Comparison · Runware
Runware vs Synexa: Which Media API Costs Less for You?
Runware is a huge inference platform with 400K+ models, LLMs and rentable GPUs; Synexa is a smaller media API with one flat price per request. Synexa is cheaper on 3D and Nano Banana Pro, for example Tripo v3.1 at $0.16 against Runware's $0.40. Here is where each one wins.
- Pay per request, no subscription
- Tripo v3.1 and Hunyuan3D 3.1 at $0.16
- $0.10 free credit on sign-up
- Python, Node and plain HTTP
Runware or Synexa: the short verdict
Pick Synexa over Runware if most of your spend goes to image-to-3D, Nano Banana Pro or FLUX 1.1 Pro and you want one fixed price per request. Stay on Runware if you need language models, your own models or GPUs, the cheapest GPT Image 2 and video rates, or a larger free trial.
- Turn images into 3D: Tripo v3.1 is $0.16 against $0.40 on Runware, Hunyuan3D 3.1 is $0.16 against Runware's $0.225 starting price
- Generate with Nano Banana Pro: a flat $0.10 against $0.138 at 1K or 2K
- Run FLUX 1.1 Pro at $0.02 an image against $0.04
- Want one flat price per request on most models, shown on every model page
- Need LLMs such as Claude, GPT or Gemini on the same key
- Want to run your own containers or weights on serverless GPUs
- Use GPT Image 2 heavily, or want video rates from $0.01 a second at low resolution
- Want a $2 trial credit instead of $0.10
What is Runware?
Runware is an AI inference platform founded in 2023 that launched its API in October 2024. Runware describes three products: on-demand model APIs for image, video, audio, language and 3D, serverless GPUs for your own containers and weights, and reserved or bare-metal capacity on modular data centers it designs and runs itself, which it calls Sonic Pods. Runware says it serves more than 400,000 models behind one endpoint, including community models, LoRAs and your own uploads, and it reports a $50M Series A in December 2025.
Runware pricing is pay-as-you-go. Each model has published rates that depend on resolution, duration, quality or tokens, so one model can have several prices. New users who sign up with a business email get $2 in free credits, and Runware says you are only charged for successful requests.
Synexa is narrower: a generative media API for images, video, speech and music, upscaling and image-to-3D, called with one key. It has no chat LLMs; its only text outputs are LLaVA-13B image answers, Whisper transcripts and an NSFW image-check label. See the full catalog in Explore.
Synexa vs Runware AI: features side by side
Public features of both platforms as of November 2026.
Billing model
- Synexa
- Pay per request; per second or per unit on some models
- Runware
- Pay as you go; rates vary by resolution, duration, quality or tokens
Free credit for new accounts
- Synexa
- $0.10, Google sign-in
- Runware
- $2 with a business email
Image models
- Synexa
- Yes, including Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2, FLUX, Ideogram, Recraft, Krea
- Runware
- Yes, over 200 priced, including Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image, Seedream, FLUX, Ideogram
Video models
- Synexa
- Yes, including Veo 3.1, Seedance, Kling, LTX, PixVerse
- Runware
- Yes, over 100 priced, including Veo, Seedance, Kling, MiniMax, Wan
Image-to-3D
- Synexa
- Tripo v3.1, Hunyuan3D 3.1, Meshy, TRELLIS
- Runware
- Tripo v3.1, Hunyuan 3D 3.1, Meshy-6, TRELLIS.2, Rodin, SAM 3D
Speech, music, sound
- Synexa
- Yes, including ElevenLabs, Kokoro, Suno, Lyria 2, Whisper v3
- Runware
- Yes, including MiniMax, Inworld, Fish Audio, ACE-Step
Language models (LLMs)
- Synexa
- Not offered
- Runware
- Yes, including Claude, GPT and Gemini models
Your own models
- Synexa
- Not offered
- Runware
- Uploads, LoRAs and serverless GPUs from $1.60 an hour
Clients
- Synexa
- Python, Node, HTTP
- Runware
- TypeScript and Python SDKs, REST, WebSockets, CLI, MCP
Minimum top-up
- Synexa
- $100 credit packs
- Runware
- not listed on its pricing page
| Feature | Synexa | Runware |
|---|---|---|
| Billing model | Pay per request; per second or per unit on some models | Pay as you go; rates vary by resolution, duration, quality or tokens |
| Free credit for new accounts | $0.10, Google sign-in | $2 with a business email |
| Image models | Yes, including Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2, FLUX, Ideogram, Recraft, Krea | Yes, over 200 priced, including Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image, Seedream, FLUX, Ideogram |
| Video models | Yes, including Veo 3.1, Seedance, Kling, LTX, PixVerse | Yes, over 100 priced, including Veo, Seedance, Kling, MiniMax, Wan |
| Image-to-3D | Tripo v3.1, Hunyuan3D 3.1, Meshy, TRELLIS | Tripo v3.1, Hunyuan 3D 3.1, Meshy-6, TRELLIS.2, Rodin, SAM 3D |
| Speech, music, sound | Yes, including ElevenLabs, Kokoro, Suno, Lyria 2, Whisper v3 | Yes, including MiniMax, Inworld, Fish Audio, ACE-Step |
| Language models (LLMs) | Not offered | Yes, including Claude, GPT and Gemini models |
| Your own models | Not offered | Uploads, LoRAs and serverless GPUs from $1.60 an hour |
| Clients | Python, Node, HTTP | TypeScript and Python SDKs, REST, WebSockets, CLI, MCP |
| Minimum top-up | $100 credit packs | not listed on its pricing page |
"Not listed" means the item is not on that provider's public pages, not that it does not exist. Model counts are Runware's own pricing-page totals.
Runware pricing vs Synexa, model by model
The same model, or the closest version, on both platforms. Prices as of November 14, 2026. Runware figures are its published rates; Synexa figures are the per-request prices on each model page.
Tripo v3.1 (image to 3D)
- Synexa
- $0.16
- Runware
- $0.40
- 1,000 outputs on Synexa vs Runware
- $160 vs $400
Hunyuan3D 3.1 (Rapid or Pro on Runware)
- Synexa
- $0.16
- Runware
- from $0.225; PBR textures +$0.15
- 1,000 outputs on Synexa vs Runware
- $160 vs $225 or more
Nano Banana Pro
- Synexa
- $0.10 / request
- Runware
- $0.138 at 1K or 2K, $0.244 at 4K
- 1,000 outputs on Synexa vs Runware
- $100 vs $138
FLUX 1.1 Pro
- Synexa
- $0.02 / image
- Runware
- $0.04 / image
- 1,000 outputs on Synexa vs Runware
- $20 vs $40
Krea 2 Large
- Synexa
- $0.06 / image
- Runware
- $0.06 / image
- 1,000 outputs on Synexa vs Runware
- $60 vs $60
Ideogram background removal
- Synexa
- $0.01
- Runware
- $0.01
- 1,000 outputs on Synexa vs Runware
- $10 vs $10
Seed Audio 1.0
- Synexa
- $0.1875 / minute
- Runware
- $0.158 / minute
- 1,000 outputs on Synexa vs Runware
- 1,000 minutes: $187.50 vs $158
GPT Image 2
- Synexa
- $0.10 / request
- Runware
- token-billed; examples from $0.022 to $0.068
- 1,000 outputs on Synexa vs Runware
- $100 vs roughly $22 to $68
| Model | Synexa | Runware | 1,000 outputs on Synexa vs Runware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tripo v3.1 (image to 3D) | $0.16 | $0.40 | $160 vs $400 |
| Hunyuan3D 3.1 (Rapid or Pro on Runware) | $0.16 | from $0.225; PBR textures +$0.15 | $160 vs $225 or more |
| Nano Banana Pro | $0.10 / request | $0.138 at 1K or 2K, $0.244 at 4K | $100 vs $138 |
| FLUX 1.1 Pro | $0.02 / image | $0.04 / image | $20 vs $40 |
| Krea 2 Large | $0.06 / image | $0.06 / image | $60 vs $60 |
| Ideogram background removal | $0.01 | $0.01 | $10 vs $10 |
| Seed Audio 1.0 | $0.1875 / minute | $0.158 / minute | 1,000 minutes: $187.50 vs $158 |
| GPT Image 2 | $0.10 / request | token-billed; examples from $0.022 to $0.068 | $100 vs roughly $22 to $68 |
Runware's rates change with settings such as resolution and add-ons, so its price for your request can be higher. The last column is our arithmetic from the list prices.
Where Runware falls short
The gaps are in price on specific models, not in features. Image-to-3D is the clearest case. Runware lists Tripo v3.1 at $0.40 for image-to-3D, while Synexa's Tripo v3.1 is $0.16, so 1,000 models cost $160 instead of $400. Runware's Hunyuan 3D 3.1 starts at $0.225 and adds $0.15 for PBR textures; Synexa's Hunyuan3D 3.1, which returns a textured model, is $0.16.
The same holds for Nano Banana Pro, at $0.10 a request against Runware's $0.138, and FLUX 1.1 Pro, at $0.02 against $0.04.
The other gap is predictability. A Runware rate depends on resolution, duration, quality, tokens and add-ons, and Runware suggests the Playground to estimate a request. Most Synexa models charge one flat amount per request, and each model page shows how many requests $1 buys, so budgeting a batch job is one multiplication.
When Runware is the better pick
Be honest about your workload. Runware is far bigger: it sells LLMs and media models on one bill, lets you upload models and LoRAs, and rents serverless GPUs for your own code, none of which Synexa offers. Runware is also cheaper for GPT Image 2, where its published examples run $0.022 to $0.068 against Synexa's $0.10, for Seed Audio 1.0, and it lists many video models from $0.01 to $0.02 a second at 480p or below. Its $2 trial is twenty times Synexa's $0.10.
- You need LLMs and media models on one key
- You run your own models, LoRAs or containers
- Most of your volume is GPT Image 2 or low-resolution video
Why Synexa works as a Runware alternative
Synexa fits products whose spend is mostly 3D, Nano Banana Pro or FLUX images. Prices are flat per request on most models, the catalog covers image, video, audio, upscaling and 3D, and one API key works for all of it. Draft meshes are cheap too: TRELLIS costs $0.02 a request, and Real-ESRGAN upscaling costs $0.0015.
- Tripo v3.1 and Hunyuan3D 3.1 at $0.16
- Nano Banana Pro at $0.10 a request
- Flat per-request prices on most models
How to switch from Runware to Synexa in 4 steps
Both are REST APIs that take a model and its inputs, so a test port is mostly a new endpoint, key and request body.
Create an account
Map your models
tripo3d/tripo or google/nano-banana-pro, where Runware uses IDs such as runware:400@1. Each Synexa page lists its inputs and price.Change the call
api.synexa.ai/v1/predictions with an x-api-key header and a body of model plus input, or install the synexa package for Python or Node. The quickstart has copy-paste examples.Compare and top up
How to compare Runware pricing fairly
A fair test takes an afternoon and saves guessing.
- Price your real settings: resolution, duration, textures and add-ons
- Compare the same model version on both sides
- Count the cost of 1,000 outputs, not one
- Check token-billed models with a real prompt, not the starting rate
- Compare Runware's lowest-resolution rate with a full-resolution price
- Assume a model with the same family name is the same version
- Move LLM traffic to Synexa; it does not serve language models
- Skip a side-by-side quality check on your own prompts
Related pages
New models and more on Synexa's catalog.
Frequently asked questions
What is Runware?
Runware is an AI inference platform, founded in 2023, that sells pay-as-you-go access to image, video, audio, 3D and language models through one API. It also rents serverless and reserved GPUs and runs its own modular data centers. Runware says it serves more than 400,000 models, including community models and user uploads.
How does Runware pricing work?
Runware is pay-as-you-go. Each model has published rates per image, per second of video, per 3D generation or per million tokens, and the rate changes with resolution, duration, quality and add-ons. Runware suggests its Playground to estimate a specific request, says it charges only for successful requests, and offers volume discounts through sales.
Is Runware free?
Not beyond the trial. New Runware users who sign up with a business email get $2 in free credits, and after that you pay per use. Synexa gives new accounts $0.10 of credit, enough to test cheap models such as TRELLIS at $0.02 a 3D mesh or FLUX 1.1 Pro at $0.02 an image.
Is Synexa cheaper than Runware?
On some models, yes, and on others, no. As of November 2026, Synexa is cheaper for Tripo v3.1 ($0.16 against $0.40), Hunyuan3D 3.1 ($0.16 against $0.225 or more), Nano Banana Pro ($0.10 against $0.138) and FLUX 1.1 Pro ($0.02 against $0.04). Runware is cheaper for GPT Image 2 and Seed Audio 1.0. Price the models you actually use.
What is the best Runware alternative for 3D models?
For image-to-3D, Synexa is a strong Runware alternative on price. Tripo v3.1 costs $0.16 a model on Synexa against $0.40 on Runware, and Hunyuan3D 3.1 costs $0.16 against Runware's $0.225 starting price before PBR textures. Synexa also offers TRELLIS at $0.02 for quick draft meshes. Runware has a wider 3D list, including Rodin and SAM 3D.
Does Synexa offer LLMs like Runware AI?
No. Synexa covers image generation and editing, video, speech, music and sound, upscaling and image-to-3D. It does not serve text-generation models such as Claude, GPT or Gemini, and it does not host your own models. Many teams call an LLM provider directly for text and use Synexa only for the media their app generates.
How hard is it to move from Runware to Synexa?
A test port usually takes an hour or two. Both are REST APIs. Runware takes an array of tasks with a Bearer token; Synexa takes one prediction per POST, with an x-api-key header and a body of model plus input, or a Python or Node package. Map each model to its Synexa owner/name ID, check its inputs, and run both side by side.
What is the minimum top-up on Synexa?
Synexa credit packs start at $100, with $500 and $1,000 packs or a custom amount of $100 or more. New accounts get $0.10 of free credit first, so you can test before paying. Runware does not list a minimum top-up on its pricing page, and it offers custom volume pricing through its sales team.
Try Synexa as your Runware alternative
Run Tripo, Hunyuan3D, Nano Banana Pro and the rest of Synexa's image, video, audio and 3D catalog with one API key. Pay per request and start with $0.10 free credit.