AI video · 6 tools compared
What is the best AI video generator in 2026?
Short answer
Google Veo ranks first on published facts: a free plan (Gemini free tier, no Veo), paid plans from $4.99 / mo. 5 of 6 have a free plan.
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | From | 1st year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Google Veo | Veo video inside Google AI plans | Yes | $4.99 / mo | $59.88 |
| 2. Pika | Quick stylised AI video clips | Yes | $8 / mo | $96 |
| 3. Runway | Creators generating AI video and images | Yes | $12 / mo | $144 |
| 4. HeyGen | AI avatar and presenter videos | Yes | $24 / mo | $288 |
| 5. invideo AI | Prompt-to-video with built-in editor | No | $10 / mo | $120 |
| 6. Synthesia | Corporate training avatar videos | Yes | $19 / mo | $228 |
From = cheapest paid plan, billed yearly where offered. 1st year = that plan for 12 months.
How did we rank these 6 AI video generators?
On published facts only, scored out of 7: free plan (2, or 1 for a trial), first-year cost against the others (up to 3), three or more paid plans (1), mobile apps (1). We do not test tools hands-on.
| Tool | Score / 7 |
|---|---|
| Google Veo | 7 |
| Pika | 5.4 |
| Runway | 4.2 |
| HeyGen | 3 |
| invideo AI | 2.8 |
| Synthesia | 2.6 |
The 6 best AI video generators, ranked
Google Veo
Best for: Veo video inside Google AI plans
- Free plan
- Yes, Gemini free tier, no Veo
- From
- $4.99 / mo
- 1st year
- $59.88
Pika
Best for: quick stylised AI video clips
- Free plan
- Yes, free tier, credit packs only
- From
- $8 / mo
- 1st year
- $96
Runway
Best for: creators generating AI video and images
- Free plan
- Yes, 125 one-time credits
- From
- $12 / mo
- 1st year
- $144
HeyGen
Best for: AI avatar and presenter videos
- Free plan
- Yes, 3 watermarked videos per month
- From
- $24 / mo
- 1st year
- $288
invideo AI
Best for: prompt-to-video with built-in editor
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $10 / mo
- 1st year
- $120
Synthesia
Best for: corporate training avatar videos
- Free plan
- Yes, 500 credits per month, watermarked
- From
- $19 / mo
- 1st year
- $228
Which AI video generator is cheapest?
Google Veo, at $59.88 for the first year, then Pika at $96.
| Tool | Cheapest plan | 1st year |
|---|---|---|
| Google Veo | Google AI Plus | $59.88 |
| Pika | Starter | $96 |
| invideo AI | Starter | $120 |
| Runway | Standard | $144 |
| Synthesia | Starter | $228 |
| HeyGen | Creator | $288 |
Which AI video generators have a free plan?
5 of 6: Google Veo, Pika, Runway, HeyGen, Synthesia.
- Google Veo: Gemini free tier, no Veo
- Pika: free tier, credit packs only
- Runway: 125 one-time credits
- HeyGen: 3 watermarked videos per month
- Synthesia: 500 credits per month, watermarked
Sources
| Vendor page | URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Google Veo pricing | gemini.google/subscriptions/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Pika pricing | pika.art/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Runway pricing | runwayml.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| HeyGen pricing | heygen.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| invideo AI pricing | invideo.io/pricing/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Synthesia pricing | synthesia.io/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
Prices in USD as published by each vendor, billed yearly where offered. How we compare