HeyGen vs Synthesia (2026)
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Verdict
- Pick HeyGen if you want a free plan with three one-minute videos a month, 175+ languages and voice cloning, and can live with $20 per extra seat on Business.
- Pick Synthesia if you want the larger entry credit pool (1,250 vs 600 at $29), a free plan with 10 minutes of video, and an API for training or internal videos.
- Price: both paid entry plans cost $29 per month; billed yearly HeyGen Creator is $24 and Synthesia Starter is $18. Neither card lists a free trial; both have a free plan.
HeyGen
Create AI videos with personalized avatars, voice cloning, and translation.
From $29/mo · Free plan
Try HeyGen free
Synthesia
AI video platform for creating, translating, and scaling videos with customizable avatars.
From $29/mo · Free plan
Try Synthesia freeSide by side
| Feature | HeyGen | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI Video | AI Video |
| Price from (monthly billing) | $29/mo | $29/mo |
| Lowest annual-billing price | $24/mo | $18/mo |
| Plans | Free, Creator, Pro, Business, Enterprise | Basic, Starter, Pro, Enterprise |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | not published | not published |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, api | api, Chrome extension, Web |
| Key limits | Free: 3 videos a month, watermarked; Videos up to 1 minute each · Creator: 600 credits | Basic: 500 credits / month, 10 minutes of video creation or dubbing, 3 survey responses · Starter: 1,250 credits / month, 1 editor, 3 guests |
| Pricing page | Official pricing page checked 2026-10-21 | Official pricing page checked 2026-10-24 |
Cost for 1 / 5 / 25 editor seats
HeyGen: Creator $29 per month for one user; for a team, Business $149 plus $20 per extra seat. Synthesia: Starter $29 or Pro $89 per month, each with 1 editor; multi-editor pricing sits behind Enterprise (custom).
| editor seats | HeyGen | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $29 monthly · $24/mo billed annually (Creator, 600 credits) | $29 monthly · $18/mo billed yearly (Starter, 1,250 credits) |
| 5 | $229 monthly (Business $149 + 4 × $20 seats) | Not published (plans list 1 editor; Enterprise is custom) |
| 25 | $629 monthly (Business $149 + 24 × $20 seats) | Not published (Enterprise, custom) |
The HeyGen team totals assume the Business price covers the first user. Credits are not the same unit across the two tools, so 600 vs 1,250 is not a like-for-like volume comparison. Synthesia lists learner seats for roleplay training at $29 per month, which is a separate add-on from editors.
Which one to choose
Choose HeyGen if…
- You want to judge output on a free plan first: three watermarked videos per month, up to one minute each, no card needed.
- Your videos are localized outreach or course content and you need translation into 175+ languages and dialects.
- You prefer to size credits by tier: 600, 1,000 or 1,500 credits on Creator, Pro and Business.
Choose Synthesia if…
- You make onboarding, compliance or internal-comms videos and want 1,250 credits on the $29 Starter plan.
- You want a free Basic plan measured in minutes: 500 credits, which covers 10 minutes of creation or dubbing.
- You plan to automate generation through an API or add interactive roleplay and surveys.
Pros and cons
HeyGen: Pros
- Free plan: 3 videos per month, no credit card
- Translation into 175+ languages with lip-sync
- Text-to-video, image-to-video and PPT/PDF-to-video
- Annual billing lowers Creator from $29 to $24 per month
HeyGen: Cons
- Free-plan videos are watermarked and capped at 1 minute
- Extra team seats cost $20 per month on Business
- Unused credits are lost if the subscription is cancelled
Synthesia: Pros
- 1,250 credits on Starter for $29 per month
- Free Basic plan with 500 credits and 10 minutes
- API access plus a Chrome extension for screen recording
- Yearly billing brings Pro from $89 to $64 per month
Synthesia: Cons
- Studio Express-1 avatars need a $1,000 per year add-on
- Learner seats for roleplay cost $29 per month
- Standard paid plans are capped by the monthly credit allowance
Head to head
Plan ladder and credits
HeyGen runs Free, Creator ($29), Pro ($49), Business ($149) and a contact-sales Enterprise tier, with 600, 1,000 and 1,500 credits on the paid steps. Synthesia has Basic (free), Starter ($29), Pro ($89) and a custom Enterprise tier, with 1,250 and 6,000 credits on Starter and Pro. HeyGen's ladder has more rungs between $29 and $149; Synthesia jumps from $29 to $89 but adds credits steeply.
Free plan and trial
Both cards say a free plan exists and neither lists a trial. HeyGen's Free plan is defined by video count (three watermarked videos a month, one minute each). Synthesia's Basic is defined by credits and minutes: 500 credits, 10 minutes of creation or dubbing, plus 3 survey responses. Pick the one whose limit matches how you will test.
Languages, avatars and extras
HeyGen cites translation into 175+ languages and dialects, voice cloning and a text-based AI Studio editor. Synthesia cites 140+ languages, a personal avatar from a single photo, interactive roleplay sessions, conversational surveys, an API and a Chrome screen-recording extension. These are vendor statements from the official pages.
Team costs
On HeyGen, collaboration is tied to Business, where each extra seat is $20 per month. Synthesia's Starter and Pro list 1 editor with 3 and 5 guests respectively; higher editor counts are not published on the card. Custom avatars on Synthesia carry a separate $1,000 per year add-on.
Frequently asked questions
Is HeyGen cheaper than Synthesia?
At the entry level they tie on monthly billing: HeyGen Creator and Synthesia Starter are both $29 per month. Billed yearly, Synthesia Starter is $18 against $24 for Creator. At the next step Synthesia Pro is $89 per month, while HeyGen Pro is $49. Credit units differ, so compare output needs.
Do HeyGen and Synthesia have a free plan?
Yes, both do. HeyGen Free allows up to three watermarked videos per month, each up to one minute. Synthesia Basic gives 500 credits a month, enough for 10 minutes of video creation or dubbing. Neither card lists a separate free trial, so the free plan is the way to try them.
HeyGen vs Synthesia: which is better for training videos?
Per the cards, Synthesia lists onboarding and compliance training as a main use and adds roleplay sessions, surveys and an API. HeyGen is described for marketers, educators and localized course content, with 175+ languages. If training interactivity matters, Synthesia fits; if translation breadth matters, HeyGen lists more languages.
How many languages does each tool support?
HeyGen says it translates content into over 175 languages and dialects while keeping lip-sync. Synthesia says its platform supports over 140 languages, with video translation using voice cloning and lip-sync. Both figures are vendor claims from the official pages, so check that your target language is on the list.
What does adding team members cost?
HeyGen charges $20 per extra seat per month on the $149 Business plan. Synthesia's Starter and Pro each list 1 editor, with 3 and 5 guests; the card does not publish a per-editor price, and Enterprise is custom. Synthesia's roleplay learner seats are a separate $29 per month.
Other comparisons and alternatives
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How we check
Plans, prices, trials and limits in the table are copied from each tool's card, which is built from the vendor's official pages and dated. The page is only as fresh as the older of the two checks above. How we review.
Data is collected and checked by AI agents from official vendor pages; the owner is responsible for the project.
Partner link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our order or verdicts. Affiliate disclosure