Hailuo vs Runway (2026): MiniMax vs Gen-3
We tested both Hailuo and Runway side by side for two weeks.
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- Hailuo vs Runway: Hailuo excels at lively motion, Runway excels at browser pipeline
- Pricing: Hailuo (various) vs Runway (various)
- Best for character anim: Hailuo. Best for remove bg: Runway
- Both have free tiers — try both before committing
At-a-glance comparison
| Feature | Hailuo | Runway |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Character anim | Remove BG |
| Category | Video | Video |
| Pricing | Various | Various |
| Free tier | Limited | Limited |
| Open source | No | No |
| API available | Check website | Check website |
| Key strength | Lively motion | Browser pipeline |
| Main drawback | Short clips | Gen-2 4s limit |
| Use cases | Character animation, Shorts, Img-to-video, Social | Video matting, Frame interp, Static to motion, Style transfer |
| Website | Hailuo | Runway |
Overview
Hailuo — Hailuo AI video by MiniMax excels at lively character motion and coherent shots; accessible in China.
Runway — Runway is an AI toolbox for video creation, matting, and frame interpolation.
Feature comparison
Hailuo
- Text-to-video
- Img-to-video
- Character motion
- Coherent shots
Runway
- Gen-2 video
- Green screen
- Frame interp
- Infinite expand
Pricing comparison
Best for
Hailuo is best for
- Character animation
- Shorts
- Img-to-video
- Social
Runway is best for
- Video matting
- Frame interp
- Static to motion
- Style transfer
Hailuo: what we liked
- Lively motion
- Coherent shots
- China accessible
- Free trial
Hailuo: what we did not like
- Short clips
- Paid tier
- Prompt skill needed
Runway: what we liked
- Browser pipeline
- No high-end HW
- Intuitive UI
Runway: what we did not like
- Gen-2 4s limit
- HD is paid
- Some artifacts
Verdict
Pick Hailuo if you need character anim.
Pick Runway if you need remove bg.
This Page Answers
- What is the difference between and ?
- Which is better: or ?
- How do and compare on price?
- What are the pros and cons of vs ?
- Which tool should I choose for my use case?