Is Runway Gen 2 Free in 2026? What You Can Use Instead
No. Runway Gen-2 (stylized as Gen-2) was fully deprecated on May 11, 2025, so neither free nor paid accounts can use it now. Runway still has a free plan, but its 125 credits are a one-time allocation—not a daily refresh.
Guides that promise daily credit refreshes or tell you to select Gen 2 in the dashboard are outdated. This guide uses Runway's current official policies and explains what is actually free now.
The short answer
Is Runway Gen 2 Still Free in 2026?
Runway Gen 2 is not free in 2026 because the model no longer exists in the product. Runway introduced Gen 2 in 2023 as a multimodal system for creating or transforming video from text, images, and clips. It is now a legacy model, not a hidden dashboard option.
Runway began removing access in mid-March 2025 and fully deprecated Gen 2 on May 11. Support cannot re-enable it, and paying for Standard, Pro, or Max does not bring it back. Motion Brush, a feature associated with Gen 2, disappeared with the model.
Runway still offers a Free plan, but its credits apply only to the limited models and tools currently shown to your account. They are not Gen 2 credits. Because model availability changes, the live dashboard—not an old tutorial—is the source of truth.
- 01
February 2023
Gen 2 announced
Runway presented Gen 2 as a multimodal system for generating video from text, images, or video clips.
- 02
Mid-March 2025
Access removal began
Runway started revoking access to the legacy model as newer generations replaced it.
- 03
May 11, 2025
Gen 2 fully deprecated
The model and its Motion Brush feature became unavailable to every account tier.
- 04
August 2026
Free plan still exists
The current Free plan offers 125 one-time credits for a changing, limited tool set—but not Gen 2.
Current workflow
How to Use Runway for Free After Gen 2 (Step by Step)
You cannot follow the old “open Gen 2” workflow anymore. You can use the current Free plan to test whichever generative tools are included for your account. Because Runway changes that selection, this tutorial does not promise a model that may later move behind an upgrade prompt.
These steps follow Runway's current documentation and help protect the one-time 125-credit allowance.
Step 1
Create a free Runway account
Register with email, Google, or Apple. Runway's account guide lists identity and email-verification steps, with no paid-subscription step. After sign-in, confirm that the workspace shows the Free plan and a credit balance.
A new Free workspace receives 125 credits once. They do not expire or refresh.
Step 2
Start a Session and choose a creation mode
Runway organizes work into Sessions. Tools exposes the model and settings, Apps provides guided workflows, and Agent can choose a model. For learning video prompts, Tools makes available inputs and settings easiest to see.
Do not look for Gen 2 in the model picker. Its absence is permanent, not an account bug.
Step 3
Check the model's Free-plan availability
Check the model selector for an upgrade requirement before adding assets. The Free plan supports a limited, changing tool set. An upgrade prompt means the model is not currently included, even if an older tutorial shows free access.
The live model picker is more reliable than a static free-model list.
Step 4
Add an input and write a focused prompt
For text-to-video, describe the scene, subject, style, and motion. For image-to-video, use a clean source and focus on subject movement, environmental motion, camera movement, direction, and timing. Start with the shortest supported duration to conserve credits.
For image-to-video, a useful pattern is: “The camera [movement] as the subject [action].”
Step 5
Generate, review the cost, and download
Check the credit estimate, then generate. Review cuts, motion, and prompt adherence before paying for a longer version. Free-plan videos carry a watermark. Keep the source prompt so the next revision is efficient.
Runway currently permits commercial use of Free-plan content, although the watermark remains.
Verified numbers
Runway Gen 2 Free Credits Breakdown: The 2026 Reality
There is no Gen 2 credit rate to calculate in 2026. The useful question is what the current Runway Free plan includes and which popular claims are false. The table below reflects Runway's official help pages as checked in August 2026.
| Free-plan item | What you get in 2026 | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Runway Gen 2 access | Not available | Gen 2 was fully deprecated for every plan on May 11, 2025. |
| Sign-up allocation | 125 credits, one time | These credits are for currently eligible tools, not for Gen 2. |
| Daily credit refresh | None | The free allocation does not renew after 24 hours or after it is spent. |
| Free-credit expiration | Does not expire | Unused free credits remain available; paid-plan rules are different. |
| Free model access | Limited and changeable | Log in and check the model selector; an upgrade prompt means the tool is excluded. |
| Asset storage | 5 GB | This is storage capacity, not generation credit. |
| Watermark | Yes | Runway says all videos generated on the Free plan carry its watermark. |
| Commercial use | Allowed | Runway says users on every plan retain rights to uploaded and generated content. |
| Buy extra credits | Not on the Free plan | Additional credit purchases require Standard or a higher paid plan. |
| API credits | Separate | Web-app credits and Runway API credits are different balances. |
Resolution, duration, and cost per generation are model-specific. Because the Free-plan model set changes, check the live settings and credit estimate before you press Generate.
Know the constraints
What You Can't Do with Runway Gen 2 Free
There is no usable Runway Gen 2 Free tier anymore. The current Free plan is a trial workspace, not a renewable production allowance.
You cannot restore or unlock Gen 2
No legacy toggle, support exception, paid-plan unlock, or API route brings the model back. Motion Brush tutorials describe an interface that no longer exists.
Your 125 credits do not refill
Waiting 24 hours will not restore a zero balance. The deposit does not expire while unused, but it never renews. Test short clips first to preserve room for iteration.
Free model access can change
Runway adds and removes Free-plan access. A model that was free earlier may show an upgrade prompt now, so fixed model lists age quickly.
Every Free-plan video has a watermark
Every current Free-plan video has a watermark. Paid access is required for watermark-free generation; commercial usage rights do not remove it.
Free web credits do not fund the API
App subscriptions and credits are separate from the developer API. The 125-credit web balance cannot fund API usage, and Free users cannot buy add-on credits.
One restriction the old audit got wrong
Runway allows commercial use on the Free plan. Users retain rights to uploaded and generated content and may use generations in monetized videos, ads, and social posts. You must still respect Runway's terms and third-party rights.
Next steps
What to Do When Your Runway Free Credits Run Out
Do not wait for a daily reset: there is none. After spending the 125 credits, decide whether you need Runway's current catalog, a one-time purchase, or more planning time.
Option A
Upgrade inside Runway
Runway lists Standard at $15 per editor per month with 625 monthly credits and access to the full model catalog. Monthly credits generally do not roll over. Confirm current checkout terms before paying.
Option B
Pause and plan your next tests
Unused free credits do not expire. Storyboard the shot, prepare a clean input, and refine the motion prompt before returning instead of spending the balance on vague tests.
Option C
Try Runway Aleph with a smaller starting allowance
New Runway Aleph accounts receive 6 credits valid for one year. Its $29.99 one-time Basic package adds 100 credits valid for 12 months, which can suit occasional experiments.
Create a short AI video before committing to a subscription
Start with the 6-credit new-user allowance, test the workflow, and only purchase more if the output fits your project.
Clear answers
Runway Gen 2 Free — Frequently Asked Questions
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