AICompare

Runway vs Synthesia

Head-to-head comparison — updated April 2026

Runway

Runway

AI-powered creative video tools

Free plan$15/mo★ 4.4✓ Cheaper
Try Runway →
VS
Synthesia

Synthesia

AI video generation with avatars

Free plan$29/mo★ 4.7✓ Higher rated
Try Synthesia →

Our Verdict

Choose Runway for creative video editing and effects; choose Synthesia for building branded avatar videos at scale across multiple languages.

Why Runway?

✓ Lower starting price at $15/month
✓ Specialized creative editing tools (motion brush, green screen, Gen2 video)
✓ Image-to-video conversion capability

Why Synthesia?

✓ Higher user rating (4.7/5)
✓ Supports 140 languages for global reach
✓ 230 AI avatars plus custom avatar creation for branded content

Feature Comparison

FeatureRunwaySynthesia
api access✓✓
gen2 video✓✗
green screen✓✗
motion brush✓✗
image to video✓✗
languages✗140
templates✗65
ai avatars✗230
custom avatars✗✓

Runway Pricing

Free/mo
Paid from $15/mo
Full review →

Synthesia Pricing

Free/mo
Paid from $29/mo
Full review →

Which Should You Choose?

Both Runway and Synthesia are strong tools in the AI video space. Synthesia has higher user ratings overall. Choose Runway if you value api access and gen2 video. Choose Synthesia if you want to start free.