What does Runway Standard cost?

$12/month billed annually (monthly list $15). Free is 125 credits once. Pro is $28/year billed. Checked 2026-10-19 on runwayml.com/pricing.

Is HeyGen cheaper than Synthesia?

On public cards, yes for a creator: HeyGen Creator is $29/month ($24 annual). Synthesia’s fetched page starts credit packs at $89/month (or $64/month-equivalent annual rows) plus optional $87 learner seats. Different jobs.

Does Synthesia still sell Starter at $29?

Not on the live page we fetched on 2026-10-19. Treat directory blurbs that still say Starter $29 / Creator $89 as stale.

When should I add ElevenLabs?

When the job is speech, not an on-canvas avatar editor. ElevenLabs Free has 10k credits; Starter is $6. Credits are not minutes.

Use Runway for generative clips, HeyGen for creator avatars, Synthesia for L&D

These are not three versions of one video model. Runway Standard is $12/year billed. HeyGen Creator is $29. Synthesia’s live page is credit packs from $89/month — not Starter $29.

OUR TAKE

Pick Runway when you want a generative video/image model. Pick HeyGen when you want a creator avatar studio with a $29 card. Pick Synthesia when L&D needs an avatar studio and can pay credit packs. Do not shop them as one 'text-to-video' SKU.

Good fit

Buyers who already know the output: clip, creator avatar, or training video

Poor fit

People hunting one cheap 'AI video' seat that does all three well

“Text-to-video” is three products. Runway is a generative video/image studio. HeyGen is a creator avatar studio. Synthesia is an L&D avatar studio sold as credit packs.

Checked 2026-10-19 on each public pricing page.

Verdict

Output you actually need	Pick	Public card
A generative clip or edit from a prompt / still	Runway	Free 125 credits once. Standard $12/month billed annually (monthly $15). Pro $28 annual / $35 monthly. Max $76 annual / $95 monthly. No rollover on the Pro card we copied.
A talking avatar for a creator / social script	HeyGen	Free exists. Creator $29/month ($24 annual). Pro $49. Business $149 + $20/seat. Pro FAQ: credit tiers from 1,000 credits/mo at $49 up to 100,000 at $4,300.
Training / internal comms with an avatar, no camera crew	Synthesia	Credit packs, not Starter $29. Monthly examples: 6,000 credits $89; 12,000 $176. Annual rows from $64/mo-equivalent. Learner seats $87/mo. Express-1 avatar add-on $1,000/year.

Open HeyGen vs Runway and HeyGen vs Synthesia. Runway vs Synthesia is the other pair.

Stale prices we refuse to repeat

Runway “125 credits/month”, “Standard $15 / Pro $35” as the only cards — those were older monthly lists. Yearly Standard is $12 on the page we fetched.
Synthesia “Starter $29 / Creator $89”. Not on the live page. Credits + optional seats + avatar add-on are three meters.
Treating HeyGen and Synthesia as the same SKU because both say “avatar.”

Nearby tools (not substitutes)

Pika — another generative clip tool. Use it as a control against Runway, not as an L&D studio.
ElevenLabs — speech. Free 10k credits; Starter $6. Credits are not minutes. Add it when the job is voice, not a canvas.

Best for / not for

Best for: a buyer who can name the output (clip, creator avatar, training video) before opening a pricing page.

Not for: someone hunting one cheap “AI video” seat that does model clips and L&D avatars and a podcast voice.

How to buy without stacking three meters

Generate one 5-second test on Runway Free if the idea is a moving picture.
Generate one avatar take on HeyGen Free if the idea is a person talking to camera.
If the buyer is L&D with a learner roster, price Synthesia packs + seats, not a $29 memory.
Pay the one that produced a usable draft. Do not keep two video subscriptions “for options.”

FAQ

What does Runway Standard cost?: $12/month billed annually (monthly list $15). Free is 125 credits once. Pro is $28/year billed. Checked 2026-10-19 on runwayml.com/pricing.
Is HeyGen cheaper than Synthesia?: On public cards, yes for a creator: HeyGen Creator is $29/month ($24 annual). Synthesia’s fetched page starts credit packs at $89/month (or $64/month-equivalent annual rows) plus optional $87 learner seats. Different jobs.
Does Synthesia still sell Starter at $29?: Not on the live page we fetched on 2026-10-19. Treat directory blurbs that still say Starter $29 / Creator $89 as stale.
When should I add ElevenLabs?: When the job is speech, not an on-canvas avatar editor. ElevenLabs Free has 10k credits; Starter is $6. Credits are not minutes.