How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Runway is the best all-in-one creative suite, used by 60 million-plus creatives, with video, image and audio generation plus a developer API.
- HeyGen is the best avatar app, with a free plan, the most lifelike avatars per G2, and translation across 175-plus languages.
- Vidu is the best for character consistency, with Text, Image and Reference to Video modes and free credits for all users.
- Colossyan is the best for training videos, turning PDFs, decks and URLs into presenter-led courses in 100-plus languages with a free Starter tier.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Runway | All-in-one suite | See website | No |
 Pika | Creative platform | See website | No |
 Synthesia | Business avatars | See website | No |
 HeyGen | Personal avatars | Free | Yes |
 Vidu | Character consistency | See website | Yes |
 Luma | Directed video | See website | No |
 InVideo | Agentic editing | See website | No |
 Colossyan | Training videos | Free | Yes |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best AI text to video apps for creators
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Runway builds foundational Real-World Intelligence that is changing how the world's top brands, companies, agencies and studios tell their stories, with three platforms on the same models: Runway Creative, Runway Dev and Runway Robotics. The Creative Suite is an all-in-one cloud platform to generate and edit video, images and audio in one workspace, used by 60 million-plus creatives, with a free trial and cancel anytime. Runway Dev gives developers the best models from Runway and other labs with creative tooling for production-ready output at scale. Pricing must be checked on the site. For creators who want one suite for video, image and audio, Runway is the best tool.
What we like- Complete Creative Suite for video, image and audio in one workspace
- Used by 60M+ creatives
- Free trial, cancel anytime
- Runway Dev API platform with the best models from Runway and other labs
- Runway Research building General World Models
- Partner to the world's leading brands, companies, agencies and studios
Watch out for- Pricing must be checked on the site
- Free trial only, no ongoing free plan
- Professional depth means a learning curve
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Pika is the AI creative platform built for creatives, comprehensive and simple, with outputs that meet professional standards. The new Pika brings video, image and sound creation into one place, with the world's leading gen media models underneath and focused creative apps on top. A ChatGPT plugin extension adds 40-plus creative apps and 100-plus gen media models without leaving the conversation, and the Pika API Club offers member pricing for API builders. Pricing must be checked on the site. For creators who want one platform across video, image and sound, Pika is the best creative platform.
What we like- AI creative tools built for creatives with outputs that meet professional standards
- Video, image and sound creation in one place with the world's leading gen media models
- Focused creative apps on top
- ChatGPT plugin extension with 40+ creative apps and 100+ gen media models
- Pika API Club with member pricing
- Research-driven development
Watch out for- Pricing must be checked on the site
- Homepage shows little plan detail
- Model variety can overwhelm new users
#3Synthesia
Best for: Business avatars4.6/5 on
G2 (2,804 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit synthesia.io
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Synthesia is the AI video and avatar platform for business, creating studio-quality videos with AI avatars and voiceovers in 140-plus languages, trusted by 90 percent of the Fortune 100 with 2 million-plus users. An assistant turns docs, PowerPoints or links into polished, on-brand videos in minutes, automatic translation keeps names, terms and pronunciation consistent with glossary controls, and brand kits, roles, permissions and approvals keep output consistent. Videos publish as links, embeds or SCORM and update automatically across shares, with built-in analytics on views, clicks and completion. Live Sessions add interactive avatars for roleplay practice and conversational surveys, and APIs cover video generation, dubbing and interactive avatars. Compliance includes SOC2, GDPR, ISO42001 and SAML with SSO, and starting needs no credit card. Pricing must be checked on the site. For business video at scale, Synthesia is the best avatar platform.
What we like- Number one AI video platform for business per vendor
- Trusted by 90% of the Fortune 100
- 2M+ users
- Studio-quality videos with AI avatars and voiceovers in 140+ languages
- Generate videos from docs, PowerPoints or links
- Automatic translation with glossary controls
- Brand kits, roles, permissions and approvals
- Publish as link, embed or SCORM
- Built-in analytics
- Live Sessions for roleplay practice and conversational surveys
- APIs for video, dubbing and interactive avatars
- SOC2, GDPR, ISO42001, SAML and SSO
- No credit card required to start
Watch out for- Pricing must be checked on the site
- Business focus suits training and internal comms more than social clips
- Avatar style is presentational
#4HeyGen
Best for: Personal avatars4.8/5 on
G2 (1,973 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit heygen.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
HeyGen creates AI videos starring the user, made in minutes, with the most lifelike avatars in AI video. Avatar V delivers character consistency across every angle, expression and video, built on a five-stage training pipeline capturing how a person looks, moves, gestures and expresses themselves. The Video Agent turns an idea into a finished video with just a prompt, no camera, editing software or production skills needed, while the AI Studio text-based editor controls tone, delivery, gestures and emotion. Translation breaks language barriers in one click across 175-plus languages and dialects, preserving tone and syncing lips, and tools cover text, image and audio to video plus PPT and PDF to video. Every custom avatar requires on-camera identity verification, with moderation enforced and annual penetration testing, GDPR, SOC 2 Type II, CCPA, AI Act and DPF compliance. The free plan supports text-to-video and AI-generated video creation, with 4.8 out of 5 from 1,000-plus G2 reviews. For personal avatar videos, HeyGen is the best app.
What we like- Free plan supporting text-to-video and AI-generated video creation
- Most lifelike avatars in AI video per vendor, G2 number one most realistic avatars
- Avatar V with character consistency across angles, expressions and videos
- Video Agent from idea to finished video with just a prompt
- AI Studio text-based editor controlling tone, delivery, gestures and emotion
- Translation across 175+ languages with lip sync
- Text, image and audio to video
- PPT and PDF to video
- Verified identity for every custom avatar with enforced moderation
- GDPR, SOC 2 Type II, CCPA, AI Act, DPF
- 4.8 out of 5 from 1,000+ G2 reviews
- Forbes AI 50 company
- Trusted by over 1,000,000 developers and companies
Watch out for- Advanced AI video creation and formats need paid plans
- Avatar verification adds setup time
- Pricing for paid plans must be checked
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Vidu is an AI video generator for text, image and reference videos, built to visualize ideas with strong semantic understanding and fast generation, from low resolution to 1080p outputs. Reference to Video lets users upload three or more images of an object, character or scene and combine elements into one video based on a prompt, with different angles for consistency and My References saving characters, props and scenes for reuse. The Vidu Agent collaborates from a single sentence to a complete work, the Vidu App brings collaborative creation anywhere, and Storyboard turns ideas into stories. All users receive free credits to generate videos at no cost, and creators praise fast, physical motion in action sequences, character emotion, and anime quality. Pricing for paid plans must be checked on the site. For creators who need the same character across many videos, Vidu is the best tool.
What we like- AI video generator for text, image and reference videos
- Vidu Q4 model with cinematic output up to 1080p
- Reference to Video from three or more images keeps characters, props and scenes consistent with saved My References
- Storyboard feature
- Vidu Agent from a single sentence to a complete work
- Vidu App for collaborative creation anywhere
- All users receive free credits to generate videos at no cost
- Off-Peak Mode for more experimentation
- Vidu CLI for faster workflows
- Strong anime generation including 80s and 90s styles
Watch out for- Pricing for paid plans must be checked on the site
- Credit-based pricing needs tracking
- Some homepage content is in other languages
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Luma is a creative partner for teams, with agents that research, generate and refine across video, image, audio and text while the brand holds steady through all of it. Ray 3.2 directs video the way a shoot is directed, putting every frame under user control, holding continuity across every cut, and finishing in cinematic quality. UNI-1 is brand intelligence at the model level, understanding a brand as deeply as it generates for it, carrying style references, character references and visual grounding into every asset. Luma builds its own models, with frontier research shipping straight to working creatives, and positions itself for the fastest creative teams, with ten directions before a morning standup and fifty variants by end of day. Pricing must be checked on the site. For directed, cinematic video with brand control, Luma is the best tool.
What we like- AI agents for creative work across video, image, audio and text
- Ray 3.2 directs video like a shoot, putting every frame under user control with continuity across cuts and cinematic quality
- UNI-1 brand intelligence carries style references, character references and visual grounding into every asset
- Own models built in-house with frontier research shipping directly to creatives
- Brand holds steady across all output
- Ten directions before a morning standup and fifty variants by end of day per vendor
Watch out for- Pricing must be checked on the site
- Agent-first framing suits teams more than casual creators
- Homepage shows little plan detail
#7InVideo
Best for: Agentic editing4.2/5 on
G2 (183 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit invideo.io
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
InVideo is the agentic video editor for serious creatives, where AI agents handle the rest while creators do what they love. Multiplayer mode enables real-time collaboration with live cursors, storyboarding turns any script or idea into a shot-by-shot plan, script writing includes an AI co-writer, and the timeline editor offers full AI with professional color, audio and 3D tools. Custom agents fill roles like cinematographer and music designer, and bring-your-own agents connect Claude Cowork, ChatGPT Codex, Grok and Gemini to trim, grade, mix and caption on the timeline. Credit plans run Starter at 400 credits per month, Plus at 2,000 and Max at 5,000, with Seedance 2.5 at 1080p and Seedance 2.0 at 4K on higher plans, plus Nano Banana 2.1 and Ideogram 4.5 image models. Dollar prices must be checked on the site, and the platform is SOC 2 and GDPR compliant. For creators who want AI agents inside a real editor, InVideo is the best tool.
What we like- Agentic video editor with Agent Two
- Multiplayer mode with live cursors
- Storyboarding from any script or idea into a shot-by-shot plan
- Script writing with an AI co-writer
- Timeline editor with full AI
- Custom agents for cinematographer, music designer and more
- Bring-your-own agents including Claude Cowork, ChatGPT Codex, Grok and Gemini
- Seedance 2.5 at 1080p and Seedance 2.0 at 4K on higher plans
- Nano Banana 2.1 and Ideogram 4.5 image models
- Credit plans: Starter 400 credits per month, Plus 2,000, Max 5,000
- SOC 2 and GDPR compliant
- Trusted by teams at Google, NVIDIA, Salesforce, Visa, IBM, Cisco, Mastercard, Meta, LinkedIn and Netflix
Watch out for- Dollar prices must be checked on the site
- Credit-based pricing needs tracking
- Agentic features need higher plans for full access
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Colossyan Creator turns organizational knowledge into video-led training and enablement programs, dropping in any source and watching it become training. A PDF, a deck, a URL or even a video becomes presenter-led training videos and full courses, scripted, voiced, interactive and translated into 100-plus languages. Cora builds a scene-by-scene plan that users review, edit, make interactive and translate, with nothing publishing until they say so. Colossyan Learn builds structured courses, Professional plans scale with video minutes and collaboration, and Enterprise adds governance, SSO, dedicated support and custom avatar creation. Security includes SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliance, with content never used to train models, and the platform rates 4.7 out of 5 from 494 reviews. The free Starter tier covers core creation features. For training videos from existing documents, Colossyan is the best tool.
What we like- Free Starter tier with core creation features
- Drop in a PDF, deck, URL or video and watch it become training
- Cora builds a scene-by-scene plan for review before anything publishes
- Presenter-led training videos and full courses, scripted, voiced, interactive and translated into 100+ languages
- Colossyan Learn for structured courses
- Professional plans scale with video minutes and collaboration
- Enterprise adds governance, SSO, dedicated support and custom avatars
- SOC 2 Type II, GDPR compliant, content never used to train models
- 4.7 out of 5 from 494 reviews
- 90% video production cost reduction reported by one customer
Watch out for- Training focus suits enablement more than social content
- Paid plan prices must be checked
- Enterprise features need higher plans
How we chose
We picked tools covering the main ways creators make AI video: all-in-one suites, creative platforms, business avatars, personal avatars, character-consistent generation, directed cinematic video, agentic editing, and training video. Each homepage was opened to confirm the product exists and matches its description. All eight tools were verified fresh. On responsible use: label AI-generated video clearly, never create videos of real people without their consent, and check platform rules before publishing, since avatar tools like HeyGen require identity verification for custom avatars.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI text to video app for creators?
Runway is best for an all-in-one suite, HeyGen is best for personal avatars with a free plan, and Vidu is best for character consistency. The right pick depends on whether you need cinematic clips, talking presenters or consistent characters.
Can I make videos from just text?
Yes. Every tool here accepts text prompts, and Synthesia, HeyGen and Colossyan also turn documents, decks and URLs into videos. Vidu and Luma add reference images and directed control for more precise results.
Is there a free AI video app?
HeyGen offers a free plan for text-to-video, Vidu gives all users free credits, and Colossyan offers a free Starter tier. Runway offers a free trial, while others require checking pricing.
Which tool is best for training videos?
Colossyan is best for training, turning PDFs, decks and URLs into presenter-led courses in 100-plus languages, while Synthesia suits business training with SCORM publishing and analytics.
Which tool keeps characters consistent across videos?
Vidu is best for character consistency with Reference to Video and saved references, while HeyGen Avatar V keeps a personal avatar consistent across angles and expressions, and Luma UNI-1 carries character references into every asset.
Do I need video editing skills?
No. HeyGen, Synthesia and Colossyan need no editing skills, while InVideo and Runway offer deeper editors for creators who want full control after generation.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://runwayml.com
- https://pika.art
- https://www.synthesia.io
- https://heygen.com
- https://www.vidu.com
- https://lumalabs.ai
- https://invideo.io
- https://www.colossyan.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.