Synthesia

AI video generation platform for creating professional videos with AI avatars

Runway

AI-powered creative tools for next-generation video generation

Synthesia

Strong

21/25

Runway

Moderate

14/25

Score Breakdown

DimensionSynthesiaRunway

Data Residency

Where is your data stored and processed?

Synthesia: EU data processing available for European customers on AWS EU infrastructure

Runway: Infrastructure hosted in multiple US data centers; no specific EU data residency option advertised for non-enterprise customers.

4/5

EU data processing available for European customers on AWS EU infrastructure

2/5

Infrastructure hosted in multiple US data centers; no specific EU data residency option advertised for non-enterprise customers.

Legal Jurisdiction

Which laws govern the company and your data?

Synthesia: UK-incorporated company under English law; strong GDPR compliance posture

Runway: US-incorporated under Delaware law; subject to US legal jurisdiction and CLOUD Act provisions.

4/5

UK-incorporated company under English law; strong GDPR compliance posture

3/5

US-incorporated under Delaware law; subject to US legal jurisdiction and CLOUD Act provisions.

Data Retention & Training

Is your data used for model training?

Synthesia: Customer content not used for AI model training; data retained per contractual terms

Runway: Standard data retention policies apply; Enterprise customers can negotiate custom retention terms.

4/5

Customer content not used for AI model training; data retained per contractual terms

3/5

Standard data retention policies apply; Enterprise customers can negotiate custom retention terms.

Certifications

ISO 27001, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, etc.

Synthesia: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and pioneering ISO 42001 AI management certification

Runway: Holds SOC 2 Type II certification. GDPR and CCPA alignment documented but no ISO 27001.

5/5

SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and pioneering ISO 42001 AI management certification

3/5

Holds SOC 2 Type II certification. GDPR and CCPA alignment documented but no ISO 27001.

Regulatory Fit

Suitability for regulated industries and professional services

Synthesia: Strong fit for regulated EU and UK organisations; ISO 42001 demonstrates responsible AI governance

Runway: Suitable for most creative and commercial workloads; regulated industries should review Enterprise data controls.

4/5

Strong fit for regulated EU and UK organisations; ISO 42001 demonstrates responsible AI governance

3/5

Suitable for most creative and commercial workloads; regulated industries should review Enterprise data controls.

Total Score

21/25

14/25

Best For

Synthesia

Best for teams on a tight budget.

Runway

Best for EU-headquartered organisations needing maximum data sovereignty; organisations requiring broad certification coverage (SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 42001); regulated industries (ICO); privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls.

Detailed Comparison

Runway vs Synthesia: Trust & Compliance Comparison

Runway (Runway AI, Inc., US) scores 14/25 overall with a Bronze (Moderate) trust badge. AI-powered creative tools for next-generation video generation. Synthesia (Synthesia Limited, GB) scores 21/25 with a Silver (Strong) trust badge. AI video generation platform for creating professional videos with AI avatars.

Dimension-by-Dimension Breakdown

#### Data Residency

Synthesia leads with 4/5 vs 2/5.

●Runway (2/5): Infrastructure hosted in multiple US data centers; no specific EU data residency option advertised for non-enterprise customers.

●Synthesia (4/5): EU data processing available for European customers on AWS EU infrastructure

#### Legal Jurisdiction

Synthesia leads with 4/5 vs 3/5.

●Runway (3/5): US-incorporated under Delaware law; subject to US legal jurisdiction and CLOUD Act provisions.

●Synthesia (4/5): UK-incorporated company under English law; strong GDPR compliance posture

#### Data Retention & Training

Synthesia leads with 4/5 vs 3/5.

●Runway (3/5): Standard data retention policies apply; Enterprise customers can negotiate custom retention terms.

●Synthesia (4/5): Customer content not used for AI model training; data retained per contractual terms

#### Certifications

Synthesia leads with 5/5 vs 3/5.

●Runway (3/5): Holds SOC 2 Type II certification. GDPR and CCPA alignment documented but no ISO 27001.

●Synthesia (5/5): SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and pioneering ISO 42001 AI management certification

#### Regulatory Fit

Synthesia leads with 4/5 vs 3/5.

●Runway (3/5): Suitable for most creative and commercial workloads; regulated industries should review Enterprise data controls.

●Synthesia (4/5): Strong fit for regulated EU and UK organisations; ISO 42001 demonstrates responsible AI governance

Certifications at a Glance

Certification	Runway	Synthesia
ISO 27001	No	Yes
ISO 42001	No	Yes
SOC 2 Type II	Yes	Yes

Overall Verdict

Synthesia has a clear trust advantage, scoring 21/25 compared to Runway's 14/25. Synthesia particularly excels in data residency, legal jurisdiction, data retention & training, certifications, regulatory fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for EU compliance, Synthesia or Runway?

Synthesia has a TrustKit score of 21/25 while Runway scores 14/25. Synthesia currently rates higher across data residency, legal jurisdiction, data retention, certifications, and regulatory fit.

How do Synthesia and Runway compare on data residency?

Synthesia scores 4/5 for data residency (EU data processing available for European customers on AWS EU infrastructure), while Runway scores 2/5 (Infrastructure hosted in multiple US data centers; no specific EU data residency option advertised for non-enterprise customers.).

Are Synthesia and Runway GDPR compliant?

Both tools are assessed across five compliance dimensions. Synthesia has a regulatory fit score of 4/5 and Runway scores 3/5. Check the full comparison above for a detailed breakdown.

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