Runway
AI Video Tools
4.5
One subscription that puts many leading video and image models behind a single editor.
- From
- $15/mo
- Best for
- Creators who want several video models under one bill instead of five separate subscriptions.
Runway vs Synthesia
Runway generates footage and bundles many models; Synthesia makes avatar presenter video for training. A straight comparison of output, cost structure and who each one is wrong for.
Bottom line: Different jobs that look similar on a pricing page. Runway is for footage you do not have; Synthesia is for training video that has to be tracked. Buying either for the other purpose is the usual mistake.
Synthesia
AI Video Tools
4.2
Browser-based AI avatar video built for corporate training, onboarding and localisation.
- From
- $18/mo
- Best for
- L&D and enablement teams that need consistent training video in many languages.
The actual difference
Runway and Synthesia both output MP4 files, which is why they end up in the same comparison. They are not the same kind of tool.
Runway generates footage: shots that did not exist, from a prompt, using a rotating set of models. Synthesia generates presenters: a script read by an avatar, in a language you choose, in a template you pick.
Once you see it that way, the comparison answers itself.
Output
Runway produces cinematic and generative footage — camera moves, environments, product b-roll, abstract visuals. Quality varies by model and by prompt, and you will reject most takes.
Synthesia produces a consistent presenter reading your script. Quality is consistent rather than varied, and the creative ceiling is low: every video looks like a corporate explainer, because that is what it is.
Cost structure
Both meter output, but the unit differs. Runway charges by compute, so your cost depends on resolution, length and retry rate — high for iterative creative work. Synthesia charges effectively per finished minute, which is predictable if your scripts are stable and expensive if you revise a lot.
Where each one is the wrong buy
Runway is wrong when you need 40 consistent training modules, tracked as completed, in nine languages. That is a Synthesia job and Runway has no SCORM export.
Synthesia is wrong when you need footage, atmosphere, product shots or anything brand-forward. Its output has a recognisable house style and no camera control.
If you are still unsure
Ask one question: does the video need a person talking, or does it need footage?
Person talking, in many languages, tracked for compliance: Synthesia. Footage you cannot shoot: Runway. Marketing video with your brand's voice: neither — look at HeyGen.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper?
Runway starts lower at fifteen dollars a month and Synthesia at eighteen dollars billed annually. Neither number is what you will actually pay, because both meter output. Runway costs more per cinematic clip; Synthesia costs more per finished training minute.
Can Synthesia do what Runway does?
No. Synthesia makes presenter video from a script. It cannot generate cinematic footage, b-roll or product shots, and it offers almost no creative control over camera or composition.
Can Runway do what Synthesia does?
Partly. Runway can generate video containing people, but it is not built for scripted presenter delivery across a programme, and it has no SCORM or LMS export for training deployments.
Which one should a marketing team buy?
Usually Runway, or HeyGen rather than either of these two. Synthesia output has a corporate training look that reads badly in brand marketing.
Do either of them have a free plan?
Both do. Runway gives one-time credits; Synthesia gives a small monthly allowance. Both are evaluation tiers rather than plans you can produce on.