⚡ Quick Verdict:
- Pricing: Synthesia starts at $18/month. Synthesys starts at $20/month.
- Best for: Synthesia for training and localised video creation. Synthesys for voice generation and talking photos.
- Key difference: Synthesia ships an AI screen recorder and interactive videos. Synthesys does not.
- Our pick: Synthesia (4.6) for most teams, based on its wider feature set and 140+ language support.
Two products, one letter apart, and very different jobs.
Synthesia started as an ai video creation platform for corporate training.
Synthesys started as a voice generation engine and grew outward from there.
That history still shapes what each one does well today.
Here is how the two compare on price, features, and fit.
Overview
This Synthesia vs Synthesys comparison covers pricing, video editing tools, and ease of use.
Our writers spent hands-on time with both platforms.
Those notes appear in the “What Our Team Noticed” sections below.
The rest draws on published specs, documentation, and G2 reviews.
By the end you will know which tool fits your workflow.
What is Synthesia?
Synthesia is an ai video creation platform built around ai avatars.
You type a script and pick a presenter.
The system renders a finished clip without a camera or studio.
Its avatars carry the most natural facial expressions and gestures in this category.
You can import PowerPoint presentations and turn slides into narrated video.
Teams mostly use it for onboarding, product walkthroughs, and internal training.
The walkthrough below shows the editor and avatar library in action.
🏆 Winner: Synthesia
Script-to-video in a few minutes, with no filming. Supports 140+ languages for a broader audience. Built for teams that publish training video at volume.
Synthesia Pricing
Synthesia runs on three tiers. Here is the breakdown.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $18/month | Solo creators testing ai video |
| Creator | $64/month | Marketing teams publishing weekly |
| Enterprise | Custom Pricing | Mid-to-large firms needing SOC 2 and LMS delivery |
Pricing verified August 2026.
Free trial: Yes. A free demo video lets you test the editor before paying.
Money-back guarantee: No published refund window. Cancel before renewal to avoid the next charge.
📌 Note: Plans are metered by video minutes, not by seats alone. Heavy publishers hit minute caps before they hit user caps.
⚠️ Pricing conflict: Some third-party trackers list Synthesia at $29/month and Synthesys at $23/month. Our CSV records $18/month and $20/month. We publish the CSV figures and flag the gap rather than pick silently. Check the vendor page before you buy.
Key Benefits of Synthesia
Here is what makes Synthesia worth a look:
- Language reach: Over 140 languages are supported. That matters if you localise for a broader audience.
- 1-click translation: A finished video can be re-voiced without a separate translation project. Lip sync follows the new track.
- Security posture: SOC 2 Type II compliance is in place. Mid-to-large firms usually require this before rollout.
- LMS delivery: Videos push into Learning Management Systems. Training teams skip manual re-uploads and save time.
- Screen recorder: Capture your screen inside the same tool. Software demos stay in one place.
- Interactive video: Add clickable elements to a finished clip. Useful for quizzes and branching training.
- Template library: Editable templates cut setup work. You adjust rather than build from a blank canvas.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer signed up for Synthesia and built several training clips from scratch. Here is what stood out from that hands-on time:
The clip below records that same session end to end.
Synthesia Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Avatars show the most natural facial expressions in this category
- Over 140 languages supported for global teams
- SOC 2 Type II compliance suits mid-to-large businesses
- Screen recorder and interactive videos are built in
- PowerPoint presentations convert into narrated video
❌ Cons
- The jump from Starter to Creator is a large price step
- Video minutes are capped on every paid tier
- Timeline control is thinner than a traditional video editor
- Enterprise pricing is quote-only, so budgeting takes a sales call
What is Synthesys?
Synthesys is an artificial intelligence studio for voice and video.
Voice generation came first, and it is still the strongest part.
The library holds over 400 voices for cloning and specific tones.
AI Humans then puts those voices on screen with a presenter.
AI Talking Photos animates uploaded photos into short speaking clips.
Small teams use it to create content for ads and social posts.
This walkthrough covers the voice library and the video side together.
Runner Up: Synthesys
Over 400 voices, plus gesture control for avatar motion. Talking Photos animate stills you already own. A fit for ad creative rather than long training.
Synthesys Pricing
Synthesys also runs three tiers, with no custom quote at the top.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | $20/month | Solo creators doing voiceover work |
| Creator | $41/month | Freelancers mixing voice and ai video |
| Business | $69/month | Small teams shipping ad creative |
Pricing verified August 2026.
Free trial: A limited free tier lets you test voices before you commit.
Money-back guarantee: No blanket refund policy is published. Cancellation is handled from account settings.
📌 Note: The top Business tier costs $69/month, which still lands under Synthesia’s $64 Creator plan plus any overage. Compare by output volume, not headline price.
⚠️ Warning: G2 reviews flag subscription cancellation as a recurring friction point. Cancel from the dashboard and keep the confirmation email.
Key Benefits of Synthesys
Here is where Synthesys earns its place:
- Voice depth: Over 400 voices cover cloning and specific tones. That is the deepest part of the product.
- Gesture control: Dynamic gesture control fine-tunes how an avatar moves. You get more dynamic results than a static presenter.
- Talking photos: Still images become speaking clips. Useful when you have hd photos but no footage.
- Face form: Customization features let you adjust facial detail on a presenter.
- Synthesys Lab: A sandbox for testing output before you spend credits on a full render.
- Audio translations: Voice tracks convert across multiple languages without re-recording.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer ran Synthesys through voiceover and talking-photo jobs over several sessions. Here is what stood out:
The recording below shows those steps in the live user interface.
Synthesys Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Library of 400+ voices for cloning and tone matching
- Dynamic gesture control for avatar motion
- Talking Photos animate stills you already have
- Flat $69 Business price with no sales call needed
❌ Cons
- Avatar realism trails Synthesia on close-up shots
- No screen recorder for software walkthroughs
- No published SOC 2 Type II certification
- Cancellation draws repeated complaints in reviews
Feature Comparison
Both tools turn text into video. The difference shows up once you look at what surrounds that core step.
Here are ten areas that decide the Synthesia vs Synthesys question for most buyers.
| Feature | Synthesia | Synthesys |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $18/month | $20/month |
| AI Avatars | ✅ | ✅ |
| Voice Cloning Library | ✅ | ✅ 400+ voices |
| Screen Recorder | ✅ | ❌ |
| Interactive Videos | ✅ | ❌ |
| Talking Photos | ❌ | ✅ |
| Gesture Control | ❌ | ✅ |
| SOC 2 Type II | ✅ | ❌ |
| Language Support | 140+ | Multiple languages |
| Best For | Training and localisation | Voiceover and ad creative |
1. AI Avatars
Synthesia: The avatar library is the reason most buyers land here. Mouth shapes and facial expressions hold up on close crops, which is where cheaper tools break. You can also create custom models of a real presenter on higher tiers.
Synthesys: AI Humans covers the same ground with a smaller cast. Gesture control is the trade: you can fine-tune how a presenter moves, which gives more dynamic results in short ads. Close-up realism still trails Synthesia.
2. Voice Generation
Synthesia: Text-to-speech is tied tightly to the avatar. Delivery is even and clear, which suits training narration. Fine tonal control is thinner than a dedicated voice tool.
Synthesys: This is the strongest column on the page. A library of 400+ voices covers cloning and specific tones, so you can match a brand voice instead of settling. If voice generation is the deliverable, Synthesys wins outright.
3. Templates and Customization
Synthesia: Editable templates cover onboarding, product updates, and policy briefs. Brand kits lock fonts and colours across a team. You adjust a starting point rather than building each video creation job from zero.
Synthesys: Generate AI Media handles images and clips inside the same workspace. Customization features lean toward creative assets rather than corporate layout. Fewer ready-made structures means more manual setup.
4. Video Editor
Synthesia: The video editor is scene-based rather than timeline-based. Edits are quick, and a script change re-renders in a few seconds on short clips. Anyone expecting frame-level video editing tools will find it limited.
Synthesys: Text-to-video generation follows the same script-first pattern. Assembly is straightforward, though the editor gives you less layout control across longer sequences.
💡 Pro Tip: Neither tool replaces Premiere or Final Cut. Draft the ai video here, then finish colour and pacing elsewhere if the project demands it.
5. Collaboration and Sharing
Synthesia: Comments, shared workspaces, and reviewer links are standard. Videos can push into a Learning Management System, so training reaches staff without a manual upload step.
Synthesys: Synthesys Lab acts as a testing sandbox before a full render. Team review is lighter, which suits a solo creator more than a ten-person department.
6. AI Assistant and Scripting
Synthesia: The AI Video Assistant drafts a script and scene order from a prompt or a document. It handles the blank-page problem, which is where most teams stall.
Synthesys: Face form focuses on presenter detail rather than scripting. You bring the copy yourself, then tune how the face and delivery look.
7. Screen Recording and Talking Photos
Synthesia: The AI Screen Recorder captures your screen next to an avatar. Software demos and support walkthroughs stay in one tool instead of two.
Synthesys: AI Talking Photos animates uploaded photos into speaking clips. Add more photos and you have a small cast without a shoot. There is no screen capture at all, which rules it out for product demos.
8. Translation and Language Support
Synthesia: Support runs past 140 languages, and 1-click translation re-voices a finished video. A localisation run that once needed a whole translation project now takes one pass.
Synthesys: Audio translations convert a voice track across multiple languages without re-recording. Coverage is narrower, so check your target list before committing.
9. Reach and Distribution
Synthesia: Interactive videos add clickable steps and quiz points inside a clip. For onboarding, that turns passive viewing into something you can measure.
Synthesys: Multilingual support is the main reach lever here. It helps you serve a broader audience, but there is no interactive layer on top.
10. Pricing & Cost
Entry prices sit within $2 of each other. The gap opens at the middle tier.
| Tier | Synthesia | Synthesys |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Starter — $18/month | Personal — $20/month |
| Mid | Creator — $64/month | Creator — $41/month |
| Top | Enterprise — Custom Pricing | Business — $69/month |
Synthesia: The $18 Starter is the cheapest door on this page. The $64 Creator plan is where the cost sits for real output, and Enterprise is quote-only. You pay more for compliance, language reach, and the screen recorder.
Synthesys: At $41/month the mid tier undercuts Synthesia’s Creator plan by $23. The $69 Business plan is a fixed number, so a small team can budget without a sales call.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate training video | Synthesia | LMS delivery and SOC 2 |
| Brand-matched voiceover | Synthesys | 400+ voices for cloning |
| Software demos | Synthesia | Built-in screen recorder |
| Animated stills | Synthesys | Talking Photos from images |
| Wide localisation | Synthesia | 140+ languages, 1-click translation |
| Fixed mid-tier budget | Synthesys | $41/month vs $64/month |
💰 Your Budget
Entry tiers are nearly identical at $18 and $20. The real question is the middle tier, where Synthesys costs $41 against Synthesia’s $64.
🔌 Your Tech Stack
Video tools are usually judged on how well they slot into the software you already run. Synthesia pushes into an LMS; Synthesys sits closer to your design and ad tools.
🎬 Your Output Type
Long explainers and policy videos favour Synthesia. Fifteen-second ad cuts and voice-led social clips favour Synthesys.
🎓 Your Experience Level
Neither tool needs editing skills, which is the point of ai video. Both let a beginner ship something watchable on day one and save time on filming.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Some platforms in this category start at $0 and charge per use instead of monthly. Test a real script on both before you pick a plan.
🛟 Support and Compliance
Synthesia meets the security bar that mid-to-large firms ask for before rollout. Synthesys has no equivalent published certification.
Switching Guide
Already paying for one of these? Here is what changes if you move.
🔄 Switching from Synthesia to Synthesys?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- A 400+ voice library for cloning and tone matching
- Gesture control over how an avatar moves
- Talking Photos, plus a flat $69 top tier
❌ What you’ll lose:
- The AI screen recorder for software walkthroughs
- Interactive videos and LMS delivery
- 140+ language coverage and SOC 2 Type II
📋 How to switch:
- Download finished MP4s and export your scripts from Synthesia
- Open a Synthesys account and rebuild one video as a test
- Rebuild your brand voice in the voice library, then cancel the old plan
🔄 Switching from Synthesys to Synthesia?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Sharper avatars with better facial expressions
- Screen recording, interactive videos, and LMS export
- 1-click translation across 140+ languages
❌ What you’ll lose:
- The 400+ voice library and its tone range
- Talking Photos built from stills
- A fixed $69 Business price with no quote process
📋 How to switch:
- Export your audio tracks and scripts from Synthesys
- Start on Synthesia’s Starter plan and pick a matching avatar
- Rebuild one flagship video, check the translation output, then cancel
What Our Review Didn’t Cover
This comparison focused on individual creators and small-to-mid teams. We did not test enterprise SSO, API access, or bulk seat licensing on either platform. Render speed varies with clip length and server load, so we avoid quoting fixed numbers. If you publish hundreds of videos a month, your cost per minute matters more than the headline plan price.
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | Synthesys |
| 🎭 AI Avatars | Synthesia |
| 🎙️ Voice Generation | Synthesys |
| 🎬 Video Editor | Synthesia |
| 🌍 Languages and Translation | Synthesia |
| 🔒 Security and Compliance | Synthesia |
| 👥 Team Collaboration | Synthesia |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | Synthesia |
🏆 WINNER: SYNTHESIA
Synthesia wins 5 of 7 categories.
Best for: employee training, localised product video, software demos, teams that need SOC 2
These two products are not really chasing the same buyer. Synthesia is a training and localisation engine. Synthesys is a voice studio that also makes video.
Synthesys is the better pick when the audio track is the product. The voice library is deeper, the mid tier costs $23 less, and gesture control adds motion that short ads benefit from.
For everything else, Synthesia takes it. Wider language support, a built-in screen recorder, interactive video, and a security posture that passes procurement. Both cut filming out of the process, which is the real saving either way.
More of Synthesia Compared
Here is how Synthesia lines up against its closest rivals:
Synthesia vs HeyGen
Synthesia wins on: language breadth past 140, LMS delivery, interactive video
HeyGen wins on: faster avatar cloning turnaround, stronger short-form social output, lower entry commitment
Synthesia vs Colossyan
Synthesia wins on: avatar realism, template depth, translation in one click
Colossyan wins on: multi-avatar conversation scenes, branching scenario builder, learner quiz scoring
Synthesia vs Veed
Synthesia wins on: presenter quality, enterprise compliance, script-to-scene assistant
Veed wins on: timeline editing, subtitle and caption tooling, footage cleanup on real recordings
More of Synthesys Compared
And how Synthesys holds up elsewhere:
Synthesys vs Speechify
Synthesys wins on: on-screen presenters, Talking Photos, gesture control
Speechify wins on: long-document reading, mobile listening, browser and PDF playback
Synthesys vs D-ID
Synthesys wins on: voice library size, fixed team pricing, in-app media generation
D-ID wins on: real-time conversational agents, developer API depth, portrait animation fidelity
Synthesys vs Fliki
Synthesys wins on: voice cloning control, presenter customisation, audio translation
Fliki wins on: blog-to-video conversion, stock footage matching, cheaper starting tier
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there something better than Synthesia?
It depends on the job. HeyGen suits fast social clips, Colossyan suits branching training, and Synthesys suits voice-led work. For broad corporate video, none clearly beat it.
Is Synthesia completely free?
No. A free demo video lets you test the editor, but continued use needs a paid plan. Pricing starts at $18/month on the Starter tier.
What is the difference between Synthesia paid and free?
The free demo is a one-off preview with heavy limits. Paid plans unlock video minutes, the full avatar library, translation, and export without a watermark.
What is the difference between HeyGen and Synthesia?
HeyGen leans toward quick avatar cloning and short social video. Synthesia leans toward training, 140+ languages, screen recording, and the compliance larger firms require.
What Synthesia can do?
It turns a script or slide deck into narrated video with an ai avatar, records your screen, translates finished clips, and pushes output into a learning system.
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