a low-cost media generation API across image, video, audio and 3D; Nebius is a text-first AI cloud. They cover different jobs.
By The Subconscious Team · Updated
Nebius vs Runware: key differences
Runware and Nebius both run GPUs, but they sell very different products on top. Runware's unified API covers image, video, audio, 3D and text with one request schema, and its rate sheet lists 300+ priced models, with images from fractions of a cent and video like Seedance 2.5 at about $0.10 a second at 480p. Runware says LLM hosting is a side line. Nebius centers on open text models through Token Factory, dedicated endpoints under a 99.9% SLA, and raw GPUs up to GB300 NVL72 racks.
On raw compute they do overlap. Runware rents H100s by the second at $2.76 an hour, while Nebius lists H100s from $2.15 an hour preemptible and scales into much larger rack configurations. For generation, though, the pick follows modality. A high-volume consumer app making images or short video fits Runware, with the caveat that output URLs expire after seven days so the app needs its own storage. An LLM product, a fine-tuned text model or an EU-resident workload fits Nebius.
What Nebius and Runware do
Nebius
Nebius is an Amsterdam-headquartered AI cloud and the strongest European alternative to the US hyperscalers. It sells raw NVIDIA GPU compute, from H100s at $2.15 an hour preemptible up to GB300 NVL72 racks, and it has begun adding Vera Rubin. Hyperscale buyers back it: a Microsoft capacity deal worth about $17.4B in September 2025, then a Meta agreement worth up to about $27B in March 2026.
Example models: DeepSeek V3, GPT-OSS
Full Nebius 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 Nebius or Runware?
Nebius
Choose Nebius for
- LLM inference and fine-tuned text models
- EU-resident AI workloads with an SLA
- Large-scale GPU training on rack-scale hardware
Runware
Choose Runware for
- High-volume image or short video generation at low per-item cost
- Switching media models by changing only the model ID
- Running fine-tuned diffusion checkpoints at scale
Nebius vs Runware at a glance
| Attribute | Nebius | Runware |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Open weights, 60+ models | Hosted media models |
| Flagship models | DeepSeek, Qwen, GLM, Kimi, GPT-OSS | Seedance 2.5, Qwen-Image-3.0 |
| Speed | Among top hosts on throughput | Unknown |
| Price | From $0.06 per 1M input | Images from fractions of a cent |
| Customization | Serve uploaded fine-tunes | Fine-tuned diffusion checkpoints |
| Deployment | Token Factory, dedicated, raw GPUs | Unified API, raw GPUs |
| Long context | Varies by model | Not applicable |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Nebius and Runware?
Runware is a low-cost media generation API across image, video, audio and 3D; Nebius is a text-first AI cloud. They cover different jobs.
When should I choose Nebius over Runware?
LLM inference and fine-tuned text models; EU-resident AI workloads with an SLA; Large-scale GPU training on rack-scale hardware.
When should I choose Runware over Nebius?
High-volume image or short video generation at low per-item cost; Switching media models by changing only the model ID; Running fine-tuned diffusion checkpoints at scale.
Is Nebius or Runware cheaper?
Nebius: From $0.06 per 1M input. Runware: Images from fractions of a cent. The cheaper choice depends on the model and workload.
Which has more context, Nebius or Runware?
Nebius: Varies by model. Runware: Not applicable.
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