See alternatives: Runway alternatives
Runway vs HeyGen compared with prices from official pricing pages (per-tool checked dates): plans, free tiers and which is better value.
These do different jobs: Runway is for video generation, HeyGen is for avatar video — so we make no price-based pick.
Free plan, refunds, privacy and more: see what else differs ↓
Rule: we only compare prices when the tools do the same main job (from what each official site says it does), and only on the same billing (monthly with monthly, billed-yearly with billed-yearly). A real free plan on only one tool comes first. Prices from official pricing pages, each with its own checked date below. No ratings or reviews. The cheaper pick comes from price alone; the Best Value label is shown separately and never replaces it — the same rule as on each tool page.
| Runway | HeyGen | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Gen-4.5 text/image-to-video plus image and audio models in one app. | AI avatar videos, voice cloning and video translation. |
| All plans | Standard $15/mo ($12/mo billed yearly); Pro $35 ($28); Max $95 ($76) | Creator $29/mo ($24 yearly); Pro from $49; Business $149 + $20/seat |
| Free tier | Free plan: one-time 125 credits | Free: 3 videos/mo, up to 1 min each |
| Checked | 2026-11-02 · pricing page | 2026-11-02 · pricing page |
Free plan limits, yearly savings, student and team deals, refunds and whether your data trains their AI, side by side. Every fact is from the tool's official page, with its source and the date we read it.
What matters to you?
Tap what matters to you. We tally which tool is ahead using only the facts in the table below.
| What you get | Runway | HeyGen |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan Free plan limits → | Yes: 125 credits, one time only Watermark: Yes, videos carry a Runway watermark Commercial use: Yes, on every plan including Freesource for Runway (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-22 | Yes: 3 videos a month, up to 1 minute each Watermark: Yes, watermarked Commercial use: No (personal, non-commercial use only, per terms)source for HeyGen (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-22 |
| Yearly billing Monthly or yearly? → | Ahead Standard: $15/mo monthly, $12/mo billed yearly (save 20%)source for Runway (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-30 | Creator: $29/mo monthly, $24/mo billed yearly (save 17%)source for HeyGen (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-30 |
| Refunds and cancelling Refund rules → | Ahead Refund window: Possible within 30 days of the charge, if unused or close to unused (their call). Cancel: app.runwayml.com/settings/billing → Cancel plan → Continue to cancel plan → confirm in Stripesource for Runway (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-27 | Case by case: within 15 days of the charge, less likely if you used a lot of credits. Cancel: Settings → Plan & Billing → arrow next to Manage Billing → Cancel Plan (or Pause Plan)source for HeyGen (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-27 |
| Trains on your data? Data privacy → | Yes (no opt-out found) Runway's Terms of Use say your inputs and outputs may be used to train and improve its AI models. We found no opt-out setting on its official pages.source for Runway (opens in a new tab) · checked 2026-10-29 | Not in our checks yet |
“Ahead” means better on that row only, by a fixed rule: a free plan beats none; the bigger yearly saving; free student plan, then discount; the lower per-seat price on the same billing; a stated refund window, then case by case, then none; not training on your data, then opt-in, then opt-out, then no opt-out. No row is called when a tool hasn't been checked. See how we pick.
More: best AI video tools · all video tools · cost calculator
Per its official pricing page (checked 2026-11-02): Standard $15/mo ($12/mo billed yearly); Pro $35 ($28); Max $95 ($76).
Free plan: one-time 125 credits (checked 2026-11-02).
Per its official pricing page (checked 2026-11-02): Creator $29/mo ($24 yearly); Pro from $49; Business $149 + $20/seat.
Free: 3 videos/mo, up to 1 min each (checked 2026-11-02).
Runway: A full generative video studio, with one-time free credits to test it first.
These do different jobs: Runway is for video generation, HeyGen is for avatar video — so we make no price-based pick (ToolPick rule using prices checked on official pricing pages).
Writing about this? Embed this price card — it updates when we re-check prices.