Runway vs Synthesia
A side-by-side look at Runway and Synthesia: what each costs to start, whether there is a free plan, how easy they are to pick up, and which features and integrations they cover.
Which should you choose?
Choose Runway if
- Filmmakers and agencies prototyping shots and concepts
- Marketers producing short AI-generated visuals for ads and social
- Developers integrating video generation through an API
Choose Synthesia if
- L&D and HR teams producing training and onboarding videos
- Companies localizing explainer videos into many languages
- Product marketers who need frequent, easily updated explainer clips
Cheapest to start
Not confirmed
Free plan
Runway, Synthesia
Highest editor rating
Synthesia · 4.6
| Compare | Runway |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Free trial | No |
| Starting price | From $15/mo |
| Editor rating | 4.4 |
| Ease of use | Easy (4/5) |
| Category | Video |
| Pricing model | Free plan with a one-time credit allowance; Standard is $15 monthly ($12 billed annually), Pro $35 monthly ($28 annually) and Max $95 monthly ($76 annually), all credit-based, with Enterprise on custom terms. |
| Plans |
|
| Platforms | Web, iOS, API |
| Integrations | — |
| Best for |
|
| Pros |
|
| Cons |
|
| AI avatars | No |
| AI content generation | Yes |
| AI voiceover | No |
| API access | Yes |
| Auto subtitles & captions | No |
| Background removal | Yes |
| Brand kit | No |
| Mobile app | Yes |
| Multi-language support | No |
| Real-time collaboration | No |
| Roles & permissions | Yes |
| Screen recording | No |
| SSO / SAML | Yes |
| Templates | No |
| Text to video | Yes |
Common questions
- Does Runway or Synthesia have a free plan?
- Both do. Runway and Synthesia each offer a free tier, so you can try either without paying.
- Which is easier to use, Runway or Synthesia?
- In VERILO's editorial assessment Synthesia is the easier of the two, scoring 5 out of 5 against 4 for Runway. That is a judgement about how quickly a new team gets productive, not a measured benchmark.