Head-to-head · profiles checked Oct 5, 2026
Pick Synthesia for training and internal video, with compliance and API access on a listed plan; pick HeyGen for creator and marketing work with a richer free plan. Synthesia and HeyGen both start paid plans at $29/mo. Synthesia Basic gives 10 free video minutes a month without downloads; HeyGen Free gives 3 one-minute videos a month.
We based this comparison on our verified Synthesia profile (checked 2026-09-29) and HeyGen profile (checked 2026-10-05), built from official pricing and product pages; we ran no benchmark, used no third-party benchmarks and took no vendor payments.
Synthesia and HeyGen both turn scripts into avatar videos and start at $29/mo on their first paid plan. Synthesia fits training and internal video teams: it states SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliance, voiceovers in 160+ languages and a Creator plan at $89/mo with API access. HeyGen fits creators and marketers: its free plan includes Avatar IV access and 500+ stock avatars, and its Creator plan at $29/mo removes the watermark and allows 30-minute videos. Check the credit rules on each pricing page before you commit, since Synthesia and HeyGen both meter usage by credits.
Based on our Synthesia profile (verified 2026-09-29) and HeyGen profile (verified 2026-10-05) from their official pricing and product pages; no benchmark was run.
Our own captures of each vendor's public pages. Click a frame for the full-size image.
If you only want the answer, this is the table. Everything below is the evidence from the two documented profiles.
| You want to | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Make employee training videos | Synthesia | L&D teams are Synthesia's first listed best-for group and training is its first use case. |
| Create social media videos | HeyGen | Social content videos are listed among HeyGen's use cases. |
| Build online courses | HeyGen | Online courses are a listed HeyGen use case; SCORM and LMS integrations are listed on Business. |
| Translate or dub a video into other languages | Either | Synthesia lists AI dubbing with 70+ output languages; HeyGen has a video translator with lip-sync. |
| Generate videos from code through an API | Either | Synthesia has a public REST API from Creator; HeyGen has an API with separate pricing. |
| Try an avatar tool for free | Either | Synthesia Basic gives 10 minutes per month without downloads; HeyGen Free gives 3 videos of 1 minute each. |
| Make marketing and sales videos | Either | Synthesia and HeyGen both list marketing use cases: Synthesia for marketing teams, HeyGen for marketing and sales videos. |
| Turn a photo into a talking video | HeyGen | HeyGen lists a talking photo feature; Synthesia does not. |
| Record a screen tutorial with an avatar | Synthesia | Synthesia lists an AI screen recorder and screen-recorded tutorials as a use case. |
| Meet security and compliance checks | Synthesia | Synthesia states SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliance; HeyGen's profile lists no certifications. |
| Plan | Tool | Price | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synthesia Basic | Synthesia | $0/mo | 10 minutes of video per month, 9 stock avatars, 160+ languages; downloads need a paid plan |
| Synthesia Starter | Synthesia | $29/mo billed monthly ($264/yr billed annually) | Includes AI dubbing with 70+ output languages |
| Synthesia Creator | Synthesia | $89/mo billed monthly ($804/yr billed annually) | Includes API access |
| Synthesia Enterprise | Synthesia | Custom | Not stated |
| HeyGen Free | HeyGen | $0/mo | 3 videos per month, up to 1 minute each; Avatar IV access, 500+ stock avatars, 30+ languages |
| HeyGen Creator | HeyGen | $29/mo ($24/mo if paid annually) | No watermark, videos up to 30 minutes, 175+ languages |
| HeyGen Pro | HeyGen | $49/mo | Includes 4K export |
| HeyGen Business | HeyGen | $149/mo plus $20 per extra seat | Includes SCORM and LMS integrations |
| HeyGen Enterprise | HeyGen | Via sales | Not stated |
USD as published on each vendor's pricing page, checked Oct 5, 2026. Synthesia pricing in full · HeyGen pricing in full
| Synthesia | HeyGen | |
|---|---|---|
| Video length and minutes | Basic: 10 minutes of video per month | Free: 3 videos per month, 1 minute each; Creator: up to 30 minutes per video |
| Metering | Credits and minutes | Credits on paid plans |
| Seats / team | Not stated | Business: $20 per extra seat per month |
| Extra costs | Studio Express-1 avatars: $1,000/year extra, annual plans only | Some features are add-ons; API priced separately |
| Feature | Synthesia | HeyGen |
|---|---|---|
| AI avatars | Yes: 240+ avatars | Yes: Avatar IV, 500+ stock avatars on Free |
| Voice and languages | Yes: 1000+ voices, 160+ languages | Yes: 30+ languages on Free, 175+ from Creator |
| Dubbing / translation | Yes: AI dubbing and video translator | Yes: video translator with lip-sync |
| Talking photo | Not stated | Yes |
| Screen recording | Yes: AI screen recorder | Not stated |
| Interactive avatars | Yes | Yes: LiveAvatar |
| API | Yes: REST API (videos, dubbing, assets) | Yes: separate API pricing |
| Mobile apps | No: official page states it is desktop-only | Not stated |
| Synthesia | HeyGen | |
|---|---|---|
| Training on your data | Not stated | Acts as processor for customer inputs and outputs; the policy lists AI model training among purposes where HeyGen is controller; opt-out terms not confirmed |
| Compliance | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR and ISO 42001 stated | Not stated |
| Business controls | SAML/SSO listed | Not stated |
Taken from each vendor's published policy pages at the time of our check. Policies change; the source links are at the bottom.
AI video platform for business that creates presenter videos with AI avatars and voiceovers in 160+ languages.
Free stops at: 1,200 credits per month, 10 minutes of video per month
Verified synthesia.io (opens Synthesia website in a new tab)
Free · paid from $29/mo US · checked Sep 29
HeyGen creates AI avatar videos, translations and localized video from text or a photo.
Free stops at: 3 videos per month, Videos up to 1 minute
From $29/mo US · checked Oct 5
Neither is cheaper at entry: Synthesia and HeyGen both start paid plans at $29/mo. HeyGen then goes to Pro at $49/mo and Business at $149/mo, while Synthesia goes from Starter at $29/mo to Creator at $89/mo. Plan limits differ, so compare credits and minutes, not only price.
HeyGen's free plan is the richer one in our profiles. Synthesia Basic gives 10 minutes of video per month and 9 stock avatars but no downloads. HeyGen Free gives 3 videos per month up to 1 minute each, with Avatar IV access and 500+ stock avatars.
Yes, Synthesia and HeyGen both have an API. Synthesia includes API access from Creator at $89/mo. HeyGen links to a separate API pricing page, so API cost is not part of its plan prices.
Yes, Synthesia and HeyGen both translate and dub videos. Synthesia lists AI dubbing from Starter, with 70+ output languages. HeyGen has a video translator with lip-sync, capped at 1 minute on Free and 30 minutes on paid plans.
Only official vendor pages. No third-party benchmarks, forum threads or press were used. How we review.
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