HeyGen vs Synthesia: Which AI Avatar Tool Should You Pick in 2026?
Short answer
Pick HeyGen if you are a creator or marketer. It has a free plan, Creator at $24/mo billed annually ($29 monthly), videos up to 30 minutes on Creator and Pro, 175+ languages and dialects on paid plans, and general video models (HeyGen Video 1, Seedance 2.5, Veo 3.1) alongside its avatars.
Pick Synthesia if you make training, onboarding or internal-comms videos. Its Starter plan is the cheapest paid entry at $14/mo billed yearly ($19 monthly), every plan lists 140+ languages and voices, and it is built around learning: surveys, AI roleplay training, interactive videos on Pro and SCORM export on Enterprise.
Pricing compared
As of Oct 2026, checked Oct 26, 2026 on heygen.com/pricing and synthesia.io/pricing.
| HeyGen | Synthesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | $0: up to 3 videos a month, 1 minute each | Basic $0: 500 credits a month (10 minutes of video), watermark |
| Entry paid plan | Creator $29/mo monthly or $24/mo billed annually (600 credits a month) | Starter $19/mo monthly or $14/mo billed yearly ($168/yr, 15,000 credits a year, about 150 minutes of video) |
| Mid plan | Pro from $49/mo (1,000 credits a month, up to 4K; higher credit tiers available) | Pro $89/mo monthly or $59/mo billed yearly ($708/yr, 72,000 credits a year, about 720 minutes of video) |
| Team / enterprise | Business $149/mo + $20 per seat | Enterprise: custom pricing, unlimited video minutes |
First-month promotions change often. When we checked, Synthesia was offering its first month of Starter at $9 and of Pro at $49 on monthly billing.
Credits and video length
- HeyGen: credits are one currency across all features. Use varies by model, duration and complexity. Videos can run up to 30 minutes on Creator and Pro (1 minute on Free). Monthly subscribers' unused credits roll over for one month; annual subscribers' credits accumulate until renewal.
- Synthesia: Synthesia estimates 100 credits per minute of avatar video and 76 credits per minute of dubbing, with the first 10 minutes included on every plan. Actual use depends on what is in the video: avatars, B-roll, motion graphics and dubbing each count differently.
Avatars
- HeyGen: 500+ ready-made presenters and a custom video avatar of yourself even on the free plan. Paid plans use the Avatar III and Avatar IV engines, plus Avatar V (limited on Creator; included on Pro, with first access to new models). Pro adds Cinematic Avatars, which place your avatar in text-prompted scenes.
- Synthesia: 9 stock avatars on Basic, 125+ on Starter, 180+ on Pro and 240+ on Enterprise. Personal avatars: 3 on Starter, 5 on Pro, unlimited on Enterprise. Studio avatars are a $1,000/yr add-on.
Languages and translation
- HeyGen: 30+ languages on Free; 175+ languages and dialects on paid plans, with editable, proofreadable translation scripts.
- Synthesia: 140+ languages and voices on every plan, 1-click translation, and AI dubbing (120 minutes a year on Basic, rising on paid plans).
New in 2026
- HeyGen Video 1 and third-party models. Besides avatars, HeyGen now offers general video generation: its own HeyGen Video 1 model, plus Seedance 2.5 and Veo 3.1 on Pro. That makes it usable for B-roll and short scenes, not only presenter videos.
- Synthesia Syren. Synthesia's AI video agent, Syren, builds videos from a brief. When we checked, it made videos up to 3 minutes long, with promotional credits included on each plan for a limited time.
Teams and training features
- Synthesia: surveys with response analytics, AI roleplay training with learner seats, interactive videos on Pro, and SAML/SSO and SCORM export on Enterprise. It is the stronger fit for learning-and-development teams who publish to an LMS.
- HeyGen: Business ($149/mo + $20/seat) adds team seats, interactive video (quizzes, branching), SCORM export and SAML/SSO.
Ease of use
Both use a slide-style editor: write or paste a script, choose an avatar and voice, then arrange scenes. Synthesia's pre-built libraries and templates make it quick for teams without video experience. HeyGen's editor has more creative options (cinematic scenes, video models, interactive elements), which suits marketers who want more than a talking head.
API
Both offer an API for generating videos programmatically. HeyGen publishes API pricing separately from its subscription plans, and Synthesia lists API access on its pricing page. Check each vendor's developer docs for current limits.
Who should pick which
| You are… | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A solo creator or marketer | HeyGen | Free plan, $24/mo Creator, long videos, video models for B-roll |
| A training or L&D team | Synthesia | Surveys, roleplays, interactive video, SCORM on Enterprise |
| Translating videos into many languages | HeyGen (175+ on paid plans) or Synthesia (140+ on every plan) | Both strong; HeyGen covers more dialects |
| On the lowest budget | Synthesia Starter | $14/mo billed yearly |
| A team that needs SSO | Either, on HeyGen Business or Synthesia Enterprise | Both list SAML/SSO on their top tiers |
FAQ
Which is cheaper, HeyGen or Synthesia? Synthesia's paid entry is cheaper: Starter at $14/mo billed yearly ($19 monthly), against HeyGen Creator at $24/mo billed annually ($29 monthly). Both have free plans.
Is HeyGen or Synthesia better for training videos? Synthesia, for most teams. It is built around training, with surveys, roleplays, interactive video and SCORM export. HeyGen Business also offers SCORM export and interactive quizzes, so it works too if your team already uses it.
Which has more languages? HeyGen lists 175+ languages and dialects on paid plans. Synthesia lists 140+ languages and voices on every plan.
How long can videos be? HeyGen: up to 30 minutes on Creator and Pro, 1 minute on Free. Synthesia limits you by credits rather than per-video length (about 150 minutes a year on Starter); videos made with its Syren agent were capped at 3 minutes when we checked.
How this comparison was put together
All prices, plan limits and features come from HeyGen's and Synthesia's official pricing pages, checked Oct 26, 2026. We have not included hands-on test results. Prices change often, so confirm on the vendor sites before you buy.
HeyGen vs Synthesia at a glance
| Spec | HeyGen | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Paid | Paid |
| Best for | creators, marketers, video translation | L&D/training and enterprise teams |
HeyGen
HeyGen pros
- Avatars are among the most convincing on the market
- Video translation with matching lip-sync
- Produce presenter video with no camera, studio or talent
- Fast turnaround for training and marketing content
- Large stock avatar and voice library
HeyGen cons
- Credit and minute limits constrain heavy use
- Custom avatar creation requires a higher tier
- Avatars still read as synthetic on close inspection
- Limited fine control compared with real editing
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Synthesia
Synthesia pros
- Studio-grade avatars aimed at corporate training
- 140+ languages with consistent delivery
- Strong compliance and enterprise controls
- Slide-style templates make L&D video quick
Synthesia cons
- Priced for teams, expensive for solo creators
- Minute allowances run out quickly
- Little control over pacing and camera work
- Custom avatars require an enterprise conversation
Visit Synthesia · Read the Synthesia review
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