AdToolBenchHeyGen vs Runway
Based on vendor documentation and pricing as of . We have not run hands-on tests of these tools; nothing here is a paid placement.
Quick verdict
HeyGen makes presenter and avatar videos from a script. It has a free plan (3 videos/month), Creator at $29/month with 600 credits and 175+ languages, and Pro at $49 with 4K. Runway is a generative video and image studio with Gen-4.5, Kling and Seedance models. Standard is $15/month, or $12 annually, with 625 credits (about 52 seconds of Gen-4.5), no watermarks and 4K upscaling, and the free tier gives 125 one-time credits. If you need someone speaking your script, use HeyGen. For cinematic B-roll, product shots and stylized ad scenes, use Runway. Many teams use both.
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| Feature | HeyGen | Runway |
|---|---|---|
| Core use | Talking avatars, translation, presenter videos | Text/image-to-video and image generation |
| Free tier | 3 videos/mo, up to 1 min, watermarked | 125 one-time credits |
| Entry paid plan | Creator $29/mo, 600 credits | Standard $15/mo ($12 billed annually), 625 credits/mo |
| What credits buy | Avatar video minutes (varies by feature) | ≈52s of Gen-4.5 or 78 Gen-4 images (1080p) per month on Standard |
| Export / quality | 1080p (Creator), 4K (Pro) | No watermarks; 4K upscaling (Standard) |
| Voice | Custom avatar with your own voice (Creator) | Custom voice clone from Pro ($35/mo, $28 annual) |
heygen.com/pricing and runway.com/pricing, read 20 Oct 2026.
| Tool | Entry plan | Price | Billing | Free plan / trial | Notes | Last verified | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HeyGen | Creator | From $29/mo · verified | yearly view | Free plan | Monthly price not captured | 2026-10-20 | Visit ↗ |
| Runway | Standard | From $15/mo · verified | monthly | Free plan | $12/mo annual | 2026-10-20 | Visit ↗ |
Prices from each vendor's pricing page or docs; ‘unverified’ = third-party or ambiguous source.
FAQ
Is Runway cheaper than HeyGen?
Runway Standard is $15/month ($12 annual) vs HeyGen Creator at $29/month. They produce different kinds of video, so compare by output (20 Oct 2026).
Can Runway make talking avatar videos like HeyGen?
Runway focuses on generative video and images. HeyGen is purpose-built for script-driven avatars and translation.
Do both have free plans?
HeyGen has a free plan with 3 videos/month. Runway's free tier gives 125 one-time credits.