Contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission — it never changes the verdict.Details
The Stack / Video
Synthesia
03 CreationYes for training and internal video at company scale — Synthesia is the category's enterprise standard for a reason, and Creator's five personal avatars plus API access covers serious production. For creator-style social content, HeyGen still reads more native to the feed; choose by audience, not brand recognition.
The job in the stack
The corporate avatar seat: training, onboarding, and internal comms video at scale, with the compliance posture big companies require.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 10 min/mo, ~9 stock avatars, 1 personal avatar, watermarked, no MP4 download |
| Starter | $29/mo | $18/mo billed yearly. 120 min/year, 125+ avatars, 3 personal avatars, AI Dubbing, video download |
| Creator | $89/mo | $64/mo billed yearly. 360 min/year, 180+ avatars, 5 personal avatars, API, branded pages, interactive video |
| Enterprise | custom | Unlimited minutes, 240+ stock avatars, unlimited personal avatars, SSO |
Pricing verified 2026-08-15. Plans change — the source of truth is Synthesia's own pricing page.
Models & versions
- Personal AvatarsDigital versions of you or team members; 1 on Free, 3 on Starter, 5 on Creator, unlimited on Enterprise
- 160+ languagesScript-to-speech localization across the catalog
- AI DubbingTranslates and re-voices existing footage; available across paid tiers
- Interactive Avatars (beta)Avatars that respond in a live session rather than playing back a script
- Roleplay SessionsPractice conversations against an interactive avatar with real-time coaching — a training-delivery feature, not a video-production one
The honest read
What works
- +The enterprise reference point: security posture, consistency, scale
- +Huge avatar and language catalog for global teams
- +Branded video pages with CTAs turn training video into a distribution asset
- +API access from the Creator tier, not just Enterprise
What breaks
- −Minute pools are tight — 120 min/year on Starter is two minutes a week
- −Style reads corporate; social-feed content feels stiff next to HeyGen
- −Watermarked, non-downloadable free tier is a demo, not a trial
Use it for
- →L&D teams converting slide decks into watchable training
- →Multilingual internal comms without re-recording
- →SOPs and onboarding libraries that need updating quarterly
Skip it if
- ×You're making YouTube/TikTok creator content — HeyGen fits the format better
- ×Your video needs exceed 360 min/year but the budget doesn't reach Enterprise
Questions operators ask
?Synthesia or HeyGen?
Synthesia for corporate training, compliance-conscious teams, and multilingual internal video. HeyGen for creator content, shorts, and marketing that has to feel current. They're the two poles of the same category — pick the one shaped like your audience.
What changed
- Prices hold ($0 / $29 / $89 / custom, $18 and $64 on yearly), but three things moved. Starter personal avatars went from 1 to 3, and the free tier now includes one — the personal-avatar ladder loosened across the board. Minutes are now published as annual pools (120/yr Starter, 360/yr Creator) rather than monthly caps, which is the same allowance with room to batch. And the product grew past rendered video: AI Dubbing on paid tiers, Interactive Avatars in beta, and Roleplay Sessions for live training practice.
- Freshness sweep — re-verified against synthesia.io/pricing: no changes. Free, Starter $29/mo ($18 annual), Creator $89/mo ($64 annual), Enterprise custom all hold.
- Added to the stack (corporate avatar seat). Verified pricing: Free, Starter $29 (~$18 annual), Creator $89 (~$64 annual), Enterprise custom.
Give Synthesia a job
The corporate avatar seat: training, onboarding, and internal comms video at scale, with the compliance posture big companies require.
Try Synthesia →Alternatives with different jobs
HeyGen
03 CreationThe talking-head seat: avatar videos from script, lip-synced translation, and presence at scale without a camera setup.
DeepBrain AI Studios
03 CreationThe alternate avatar seat: script-to-presenter video, strong on multilingual output and formal, corporate-style delivery.