AI Perks curates and provides access to exclusive discounts, credits, and deals on AI tools, cloud services, and APIs to help startups and developers save money.
What do students get from Runway?
Runway gives verified students 25% off any paid plan, and the catalogue lists about $5,000 in Runway credits. The perk card shows who qualifies and how to claim.
The public discount is the baseline. It is a percentage off a subscription, so it helps most if you already know you will pay for Runway every month. The credits perk is a different kind of value: a pool of credits rather than a lower bill.
Runway raised the discount to 25%, up from 20% before. AI Perks tracks more student offers around it, so you can stack a film or media toolkit instead of paying for each tool separately.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
Runway 500,000 API credits (~$5,000)
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
How does the Runway student discount work?
Runway partners with SheerID to verify students and educators. Most verifications are instant, though SheerID may ask for extra documents by email. If a first attempt does not go through, you can submit more documentation for review.
Once you are verified, the 25% applies to any paid plan with no separate code or waiting period. It is then applied automatically to all future billing cycles of your active subscription.
Runway's pricing page lists paid plans from $12 per month on annual billing. If the discount applied to that entry price, 25% of $12 is $3, so you would pay $9. Runway does not publish a dedicated student price, so check the checkout screen for the real figure.
One limit matters for heavy users: the discount covers subscription fees only, not credit purchases. For a wider comparison, see AI Student Discount 2026: Every Verified Offer Listed.
How does it compare with the Free plan?
The Free plan costs $0 per month and includes a one-time deposit of 125 credits that does not expire. Free plan users cannot buy extra credits. Runway also does not offer free trials for educational users, so the Free plan is where you test the tool before paying.
Gen-4.5 uses 12 credits per second of generated video. That makes the Free deposit worth about 10 seconds of Gen-4.5 video (125 / 12 gives 10 whole seconds with 5 credits left over).
| Plan | Credits | Gen-4.5 video | Credit expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 125 one time | about 10 seconds | Do not expire |
| Standard | 625 monthly | 52 seconds | Expire on billing date |
| Pro | 2,250 monthly | 187 seconds | Expire on billing date |
Paid plans also unlock more than raw credits. Seedance 2.5 on paid plans accepts up to 50 references across text, image, video and audio, and generates multi-shot video up to 30 seconds.
Extra credits can be bought on paid plans, with a minimum of 1000. Upgrades take effect immediately and are prorated, so you pay only the time-adjusted difference and get the additional credits right away. Kling 4.0 generations were also advertised at 25% off until November 30.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
Runway 500,000 API credits (~$5,000)
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
What happens when the discount ends?
Verification does not last forever. Student verification is valid for one year from approval and educator verification for two years, after which you must reapply. The 25% stays on your account for as long as your verified status remains valid.
You can hold only one verification type at a time, student or educator. If you graduate and move into teaching, you switch types rather than holding both.
Plan for the renewal date. Put a reminder in your calendar a few weeks before the year is up, so your bill does not jump in the middle of a semester project.
Which student perks pair well with Runway?
A film or media class rarely uses one tool. The catalogue lists four perks that fit a student or educator workflow, and the Runway entry is by far the largest.
| Company | Free credits | How to get |
|---|---|---|
| Runway | About $5,000 | Get this perk |
| CapCut | $180 | Get this perk |
| HeyGen (educators) | About $250 | Get this perk |
| ElevenLabs (students) | $165 | Get this perk |
Total across the four perks: $5,000 + $180 + $250 + $165 = about $5,595 in free credits.
Each card shows who qualifies and how to claim, so open it before you plan around the amount. For the full field, read Free AI Credits for Students 2026: Every Program Compared.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
Runway 500,000 API credits (~$5,000)
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
Is there anything for film and media classes?
Runway also licenses plans for classrooms. It offers up to 25% off for classes of 3 or more licenses. For class purchases, the Runway Education team activates the plan first and then sends the invoice.
Educational accounts have the same functionality as regular paid accounts. A class does not get a cut-down tool, only a different way to pay for it.
Teachers can also look at the educator-side perks in the catalogue. The HeyGen card for educators lists about $250 in credits.
How do you get Runway credits step by step?
Step 1: Get credits via AI Perks. Open getaiperks.com and find the Runway card with about $5,000 in credits. The card is where you sign up and start.
Step 2: Read who qualifies. The card shows who qualifies and how to claim, so you know where you stand before you spend time on it.
Step 3: Test on the Free plan. Spend the 125 credits on a short Gen-4.5 clip. At 12 credits per second, you will see quickly how fast credits go.
Step 4: Size your plan. Standard gives 52 seconds of Gen-4.5 video per month and Pro gives 187 seconds. Pick the one that matches your project length.
Step 5: Add the supporting tools. Open the cards for CapCut ($180) and ElevenLabs for students ($165). More study-focused options are in Free AI for Students 2026: Best Tools by Study Task.
Step 6: Set a renewal reminder. Verification lasts a year for students, so diarise the reapply date.
Top AI Credits for Startups
Apply directly through these verified programs.
Runway 500,000 API credits (~$5,000)
Eligible for early-stage startups
ChatGPT $80
Eligible for early-stage startups
Google Gemini $240
Eligible for early-stage startups
GitHub Up to $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Notion $120
Eligible for early-stage startups
Figma $1,080
Eligible for early-stage startups
FAQ
How much is the Runway student discount?
Verified students get 25% off any paid plan, up from 20% before. It covers subscription fees only, not credit purchases, and it applies to future billing cycles automatically. For bigger savings, the about $5,000 Runway perk card shows who qualifies and how to claim.
Does Runway offer a free trial for students?
Runway does not offer free trials for educational users. The Free plan is the nearest thing: $0 per month with a one-time 125 credits that do not expire. For larger credit amounts, browse the student and education cards at getaiperks.com.
Can I buy extra credits at the student rate?
No. The discount applies to subscription fees only. Credits can be bought on paid plans only, with a minimum of 1000, and Free plan users cannot buy any. Plan upgrades are prorated and add credits right away, so upgrading is the way to add credits mid-cycle.
How long does Runway student verification last?
Student verification lasts one year from approval and educator verification two years, then you reapply. The 25% stays on your account while verified status is valid. You can hold only one type at a time. AI Perks tracks more student offers at getaiperks.com.
Is there a class discount for film teachers?
Runway offers up to 25% off for classes of 3 or more licenses. The Education team activates the plan first and sends the invoice afterward. Educational accounts have the same functionality as regular paid accounts. Educators can also check the HeyGen educator card for about $250.
What else pairs with Runway for media classes?
The catalogue lists CapCut ($180), ElevenLabs for students ($165) and HeyGen for educators (about $250). Together with Runway's about $5,000, that is $5,000 + $180 + $250 + $165 in credits. Open each card at getaiperks.com for details.
Ready to start?
Compare the Runway discount, the Free plan and the catalogue perk, then choose what fits your semester. You can check current plan pricing on the Runway pricing page before you decide.
Get free AI credits at getaiperks.com →
Find more student and education perks, with amounts and claim details, at getaiperks.com.
