Guide
Best AI Creative Tools for Agencies (2026)
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 11 min read
Summary
HeyGen is the best for presenter and localised video; Synthesia is the best low-cost avatar video; Pictory is the best for repurposing content; Runway is the best for cinematic clips; Leonardo.Ai is the best for images and team plans. Prices and ratings were checked in October 2026 and change often.
What are the best AI creative tools for agencies in 2026?
AI creative tools generate video, images and presenter footage from prompts and scripts. Agencies use them for social content, explainers, localisation and concepts, and they can cut production time sharply.
We compared five tools that do different jobs: presenter video, repurposing, cinematic clips and images. Read the labels and pick by the work your clients ask for most.
Our shortlist, in order: HeyGen, Synthesia, Pictory, Runway, Leonardo.Ai. The table puts them side by side.
| Tool | Best for | Editorial score | Review-site ratings | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HeyGen | Best for presenter and localised video | 4.6 / 5 | G2 4.8 | Free $0 with 3 watermarked videos a month. Creator $29 a month, or $24 billed yearly, for 600 credits. Pro $49 a month for 1,000 credits and up. Business $149 a month for 1,500 credits with a shared workspace and extra seats at $20 a month. Enterprise is custom. |
| Synthesia | Best low-cost avatar video | 4.4 / 5 | G2 4.6 | Free Basic plan. Starter $19 a month ($14 billed yearly) and Pro $89 a month ($59 billed yearly); Enterprise is custom. |
| Pictory | Best for repurposing content | 4.2 / 5 | G2 4.6 | Starter $29 a month, or $25 billed yearly, for 30 minutes a month. Professional $59 monthly or $35 yearly for 90 minutes. Teams $199 monthly or $119 yearly for 300 minutes and 3+ users. Enterprise is custom. A 14-day free trial is available. |
| Runway | Best for cinematic clips | 4.3 / 5 | No review-site rating found | Free $0 with 125 one-time credits. Standard $15 a month, or $12 billed yearly, for 625 credits and 3 projects. Pro $35 monthly or $28 yearly for 2,250 credits and 5 projects. Max $95 monthly or $76 yearly for 9,500 credits and 10 projects. |
| Leonardo.Ai | Best for images and team plans | 4.3 / 5 | G2 4.5 | Solo plans, monthly billing: Free $0 with 150 fast tokens a day, Essential $12, Premium $30 and Ultimate $60 a month. Team plans per seat: Starter $72 a month (3 seats, $24 each) and Growth $144 (3 seats, $48 each). A pay-as-you-go API and custom Enterprise plans exist. A yearly toggle advertises up to 20% off. |
How did we choose the best AI creative tools?
We included tools with public pricing and review-site evidence that agencies commonly use. Pricing and features come from each vendor page, and ratings come from G2 where a score was available.
We looked at credits, team options, security evidence and rights. Scores reflect fit for agencies serving several clients.
What we looked for
- What it makes: presenter video, clips, images or repurposed video.
- Pricing and billing period.
- Credits, minutes or tokens.
- Team seats and client separation.
- Published security and rights evidence.
- Public evidence: review-site ratings and counts.
Is HeyGen a good AI creative tool for agencies?
Best for presenter and localised video: HeyGen has the highest G2 score, strong security evidence and a shared team workspace on Business. Credits drive cost.
HeyGen creates videos from scripts using AI avatars and voices, and translates videos into many languages. It sells Free, Creator, Pro and Business plans plus a custom Enterprise plan, with credits as the usage limit and a shared workspace from Business.
Who it suits: Agencies that produce explainer, localisation and social video for clients without filming.
HeyGen pros
- Creator costs $29 a month, or $24 billed yearly, with 600 credits and no HeyGen branding.
- Business costs $149 a month with a shared team workspace and extra members at $20 a seat.
- G2 shows 4.8 from 1,975 reviews.
- SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA and the EU-US Data Privacy Framework are stated.
HeyGen cons
- Free is watermarked and limited to 3 videos a month of up to one minute.
- Credits are consumed by each generation, and G2 reviewers note regenerating a video costs more credits.
- Multi-workspace control is Enterprise only, so client separation below that is by folders and members.
- Pro annual price and commercial-use terms were not stated on the pricing page.
Is Synthesia a good AI creative tool for agencies?
Best low-cost avatar video: Synthesia has a free plan and a lower entry price, with a large G2 base and strong security evidence.
Synthesia creates videos from text with AI avatars and voices, with dubbing, a screen recorder, templates and an API. It has a free Basic plan, Starter and Pro plans priced monthly or annually, and a custom Enterprise plan.
Who it suits: Agencies that produce training, explainer and social videos for clients without filming.
Synthesia pros
- Starter costs $19 a month, or $14 billed yearly, with 125+ stock avatars.
- Pro costs $89 a month, or $59 billed yearly, with about 60 minutes of video a month.
- SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001, 27701 and 42001 stated, with SSO on Enterprise.
- Every avatar is created with explicit consent and all videos are moderated.
Synthesia cons
- Free videos carry a Synthesia watermark and downloads start on Starter.
- Starter allows only about 12 minutes of video a month, with credit-based limits.
- Each plan has one editor and a small number of guests, so many editors need Enterprise.
- Integration counts, 2FA, mobile apps and agency features were not stated (desktop only).
Is Pictory a good AI creative tool for agencies?
Best for repurposing content: Pictory turns blogs and webinars into short videos, with brand kits per client and a Teams plan with 3+ users.
Pictory converts scripts, blog posts and webinars into short videos. It sells Starter, Professional and Teams plans with monthly minutes and brand kits, an Enterprise plan, and a 14-day free trial. Teams adds three or more users and shared brand assets.
Who it suits: Content agencies that repurpose client blogs, webinars and long videos into social clips.
Pictory pros
- Starter costs $25 a month billed yearly for up to 30 minutes of video a month.
- Teams costs $119 a month billed yearly for 3+ users, 10 brand kits and 300 minutes a month.
- Every plan allows unlimited videos and no Pictory branding, with a 14-day free trial.
- G2 shows 4.6 from 82 reviews.
Pictory cons
- Output is capped by monthly minutes: 30, 90 or 300.
- Brand kits are the client slot: 1 on Starter, 5 on Professional and 10 on Teams.
- G2 reviewers say graphics are not always polished for high-ticket work.
- No SOC 2 or ISO certification was stated, and a mobile app was not stated.
Is Runway a good AI creative tool for agencies?
Best for cinematic clips: Runway generates and edits video with predictable credit plans and SOC 2 and ISO 27001 evidence. No team seats were listed.
Runway generates and edits video and images with AI models. It sells a Free plan with one-time credits, and Standard, Pro and Max plans with monthly credits and project limits. The pricing page lists no team seats, and security evidence is strong.
Who it suits: Creative teams and agencies that generate and edit video clips for ads and social content.
Runway pros
- Standard costs $15 a month, or $12 billed yearly, for 625 credits with no watermark.
- Max costs $76 a month billed yearly for 9,500 credits and 10 projects.
- The vendor states SOC 2 Type II compliance and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification.
- A Free plan gives 125 one-time credits to test.
Runway cons
- No team or seat features were listed on the pricing page.
- Projects are capped at 3 on Standard, 5 on Pro and 10 on Max.
- Free credits are one-time, not monthly.
- Commercial-use terms and a mobile app were not stated on the pricing page.
Is Leonardo.Ai a good AI creative tool for agencies?
Best for images and team plans: Leonardo.Ai has low-priced solo plans and per-seat Team plans with private generations, but a small G2 base.
Leonardo.Ai generates images and video from many models, with token-based plans. Solo plans run Free, Essential, Premium and Ultimate. Team plans are priced per seat with shared tokens and private team generations, and an API has pay-as-you-go and custom plans.
Who it suits: Design and creative teams that generate images, concepts and short video for client work.
Leonardo.Ai pros
- Premium costs $30 a month for 25,000 tokens and private generations.
- Team plans start at $72 a month for 3 seats at $24 a seat with 75,000 shared tokens.
- Paid subscribers get full ownership of generated work, according to the pricing page.
- The vendor states SOC 2 Type I and Type II accreditation.
Leonardo.Ai cons
- Free creations are public and use a non-exclusive licence, not full ownership.
- Yearly discounts of up to 20% were not captured.
- The Team price period was read from a page with the monthly toggle selected, so confirm it at checkout.
- G2 shows only 33 reviews, and a mobile app was not stated.
How much do the best AI creative tools cost?
Pictory and Leonardo have the lowest entry prices, Synthesia and Runway sit in the middle, and HeyGen costs more at the shared-workspace level. Compare cost per finished asset and what each plan allows for teams, not the headline price.
| Tool | Plan | Price | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| HeyGen | Free | $0 per month (monthly billing) | 3 videos a month up to 1 minute, watermarked, 1 seat |
| HeyGen | Creator | $24 per month (annual billing); $29 monthly | 600 credits, 1080p, no HeyGen branding, 175+ languages, 1 seat |
| HeyGen | Pro | $49 per month (monthly billing) | 1,000 credits and up, 4K export, videos up to 30 minutes, 1 seat |
| HeyGen | Business | $149 per month (monthly billing) | 1,500 credits, shared workspace, extra members $20 a seat a month |
| HeyGen | Enterprise | Contact sales | 3+ seats, multi-workspace control, custom commercial terms |
| Synthesia | Basic | $0 | 500 credits a month, 10 minutes of video, 1 editor, watermark |
| Synthesia | Starter | $14 per month (annual billing); $19 monthly | 1,250 credits a month, about 12 minutes of video, 1 editor, 3 guests, 125+ avatars |
| Synthesia | Pro | $59 per month (annual billing); $89 monthly | 6,000 credits a month, about 60 minutes of video, 1 editor, 5 guests, 180+ avatars |
| Synthesia | Enterprise | Custom | Custom credits and seats, 240+ avatars, SSO, dedicated customer success manager and SLAs |
| Pictory | Starter | $25 per month (annual billing); $29 monthly | Up to 30 minutes a month, 1 user, 1 brand kit |
| Pictory | Professional | $35 per month (annual billing); $59 monthly | Up to 90 minutes a month, 5 brand kits |
| Pictory | Teams | $119 per month (annual billing); $199 monthly | Up to 300 minutes a month, 3+ users, 10 brand kits, shared assets |
| Pictory | Enterprise | Custom | Dedicated account manager, video consulting |
| Runway | Free | $0 per month (monthly billing) | 125 one-time credits |
| Runway | Standard | $12 per month (annual billing); $15 monthly | 625 credits a month, no watermark, 3 projects |
| Runway | Pro | $28 per month (annual billing); $35 monthly | 2,250 credits a month, 5 projects |
| Runway | Max | $76 per month (annual billing); $95 monthly | 9,500 credits a month, 10 projects |
| Leonardo.Ai | Free | $0 per month (monthly billing) | 150 fast tokens a day, public creations |
| Leonardo.Ai | Essential | $12 per month (monthly billing) | 8,500 tokens a month, private generations |
| Leonardo.Ai | Premium | $30 per month (monthly billing) | 25,000 tokens a month, private, unlimited relaxed images |
| Leonardo.Ai | Ultimate | $60 per month (monthly billing) | 60,000 tokens a month, private, relaxed images and video |
| Leonardo.Ai | Team Starter | $72 per month (monthly billing) | 3 seats at $24 each, 75,000 shared tokens, private team generations |
| Leonardo.Ai | Team Growth | $144 per month (monthly billing) | 3 seats at $48 each, 180,000 shared tokens, private team generations |
| Leonardo.Ai | Enterprise | Custom | Model access to 80+ models, tailored to your business |
What do reviewers say about these AI creative tools?
G2 evidence differs. HeyGen and Synthesia have large bases and high scores, Pictory and Leonardo have small bases, and Runway lists reviews without a score in the snippet we read.
| Tool | Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| HeyGen | G2 | 4.8 / 5 | 1,975 |
| Synthesia | G2 | 4.6 / 5 | 2,809 |
| Pictory | G2 | 4.6 / 5 | 82 |
| Leonardo.Ai | G2 | 4.5 / 5 | 33 |
Reviewer themes for HeyGen
- G2 shows HeyGen at 4.8 from 1,975 reviews, including 107 from agencies.
- Reviewers praise realistic avatars and speed, and say the agent does not always follow instructions.
Reviewer themes for Synthesia
- G2 shows Synthesia at 4.6 from 2,809 reviews.
- Reviewers value easy avatar video creation for training and how-to content.
Reviewer themes for Pictory
- G2 shows Pictory at 4.6 from 82 reviews.
- Reviewers call it a good low-budget tool, and note the graphics are not the most polished.
Reviewer themes for Runway
- G2 lists 106 reviews for Runway; the snippet we read showed no overall score.
- A G2 reviewer calls it fast, easy and creative for AI video.
Reviewer themes for Leonardo.Ai
- G2 shows Leonardo.Ai at 4.5 from 33 reviews.
- G2 lists Simplified, Adobe Firefly and Recraft as top-rated alternatives.
How do you choose the right AI creative tool for your agency?
Decide what clients ask for: presenter video, repurposed clips, cinematic video or images. No single tool covers all of them well.
Whichever you pick, produce one real client asset on a trial and count the credits, the time and the corrections needed before you price it for clients.
Set rules before the first delivery: who reviews AI output, how rights and likeness are cleared, and how you tell clients that AI was used. Clients value a clear policy more than a clever clip.
Finally, check the terms for commercial use and for avatar and voice rights, and keep the approvals in writing.
A quick decision guide
- Presenter and localised video: HeyGen.
- Low-cost avatar video: Synthesia.
- Repurposing content: Pictory.
- Cinematic clips: Runway.
- Images and team plans: Leonardo.Ai.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best AI creative tools for agencies?
- HeyGen for presenter video, Synthesia for low-cost avatars, Pictory for repurposing, Runway for clips, and Leonardo.Ai for images.
- Which tool has the highest G2 score?
- HeyGen.
- Which tool has team plans?
- HeyGen Business, Pictory Teams and Leonardo Team plans.
- Do they have free plans?
- HeyGen, Synthesia, Runway and Leonardo have free plans, and Pictory has a 14-day trial.
- How were the tools rated?
- Ratings come from G2 where available, and the editorial scores are our own judgement of fit for agencies.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- HeyGen pricing page
- Synthesia pricing page
- Pictory pricing page
- Runway pricing page
- Leonardo pricing page
- G2