HeyGen vs Synthesia
Avatar video generation with strong voice cloning and translation, priced on credits rather than minutes. Turns a script into an avatar-presented video, aimed at corporate training and internal communications.
At a glance
| HeyGen | Synthesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $24/mo | $18/mo |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Plans offered | 6 | 6 |
| Team pricing | $149/mo | Not published |
| Vendor | HeyGen | Synthesia |
| Best for | Marketing and social video needing many short variations | Corporate training and onboarding video at scale |
| Main trade-off | Business pricing is $149/month plus $20 per seat, so team cost climbs faster than the headline suggests | Minutes, not credits, are the real constraint and 12 a month on Starter goes quickly |
The short answer
Choose HeyGen if marketing and social video needing many short variations. Choose Synthesia if corporate training and onboarding video at scale. The rest of this page is the detail behind that.
Pricing
HeyGen
| Plan | Price | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 3 videos/month up to 1 min · 500+ stock avatars · 1 custom avatar · 30+ languages |
| Creator (annual) | $24/mo | 600 credits · Up to 30 min videos · 1080p · Voice cloning · 175+ languages |
| Creator (monthly) | $29/mo | Same features, billed monthly |
| Pro | $49/mo | 1,000 credits · 4K export · Faster processing · Advanced models |
| Business | $149/mo | Plus $20/seat/month · 1,500 credits · Up to 60 min videos · SAML/SSO · SCORM export |
| Enterprise | Custom | No duration limits · SCIM provisioning · Multi-workspace control |
Pricing verified
Synthesia
| Plan | Price | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Basic (Free) | Free | 10 minutes/month · 9 AI avatars · 1,200 credits/month · No card required |
| Starter (annual) | $18/mo | 120 minutes/year · 125+ avatars · Logo removal · AI dubbing |
| Starter (monthly) | $29/mo | 12 minutes/month · Same features, billed monthly |
| Creator (annual) | $64/mo | 360 minutes/year · 5 personal avatars · API access · Interactive videos |
| Creator (monthly) | $89/mo | 30 minutes/month · Same features, billed monthly |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited minutes · 240+ avatars · SAML/SSO · SCORM export · Dedicated CSM |
Pricing verified
HeyGen
Strengths
- A custom avatar is included even on the free tier, which Synthesia reserves for paid plans
- Voice cloning and translation are stronger than the category norm
- 4K export from the $49 Pro tier
- Unlimited photo avatars on Creator
Trade-offs
- Business pricing is $149/month plus $20 per seat, so team cost climbs faster than the headline suggests
- Credit-based pricing is harder to plan against than Synthesia's minutes
- Free tier caps videos at one minute each
HeyGen: who it suits
Buy it if
- Marketing and social video needing many short variations
- Translating and dubbing existing video into other languages
- Anyone wanting a custom avatar without paying first
Skip it if
- Teams who want predictable per-minute budgeting -- credits vary by feature used
- Large teams on the Business tier, where per-seat pricing stacks on top of the base
- Long-form video on the free tier, which is limited to one minute
Visit HeyGenfrom $24/mo · free tier available
Synthesia
Strengths
- A genuinely usable free tier at 10 minutes a month with no card required
- 160+ languages and voices on every plan, including free
- SCORM export and LMS fit make it the default for corporate training
- Annual billing is close to a third cheaper -- $18 against $29
Trade-offs
- Minutes, not credits, are the real constraint and 12 a month on Starter goes quickly
- Avatar-led video suits explainer and training content and little else
- Personal avatars require the Creator tier
- Monthly billing carries a steep premium over annual
Synthesia: who it suits
Buy it if
- Corporate training and onboarding video at scale
- Localising one script into many languages without re-shooting
- Teams with no video production capability
Skip it if
- Marketing video where a real presenter carries the brand -- avatars still read as avatars
- Anyone needing more than about 30 minutes a month without moving to Enterprise
- Creative or narrative video, which is not what this generates
Visit Synthesiafrom $18/mo · free tier available
Common questions
- Is HeyGen or Synthesia cheaper?
- HeyGen starts at $24/mo and Synthesia at $18/mo. Synthesia is cheaper at entry level, though the allowances differ.
- Who should not use HeyGen?
- Teams who want predictable per-minute budgeting -- credits vary by feature used. Large teams on the Business tier, where per-seat pricing stacks on top of the base. Long-form video on the free tier, which is limited to one minute.
- Who should not use Synthesia?
- Marketing video where a real presenter carries the brand -- avatars still read as avatars. Anyone needing more than about 30 minutes a month without moving to Enterprise. Creative or narrative video, which is not what this generates.
- Does HeyGen or Synthesia have a free tier?
- Both offer a free tier, so you can evaluate each before paying.