HeyGen vs Runway
Honest side-by-side comparison — pricing, features, and which fits which use case.
Choosing between HeyGen and Runway? Both compete in the ai avatars space, and they overlap significantly on the core feature set. The real differences come down to pricing tier, specific integrations, and which sub-workflow each tool is optimised for. Below: the full spec table, feature-by-feature breakdown, and a verdict on which to pick.
Still undecided? Our editorial pick in this category is ElevenLabs — generate ultra-realistic ai voices.
| HeyGen | Runway | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | AI video creation with custom avatars | Generative video AI for creators |
| Pricing | Free 1min/mo, Creator $24/mo, Team $69/mo | Free 125 credits, Standard $15/mo, Pro $35/mo, Unlimited $95/mo |
| Starts at | $24/mo | $15/mo |
| Categories | AI Avatars, AI Video | AI Image, AI Video |
| Company | HeyGen | Runway |
HeyGen features
- 175+ stock avatars
- 40+ languages
- Custom avatars
- Translation
- Voice cloning
Runway features
- Gen-3 text-to-video
- Green screen
- Image-to-video
- Motion brush
- VFX tools
👍 HeyGen pros
- Custom avatar feature is strong
- Fast generation
- Free tier
👎 Cons
- Free tier only 1 min/month
- Lower commission than Synthesia
👍 Runway pros
- Industry leader in generative video
- Strong feature depth
- Used by professionals
👎 Cons
- Credits run out fast
- Generation quality inconsistent
- Lower commission tier
Which to choose: HeyGen or Runway?
Pick HeyGen if you need ai video creation with custom avatars.
Pick Runway if budget matters and you want the cheaper entry point. you need generative video ai for creators.
When the choice is too close to call, the deciding factor is usually integrations — pick the one that plugs into your current tools with the least friction.