HeyGen vs runway gen 5
HeyGen vs runway gen 5, compared side by side on 19 data points: what each one does, how big it is, what it has raised, the tech running each site, and what users report. We score both out of 100 on traction, team and visibility: HeyGen is on 70/100 and runway gen 5 on 71/100.
Where each one leads
HeyGen
- agent readiness: 46/100 against 22/100
- LinkedIn following: 80,092 against 806
runway gen 5
- headcount: 446 against 283
- funding raised: $860M against $42.5M
At a glance
| Measure | HeyGen | runway gen 5 |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | HeyGen is an AI-powered video platform that enables users to create high-quality videos with realistic AI avatars and multilingual voice cloning, transforming text into engaging content in minutes. | Runway AI develops generative AI tools for creating videos, images, and multimedia content, focusing on video intelligence and world models. |
| Category | Video, AI Video Generation, Generative AI, Voice AI | Generative AI, AI Video Generation, AI Image Generation, Multimodal AI |
| Sells toBusiness model | B2B | B2B | B2C |
| Offering | Platform | Software | platform |
| Founded | 2020 | 2018 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, United States | New York City, United States |
| Status | Active | Inactive |
Size, funding and growth
| Measure | HeyGen | runway gen 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | 283 | 446 |
| Total funding | $42.5M | $860M |
| Latest round | Series A | Series E |
| Valuation | Not published | $5.3B |
| LinkedIn followers | 80,092 | 806 |
StartupHub scores
Our own 0-100 ratings. They measure company strength and site quality, not which product suits you.
| Measure | HeyGen | runway gen 5 |
|---|---|---|
| StartupHub scoreOur 0-100 rating | 70/100 | 71/100 |
| Traction | 58/100 | 60/100 |
| Team | 60/100 | 70/100 |
| Community | 8/100 | 15/100 |
| Search visibility | 75/100 | 45/100 |
| Quality | 78/100 | 84/100 |
| Agent readinessHow well an AI agent can read and act on the site | D (46/100) | F (22/100) |
| Domain ratingLink authority, 0-100 | 83/100 | Not published |
Technology
Detected on each public site, so it reflects the marketing stack as well as the product.
| Measure | HeyGen | runway gen 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Vercel | Not detected |
| CDN | Cloudflare | Not detected |
| Frameworks | Next.js, Tailwind CSS | Not detected |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
Product and pricing
| Measure | HeyGen | runway gen 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Key features | AI Avatars, AI Video Translator, AI Video Studio, HeyGen Video Agent, Product Placement Feature, Text-to-Video Generation | Not published |
What users say
| Measure | HeyGen | runway gen 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Reddit sentimentThreads we track | 0 positive, 5 negative across 6 threads | Not published |
“HeyGen is too expensive at scale — what are you using instead. Need an AI avatar tool for daily 12-min YouTube videos (~360 mins/month). HeyGen Avatar V works out to $370/mo at this volume. Not viable.”r/generativeAI
HeyGen vs runway gen 5: common questions
Which is better, HeyGen or runway gen 5?
On our 0-100 score runway gen 5 rates higher (71/100 against 70/100). The score weights traction, team, visibility and profile completeness, so it reflects company strength rather than which product suits you. We compare the two on 19 data points above: read the rows that match what you are buying for.
How do HeyGen and runway gen 5 compare on the numbers?
HeyGen leads on agent readiness (46/100 against 22/100), LinkedIn following (80,092 against 806). runway gen 5 leads on headcount (446 against 283), funding raised ($860M against $42.5M).
What do real users say about HeyGen and runway gen 5?
HeyGen: 0 positive and 5 negative mentions across 6 Reddit threads we track, mostly in r/generativeAI.
Read the full HeyGen review and pricing or the runway gen 5 review and pricing. You can also browse other HeyGen alternatives we track.

