Affiliate disclosure: AI Tools Vetted may earn a commission if you sign up through some links on this page, at no extra cost to you. We have no affiliate relationship with HeyGen, so it gets a plain link. That doesn’t change the comparison, and we point out where HeyGen comes out ahead.
Verdict
Verdict at a glance
Comparison table
| Synthesia | HeyGen | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Basic: 10 min of video/month + 500 credits, watermarked, 9 avatars | 3 videos/month, up to 1 min each, 500+ stock avatars |
| Entry paid plan | Starter: $29/mo monthly, $18/mo billed yearly | Creator: $29/mo monthly, $24/mo billed annually |
| Usage on entry plan | ~22 min of video/month (10 free + ~12 from credits) | 600 credits/month; videos up to 30 min each |
| Stock avatars (entry paid) | 125+ | 700+ |
| Personal (custom) avatars | None on Free; 3 on Starter, 5 on Pro | 1 on Free; “1+” on Creator and Pro; 5 on Business |
| Languages | 160+ languages & voices (all plans); dubbing in 70+ | 175+ languages & dialects on paid plans; 30+ on free |
| Max export resolution | 1080p (Full HD) | 1080p on Creator; 4K on Pro ($49/mo) |
| Unused credits | Reset monthly; annual credits granted upfront | Monthly plans roll over 1 month; annual plans keep credits until renewal |
| Voice/dubbing add-on | ElevenLabs works with both (see below) | |
| Link | Synthesia | HeyGen |
Last updated October 3, 2026 · Prices checked October 3, 2026 (USD; taxes may apply).
How we review
We compared Synthesia and HeyGen using their official pricing pages, plan comparison tables and help centers, all checked on October 3, 2026. We focused on what changes the buying decision: free-plan limits, entry price, how credits are counted and whether they roll over, avatar libraries, language coverage, export resolution and maximum video length. We haven’t produced test videos in both tools yet, so we don’t judge avatar realism or lip-sync here.
Avatars and languages
Synthesia: built for business and training video
Synthesia’s free Basic plan includes 9 avatars, Starter has 125+, Pro has 180+ and Enterprise has 240+ stock avatars. Its comparison table lists 3 personal avatars (a custom avatar of you) on Starter, 5 on Pro and unlimited on Enterprise (pricing). Every plan lists 160+ languages and voices, including narration styles and local accents. Dubbing covers 70+ languages (140+ on Enterprise), and Enterprise adds 1-click translation into 80+ languages. Videos export at 1080p. Vertical 9:16 (1080×1920) is available for Shorts and Reels (help).
The trade-off: Synthesia’s plans are built around training teams, with roleplays, surveys and SCORM export (Enterprise). That’s useful for companies, but YouTube creators will pay for features they won’t use.
Synthesia: See plans and pricing
HeyGen: more avatars and 4K for creators
HeyGen offers 500+ stock video avatars even on its free plan, 700+ on paid plans, plus photo avatars (unlimited on paid plans) and its Avatar IV model (pricing). Paid plans cover 175+ languages and dialects for translation, and Pro adds editing and proofreading of translation scripts. Creator includes voice cloning. Pro exports in 4K, and both Creator and Pro allow videos up to 30 minutes.
If you want an avatar of yourself, HeyGen lets you try it for free: its free plan includes 1 custom video avatar, Creator and Pro list “1+”, and Business includes 5. Synthesia has no personal avatar on its free plan, but its comparison table lists 3 on Starter and 5 on Pro.
The trade-off: HeyGen’s free videos are capped at 1 minute, and Creator stops at 1080p.
Voice and dubbing: where ElevenLabs fits
Both platforms include AI voices, so you don’t need a separate voice tool to get started. Some creators add ElevenLabs when they want their own cloned voice across several tools, or more control over narration before it goes into an avatar video. Its Starter plan ($6/mo) includes a commercial license, Instant Voice Cloning and Dubbing Studio, and its dubbing page says it localizes into 90+ languages (pricing, Dubbing Studio). Its free plan has no commercial license. Treat it as an add-on, not a replacement for either platform’s built-in avatars.
ElevenLabs: See the current deal
Price
| Plan level | Synthesia | HeyGen |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0: 10 min/month + 500 credits, watermark | $0: 3 videos/month, 1 min max |
| Entry | Starter $29/mo ($18/mo billed yearly, 15,000 credits/yr) | Creator $29/mo ($24/mo billed annually), 600 credits/mo |
| Mid | Pro $89/mo ($64/mo billed yearly), 6,000 credits/mo, ~60 min | Pro $49/mo, 1,000 credits, 4K |
| Team | Enterprise (custom), unlimited video minutes | Business $149/mo + $20 per extra seat, 1,500 credits, up to 60 min per video |
Synthesia counts usage in credits. Every plan includes 10 minutes of video a month, and video costs about 100 credits per minute after that, while dubbing costs 76 credits per minute. Monthly credits reset each billing period; on annual plans you get the year’s credits upfront (pricing FAQ). HeyGen’s monthly plans let unused credits roll over for one month, and annual plans keep credits until renewal (pricing).
At the entry level, Synthesia is cheaper if you pay yearly ($18 vs $24 a month), and both cost $29 month to month. In the middle tier, HeyGen Pro is much cheaper ($49 vs $89 monthly), but compare credits too, since the two count usage differently.
Who should pick which
- Pick Synthesia if you make training, onboarding, product explainers or internal videos. It also suits you if you want the most generous free plan to start, or plan to pay yearly.
- Pick HeyGen if you’re a YouTube creator who wants longer talking-head videos, 4K on the Pro plan, a big stock avatar library and credits that roll over.
- Add ElevenLabs to either one if you want your own cloned voice or extra dubbing control. If you’re choosing between avatar tools and prompt-to-video tools for a channel, see our best AI video generators for YouTube.
FAQ
Is Synthesia or HeyGen better? Synthesia is better for business and training video and is cheaper at the entry level on a yearly plan. HeyGen is better for creators who want 4K, more stock avatars and credit rollover.
Which has a better free plan? Synthesia’s free plan gives 10 minutes of video a month (watermarked). HeyGen’s gives 3 videos a month, each up to 1 minute.
Which supports more languages? HeyGen lists 175+ languages and dialects on paid plans. Synthesia lists 160+ languages and voices on all plans, plus dubbing in 70+.
Can I make YouTube Shorts with them? Synthesia documents a 9:16 Portrait format at 1080×1920. HeyGen lets you choose portrait, square or landscape in AI Studio. Neither confirms which plans include vertical output.
Do I need to disclose avatar videos on YouTube? YouTube requires disclosure for realistic content that makes a real person appear to say or do something they didn’t, or shows realistic scenes that didn’t happen (YouTube Help). If an avatar is based on a real person, such as a personal avatar of you, check YouTube’s examples before deciding.
Final verdict
Synthesia is our pick for most business and training use: a bigger free allowance, a cheaper yearly entry plan and 160+ languages on every tier. HeyGen is the stronger choice for creators who want 4K, a larger avatar library and flexible credits. Whichever you pick, add ElevenLabs only if voice is your bottleneck.
Synthesia: Check today’s price
Sources (official pages, checked on October 3, 2026)
These are the official pages cited above. Prices and plans change often, so confirm them on the provider’s site before you buy.
- Synthesia pricing: synthesia.io/pricing
- Synthesia help: video sizes (9:16): help.synthesia.io/en/articles/8272053
- HeyGen pricing: heygen.com/pricing
- ElevenLabs pricing: elevenlabs.io/pricing
- ElevenLabs Dubbing Studio: elevenlabs.io/dubbing-studio
- YouTube Help: disclosing altered or synthetic content: support.google.com/youtube/answer/14328491