Video outpainting · Workflow comparison

Video outpainting vs Runway Expand Ratio. Choose by the footage and controls.

Both workflows expand the canvas around video. This comparison separates our recorded app results from Runway’s documented features; it is not a comparative rendering benchmark.

Updated 2026-10-09Publisher: Video OutpaintingRead as Markdown

Which video expansion workflow should I use?

Our current LTX 2.3 workflow is an option for a short MP4 when you need portrait or landscape output and can review a silent, regenerated result. Runway Edit Studio documents a longer input window and a keyframe-preview step before video generation. Choose using your source length, preview needs and preservation requirements. Neither our three demos nor a competitor’s documentation proves that a new clip will retain every original detail.

Documented controls and the current app preset

Decision	This outpainting workflow	Runway Expand Ratio
Input length	MP4 up to 5 seconds and 4 MiB	More than 2 seconds, less than 30 seconds; longer uploads are trimmed
Before generating	Original-video preview and a fixed credit quote	Edit a keyframe and preview its expanded composition
Output controls	16:9 or 9:16; fixed 121-frame preset	Change to a supported aspect ratio in Edit Studio
Model	LTX 2.3 quality spatial outpaint through fal	Aleph 2.0, according to the help page
Evidence here	Three published source/result pairs with file metadata	Public documentation; no competitor render purchased

Runway details were checked on October 9, 2026 in the Runway Expand Ratio documentation. Our limits come from the current upload validation and recorded files.

Unbranded bottle: source and outpainted result

Play both complete clips. The source is AI-generated footage from our own published library, not a customer case or camera recording. Source clips contain generated audio; the outpainted results are silent. These are individual jobs, not a success-rate benchmark.

Unbranded bottle · source

Original 720×1280 source, about 5.04 seconds, 30 fps with generated audio. It is shown at its native aspect ratio.

Open media file Original Wan3Prime source file

Unbranded bottle · outpainted result

1280×704, 121 frames at 24 fps, silent. Inspect the original subject as well as the added environment. The source region can change; no exact-pixel preservation is promised.

Open media file Parameters and recorded-job manifest

Compare the cost of the complete task

Our job costs 70 Wan3Prime credits. The $15 one-time pack includes 1,500 credits, so a job uses $0.70 of that pack’s balance; the checkout itself is $15. A $9.90 monthly plan is a separate recurring option. There is no free generation tier. Check the central plans before buying.

Runway documents separate keyframe and video credit charges in the Runway Expand Ratio documentation. Credits from different services are different units: comparing only the credit counts does not establish which complete workflow costs less. We have not checked a paid Runway checkout or converted its plan credits into an effective dollar price.

A technical processing failure returns our job credits. A completed result with unwanted visual changes remains charged. A job-credit return and a card-payment refund are different actions; see the pricing rules.

Run a fair comparison on your source

Keep one authorized shot
Use the same source and output shape. Keep the original file and record any compression or trimming before either upload.
Record the complete settings
Save prompts, preview choices, duration, frame shape and the charge shown by each service. A different preset is a different comparison.
Review the whole video
Inspect the first, middle and final frames, then play the clip. Look for changed labels, moving landmarks, unstable subjects and seams at the old boundary.
Keep the failures visible
Record artifacts and rejected inputs alongside successful outputs. A selected result does not establish a success rate.

Expansion workflow questions

Is this a cheaper Runway alternative?

We have not established that. Our fixed job quote is public, but a fair price comparison needs the other service’s current checkout, keyframe iterations and final video cost.

Will this preserve my product logo?

Exact logos, fine lettering and original pixels are not guaranteed by this preset. Our bottle example is AI-generated footage, not a branded-label preservation test. Inspect the product example.

Can I process a longer clip here?

The current upload cap is 5 seconds. Use the MP4 preparation guide to extract the required shot, or choose a service whose verified limits fit your full source.

Does expand mean making the video longer?

Here it means adding image area around the frame. Temporal extension adds frames before or after a clip. Read the outpainting and crop comparison before choosing a workflow.

Check the evidence, then process

Inspect the test methodology, preservation and audio limits, then choose portrait-to-landscape or landscape-to-portrait. Processing, sign-in and credits are at the Wan3Prime outpainting workspace.