Side by side
HeyGen vs Runway
A fact-based comparison built only from each tool's verified directory profile — pricing summaries, plan availability, platforms, and stated strengths and limitations. No rankings, no sponsored placement.
| Criterion | HeyGen | Runway |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI Video Generators | AI Video Generators |
| In one sentence | Create talking-avatar videos, digital twins and translated videos from a script. | AI video studio offering Runway's Gen-4.5 plus partner models, with a pay-per-credit developer API. |
| Problem it solves | Filming presenters, re-shooting for edits and localising video is costly; HeyGen produces presenter videos from text. | Filming or animating short clips is expensive and slow; Runway generates and edits footage from text and images. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Developer API | Yes — docs | Yes — docs |
| Open source | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, API | Web, iOS, API |
| Pricing (summary) | Free plan offers 3 videos a month up to 1 minute. Creator is $29/month ($24 annual), Pro starts at $49/month with 1,000 credits, and Business is $149/month plus $20 per extra seat. The API is separate, pay-as-you-go from a $5 top-up. Checked 2026-10-19 | Free (125 one-time credits), Standard $15/mo ($12 annual), Pro $35/mo ($28 annual) and Max $95/mo ($76 annual) with 625 to 9,500 monthly credits. Enterprise is custom. The API is separate at $0.01 per credit. Checked 2026-10-19 |
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How to choose
Both profiles link to the vendors' official pricing — plan details change often, so verify there before buying. Pick based on the criterion rows above that matter to your workflow, not on rankings: we don't rank tools, because the right choice depends on your needs.