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It's a split decision.
Choose HeyGen if translation coverage and text-based avatar editing matter most: its Creator plan lists 175+ languages and costs $24/month billed annually, or $29 monthly. Choose Synthesia for a lower entry price, business tools and interactive Sessions: Starter lists $14/month billed yearly, or $19 monthly after a $9 first month. Both have free plans, but their allowances differ. Check credit use and seat costs against your production needs before switching.
01Side by side
| HeyGen | Synthesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $24/month annually; $29 monthly | $14/month annually; $19 monthly |
| Free plan | 3 videos/month; 1-minute limit; watermark | 500 credits/month; 10 minutes; watermark |
| Best for | Avatar-led videos and broad translation | Business videos, training and interactive Sessions |
| Core strength | 175+ languages and text-based editing | Brand controls, analytics and interactive Sessions |
| Learning curve | Ease-of-use review score: 6/10 | Ease-of-use review score: 7/10 |
| Integrations/data | Scripts, images, audio, PPTs and PDFs | API, analytics, docs and PowerPoint input |
| Team/seat costs | Business members: $20/seat/month | Starter: 1 editor plus 3 guest seats |
| Support | Review score: 5/10 | Review score: 6/10 |
HeyGen Choose HeyGen if
- Choose HeyGen if you need 175+ languages and dialects.
- Choose HeyGen if text-based editing of tone and delivery matters.
- Choose HeyGen if you want to turn PDFs, presentations or audio into videos.
Synthesia Choose Synthesia if
- Choose Synthesia if its $14 annual Starter price fits your budget.
- Choose Synthesia if you need brand controls, approvals and video analytics.
- Choose Synthesia if roleplay or survey Sessions are useful.
02Pricing compared
HeyGen’s Creator plan costs $29/month, or $24/month billed annually. It includes 600 credits, 1080p exports and videos up to 30 minutes. Its free plan allows three videos a month, each up to one minute, with watermarked exports. HeyGen Business is $149/month; extra team members cost $20 per seat monthly. Annual prices for other paid HeyGen plans are not published.
Synthesia Starter is $19/month after a $9 first month, or $14/month billed yearly ($168/year). It includes 1,250 credits monthly and removes the watermark. Its free Basic plan includes 500 credits and a watermark. Synthesia Pro is $89/month, or $49/month for the listed annual 6,000-credit tier. These credit allowances are not directly comparable: the plans describe different video and dubbing estimates. Both products offer free plans, but the limits differ.
03Features and depth
HeyGen’s clearest edge is its listed translation coverage: Creator includes 175+ languages and dialects, compared with Synthesia’s 140+ language translation and dubbing. HeyGen also offers voice cloning and lip-sync, and its text-based editor lets users adjust script, tone, delivery, gestures and emotion. It accepts scripts, images, audio, PowerPoints and PDFs as video inputs.
Synthesia is more explicitly built around business workflows. Its features include brand assets and permissions, approval before publishing, and analytics for views, clicks and completion rates by version or language. It can turn documents, PowerPoints and prompts into video drafts. Interactive Sessions support roleplay practice and surveys; the platform also offers an API for video and avatar features in other products.
Both offer AI presenters and custom avatars. Synthesia’s Starter plan includes three personal avatars; HeyGen Creator lists 600 credits, while Synthesia’s credit limits are tied to estimates for video, dubbing and surveys. Check the specific output you need before treating either credit total as a production quota.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Both products let you start from text or existing material rather than filming: HeyGen lists scripts, images, audio, presentations and PDFs as inputs, while Synthesia lists documents, PowerPoints and prompts. That gives either platform a straightforward route from published material to an avatar-led draft, but the feature lists do not establish which editor will feel easier for your team.
The workflows differ. HeyGen emphasizes text-based control over delivery, gestures and emotion. Synthesia adds brand permissions, publishing approvals and analytics, which may fit a team with review steps but adds more process to manage. Before switching, map your current steps to each product’s listed tools, then check credit use, export needs and seats. Synthesia Starter lists one editor and three guest seats; HeyGen Business charges $20/month for each additional team member.
Questions people ask
Which is cheaper, HeyGen or Synthesia?
At the listed annual rates, Synthesia Starter is $14/month and HeyGen Creator is $24/month. Monthly billing is $19 for Synthesia Starter after its $9 first month, versus $29 for HeyGen Creator. The plans have different credit systems and included features, so the lower price alone does not settle which costs less for your output.
Do HeyGen and Synthesia have free plans?
Yes. HeyGen Free lists three videos per month, up to one minute each, with watermarked exports and one custom video avatar. Synthesia Basic lists 500 credits per month, 10 minutes of Studio video creation or dubbing, a watermark, nine AI avatars and one editor seat. Their free allowances are structured differently.
Which platform supports more languages?
HeyGen Creator lists 175+ languages and dialects, with video translation that includes voice cloning and lip-sync. Synthesia lists translation and dubbing in 140+ languages. If language coverage is the deciding factor, HeyGen has the higher published figure; verify that the languages and features you need are included on your target plan.
Which is better for a business team?
Synthesia lists brand controls, permissions, publishing approvals, analytics and interactive Sessions, plus one editor and five guest seats on Pro. HeyGen Business lists SAML/SSO, five custom video avatars and two-times Pro concurrency; additional team members cost $20 per seat monthly. Compare the collaboration features and seat costs against your workflow.