Synthesia and HeyGen both turn a typed script into a video of a realistic AI presenter, so you never touch a camera, studio, or actor. The two tools look similar on the surface, but they pull in different directions. Synthesia is built around enterprise teams that need training, onboarding, and internal communication videos at scale. HeyGen leans toward creators and marketers who want fast custom avatars, social clips, and translated videos. This comparison sticks to verified features and current pricing so you can match the right tool to your work.
The verdict in one line
Choose Synthesia if you are a business that values security certifications, brand control, and presenter variety for training content, and choose HeyGen if you want custom photo avatars, video translation with lip sync, and a free plan you can actually test with.
Synthesia vs HeyGen at a glance
| Dimension | Synthesia | HeyGen |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Enterprise training, onboarding, and internal communication | Creators, marketers, and localized social or sales video |
| Free plan | Yes: 10 minutes per month, 9 stock avatars, watermarked | Yes: 3 videos per month up to 1 minute each, 1 custom digital twin |
| Paid plans | Starter $29 per month (or $18 billed yearly), Creator $89 per month (or $64 billed yearly), Enterprise custom | Creator $29 per month (or $24 annual), Pro $49 per month (or $41 annual), Business $149 per month, Enterprise custom |
| Avatars and languages | Up to 240 plus avatars, 160 plus languages | 700 plus stock avatars, 175 plus languages and dialects |
| Standout strength | Security certifications and brand governance for regulated teams | Custom photo avatars and video translation with lip sync |
| Main limitation | Custom avatar options are limited and gated to higher tiers | Credit system can make heavy avatar use add up quickly |
Where Synthesia wins
Synthesia is the stronger choice when compliance and governance matter. It holds SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, and GDPR compliance, which makes it easier to clear a security review at a large organization. Enterprise plans add SSO, admin controls, review and approval workflows, and LMS integration, so a learning and development team can manage content with oversight rather than ad hoc uploads.
The platform also offers broad presenter variety, with up to 240 plus stock avatars across higher tiers and support for 160 plus languages, which suits training that must reach a global workforce. Multiple avatars can appear in a single scene on the Creator plan and above, and AI dubbing helps localize an existing video into other languages. For teams that need consistent, on-brand video produced repeatedly, Synthesia is designed around that workflow.
Where HeyGen wins
HeyGen is built for speed and personalization. Its Avatar IV model creates a talking avatar from a single still photo, animating the face, syncing lip movements to your script, and adding expressions and gestures. Paid plans include unlimited photo avatars, and voice cloning is available (one clone on Creator, unlimited on Pro), which makes it practical to put your own likeness on screen quickly.
Video translation is another clear strength. You can upload a video and HeyGen will translate it into 175 plus languages with natural lip sync, keeping the speaker’s voice and pacing. The free plan is genuinely usable for evaluation, offering three videos per month up to one minute each plus one custom digital twin, so you can test real output before paying. For creators producing social clips, sales messages, or multilingual content, HeyGen fits that pace.
Pricing compared
Synthesia offers a free plan with 10 minutes of video per month and a watermark. Paid plans are Starter at $29 per month (or $18 per month billed yearly), Creator at $89 per month (or $64 per month billed yearly), and custom Enterprise pricing. HeyGen offers a free plan with three videos per month, then Creator at $29 per month (or $24 per month on annual billing), Pro at $49 per month (or $41 per month annual), Business at $149 per month, and custom Enterprise pricing. HeyGen meters paid usage with monthly credits, where higher-quality avatar minutes consume more credits than tasks like audio dubbing, so your real cost depends on how much avatar video you generate.
Which should you choose?
- If you need video for regulated enterprise training,: pick Synthesia because its SOC 2 Type II, ISO, and GDPR compliance plus SSO and approval workflows are built for that setting.
- If you want your own face on screen fast,: pick HeyGen because Avatar IV creates a custom avatar from one photo and paid plans include unlimited photo avatars.
- If your priority is translating existing videos,: pick HeyGen because its video translation covers 175 plus languages with lip sync that preserves the original voice.
- If you want to test before committing,: pick HeyGen because its free plan produces usable short videos, while Synthesia’s free output is capped and watermarked.
Frequently asked questions
Is Synthesia or HeyGen better for custom avatars?
HeyGen makes custom avatars easier to create and use. Its Avatar IV model builds a talking avatar from a single photo, and paid plans include unlimited photo avatars. Synthesia supports personal avatars too, but the allowance is smaller per plan and full custom avatar creation is gated to higher tiers and add-ons.
Do both tools support video translation?
Yes, but in different ways. HeyGen offers video translation that takes an uploaded video and re-creates it in 175 plus languages with lip sync. Synthesia provides AI dubbing to localize videos into other languages and offers 1-click translations on its Enterprise plan.
Which one has a free plan?
Both do. Synthesia’s free plan gives you 10 minutes of watermarked video per month with 9 stock avatars. HeyGen’s free plan gives you three videos per month up to one minute each, plus one custom digital twin, which makes it useful for testing real output.
Which is better for a large company?
Synthesia is generally the safer fit for large organizations focused on training and internal video, thanks to its security certifications, SSO, and content governance features. HeyGen also offers Business and Enterprise plans with team controls and SSO, so it can work for companies whose main need is custom avatars and translated marketing video.
