AI video · Alternatives
What are the best Runway alternatives?
Short answer
The cheapest paid alternative in the first year is Google Veo ($59.88; Runway: $144). 4 have a free plan: Google Veo, Pika, HeyGen, Synthesia.
| Alternative | Best for | Free plan | From | 1st year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Veo | Veo video inside Google AI plans | Yes | $4.99 / mo | $59.88 |
| Pika | Quick stylised AI video clips | Yes | $8 / mo | $96 |
| HeyGen | AI avatar and presenter videos | Yes | $24 / mo | $288 |
| invideo AI | Prompt-to-video with built-in editor | No | $10 / mo | $120 |
| Synthesia | Corporate training avatar videos | Yes | $19 / mo | $228 |
Which Runway alternative is cheapest?
Google Veo, at $59.88 for the first year (Runway: $144).
| Alternative | 1st year |
|---|---|
| Google Veo | $59.88 |
| Pika | $96 |
| invideo AI | $120 |
| Synthesia | $228 |
| HeyGen | $288 |
Which Runway alternatives are free?
4 of 5 have a free plan.
- Google Veo: Gemini free tier, no Veo
- Pika: free tier, credit packs only
- HeyGen: 3 watermarked videos per month
- Synthesia: 500 credits per month, watermarked
The 5 alternatives, one by one
1
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
2
Pika
Best for: quick stylised AI video clips
- Free plan
- Yes, free tier, credit packs only
- From
- $8 / mo
- 1st year
- $96
3
HeyGen
Best for: AI avatar and presenter videos
- Free plan
- Yes, 3 watermarked videos per month
- From
- $24 / mo
- 1st year
- $288
4
invideo AI
Best for: prompt-to-video with built-in editor
- Free plan
- No
- From
- $10 / mo
- 1st year
- $120
5
Synthesia
Best for: corporate training avatar videos
- Free plan
- Yes, 500 credits per month, watermarked
- From
- $19 / mo
- 1st year
- $228
Sources
| Vendor page | URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Runway pricing | runwayml.com/pricing | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Google Veo pricing | gemini.google/subscriptions/ | 27 Oct 2026 |
| Pika pricing | pika.art/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