Quick answer
The best image-to-video AI tools take a still picture and animate it into a short clip. The main options with public plans are Runway, Pika and Luma. Kling and CapCut also animate images. All of them charge in credits, so the real cost depends on how many clips you generate.
How we put this guide together
Plan details come from official pricing pages read on November 1, 2026. We did not test output quality hands-on, so this guide compares plans and licenses, not how good the motion looks. Kling shows its subscription plans only after sign-in.
Best image-to-video AI comparison
| Tool | Free plan | Entry paid plan | Credits and license notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runway | 125 one-time credits, 5 GB storage | Standard $15 a month ($12 annual) | 625 credits a month, no watermarks, 4K upscaling |
| Pika | Credit packs only, no commercial license | Starter $10 ($8 annual) | 900 credits a month; Creator ($35) adds a commercial license and 3,150 credits |
| Luma | None shown | Plus $30 ($25 annual) | 10,000 credits and commercial use |
| Kling | Not shown publicly | Plans shown after sign-in | Public pricing covers the API only |
| CapCut | Free plan | Pro, price varies by region | Monthly AI credits and Seedance 2.0 Mini generation; 7-day free trial |
Runway
Runway lists four plans: Free, Standard, Pro ($35) and Max ($95). Standard includes 625 credits a month; Pro raises that to 2,250 and Max to 9,500, with unlimited 4K upscaling on Pro. Max adds studio-grade outputs such as HDR and ProRes.
Pika
Pika sells Starter ($10), Creator ($35) and Fancy ($95). Free has no monthly credits but you can buy packs at 60 credits per dollar. Creator adds a commercial license, and Fancy adds a priority queue.
Luma
Luma starts at Plus ($30) with 10,000 credits and commercial use, then Pro ($90, 40,000 credits) and Ultra ($300, 150,000 credits). It publishes a table showing the credits each kind of generation uses, which helps you estimate cost.
CapCut
CapCut is an editor first. Its Pro plan adds AI credits and generation with Seedance 2.0 Mini, and you can try Pro free for 7 days. Prices shown to us were in Brazilian reais, so check the price in your region.
How to choose
- Estimate clips per month. Multiply by the credit cost of one generation on your plan.
- Check the license if the clips will be in client or ad work.
- Match the tool to the job. For editing around the clips, read the best AI video editors. For other generation types, read the best AI video generators.
Sources
Prices and limits in this guide come from the vendors' official pages, read on November 1, 2026:
Frequently asked questions
What is the best image-to-video AI?
Runway, Pika and Luma are the main paid options with published credit plans. Kling and CapCut also animate images. Which is best depends on the credits you need and the plan's license, so compare the plans in this guide.
Is there a free image-to-video AI?
Runway gives 125 one-time credits on its Free plan. Pika's Free plan has no monthly credits but lets you buy credit packs. CapCut offers a free plan and a 7-day Pro trial. Luma showed no free plan on its pricing page.
Do image-to-video tools add a watermark?
Runway lists no watermarks on its Standard plan. Pika's pricing says no watermark on all plans. Check the plan before you export.
Can I use image-to-video clips commercially?
Pika's Creator plan and Luma's Plus plan list commercial use. Pika's Free plan does not include a commercial license.
