Four Text-to-Video Generators Revolutionizing Content Creation

For content creators, from technology marketers to writers to product managers, text-to-video generators can produce dynamic and visually appealing videos without manual editing or production. These revolutionary tools have found their niche across a wide spectrum of applications, including video marketing, instructional content creation, news updates, and social media posts.

If you’re thinking the applications feels minimal – the global market for AI video generators (valued at £400+ million in 2022) is projected to flourish at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.7 percent from 2023 to 2030, reflecting the surging appetite for video content across numerous digital platforms. 

With this backdrop, let’s delve into the world of top-tier text-to-video generators pioneering the digital storytelling revolution. Boasting user-friendly interfaces and extensive customization capabilities, these tools are not just enhancing the way stories are told—they are redefining the very essence of creative expression. 

1. Synthesia AI 

Introduced in 2017, Synthesia AI is an innovative video generation platform that harnesses generative AI, voiceover functionalities, and editing features to create high-quality training or presentation videos. Enter a script, choose an AI avatar and a customizable video template, add background music, edit, and generate the video. Once it’s done, download or share it. Synthesia also allows you to translate your videos directly from the platform. 

The platform supports 120+ languages and provides a diverse selection of hyper-realistic AI avatars, each characterized by natural facial expressions and precise lip-syncing. In addition to the preset avatars, you can create your own personalized avatar. Regarding pricing, users can create short videos for free using limited features and avatars. However, the paid plans unlock more advanced features such as custom avatars, longer videos, commercial use, and faster rendering. 

Best suited for: Training, presentation and how-to videos. 

2. InVideo 

InVideo is a versatile tool designed for creating quality videos solely from text. There’s no need for a detailed script; a simple prompt is enough to start the process, like how ChatGPT operates. 

InVideo’s robust editing features enable you to customize every video aspect, from swapping scenes to refining the script. You can also choose from over 5,000 video templates that can be used across various social media platforms. Additionally, you can specify the editing style and narrow down your target audience to make your videos more effective.  

As for the pricing part, InVideo has a free version, but it doesn’t allow exporting. The paid versions, ‘Business’ and ‘Unlimited,’ offer more stock footage, online storage, and exporting options. 

Best suited for: Promo videos, presentations, video testimonials, slideshows, and much more. 

3. Runway 

Google-backed AI research company Runway’s Gen-2 model allows users to create impressive videos from simple text prompts, images, or other videos. The platform creates videos and provides users with over 30 tools to customize their videos as they wish. For instance, you can modify an existing video by altering the people and setting or even transforming it into an animated video. Additionally, Runway Gen-2 provides complementary tools such as text-to-image and image-to-image conversion, expanding its capabilities beyond video generation. 

For those with free accounts, Runway Gen-2 allows the creation of videos up to four seconds long. These videos can be downloaded and shared across various platforms, although they will carry a watermark. Free account holders are also given 500 credits, with every second of video creation using up to five credits. There’s also an option for a paid subscription plan priced at US$12 per month, which provides users with additional tools and options for customizing their videos.  

Best suited for: Lifelike animated videos, marketing materials, websites, etc. 

4. Sora 

In the world of text-to-video generators, OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is also making significant progress. In February 2024, the company introduced ‘Sora’, its latest AI model capable of transforming text prompts into realistic videos. Sora can create videos based on user instructions regarding the style and subject of the clip. Beyond crafting videos from text, Sora can bring still images to life, create videos from static images, and even expand or repair existing videos by adding or reconstructing frames.

Currently, OpenAI has made Sora accessible to a select group of visual artists, designers, filmmakers, and researchers. This approach aims to identify potential issues or dangers associated with the tool and gather insights on improving it to serve creative professionals’ needs better. 

Best suited for: Animated or live-action video, marketing and educational content. 

Several other popular text-to-video generators in the market include Fliki, Pictory, Speechify, HeyGen, and VEED. Depending on your needs, you can explore these options and decide which is best for you. 

Distilled 

The rise of top text-to-video generators is a significant advantage for creators, offering time and resource savings. However, this ease of content creation raises concerns about plagiarism and unauthorized use of original works. It’s essential for creators to remain vigilant and for platforms to safeguard intellectual property rights. Using these tools responsibly and ethically fosters respect and innovation in the creative community.