HeyGen vs Runway
Two of the most-asked-about agents in the avatar-video space. Here's how they actually stack up.
HeyGen
AI avatar video platform for marketing, training, and multilingual video production
Free + $24/mo
Read full review →Runway
Professional AI video creation platform with Gen-3 Alpha text-to-video and full editing suite
Free + $15/mo
Read full review →Side-by-side comparison
| HeyGen | Runway | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | AI avatar video platform for marketing, training, and multilingual video production | Professional AI video creation platform with Gen-3 Alpha text-to-video and full editing suite |
| Pricing | Free + $24/mo | Free + $15/mo |
| Categories | avatar-video, ai-presenter | video-generation, video-editing |
| Made by | HeyGen | Runway |
| Launched | 2020 | 2018-01 |
| Platforms | Web, API | Web, API |
| Status | active | active |
HeyGen highlights
- + Talking avatar generation with 300 plus stock avatars or custom personal avatars
- + Video translation into 40 languages with automated lip-sync
- + AI Presenter mode for creating talking-head videos from a script without filming
- + Avatar Studio for creating a custom digital avatar from a 2-minute video sample
- + Interactive Avatar API for real-time conversational avatars in web applications
Runway highlights
- + Gen-3 Alpha text-to-video generation
- + Image-to-video with motion brush control
- + Video-to-video style transfer
- + Inpainting and outpainting for scene editing
- + Green screen and background removal
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, HeyGen or Runway?
Neither is universally better. HeyGen (Free + $24/mo) leans into avatar-video, while Runway (Free + $15/mo) is closer to video-generation. Pick based on which workflow you actually do every day.
What is the price difference between HeyGen and Runway?
HeyGen is free + $24/mo. Runway is free + $15/mo. See the pricing row in the comparison table.
Can I use HeyGen and Runway together?
In most cases, yes. They serve overlapping but distinct needs, so running them side by side is common until you decide which fits your workflow.