Quick answer
Synthesia vs HeyGen comes down to entry price and team needs. Both tools turn scripts into videos with AI presenters. On monthly billing both start at $29 a month. Synthesia is cheaper in the first month ($14) and on annual billing ($18 a month, against $24 for HeyGen). HeyGen has a clearer team tier with per-seat pricing. Both have free plans, so the safest step is to test the same script on each.
How we put this guide together
Prices and plan names were read from both vendors’ official pricing pages on November 1, 2026. We did not hands-on test avatar quality. The two vendors measure usage differently (Synthesia in credits, HeyGen in videos on the free plan), so a price-for-price comparison is not exact.
Synthesia vs HeyGen side by side
| Synthesia | HeyGen | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Basic: $0, 500 credits a month | Free: $0, 3 videos a month, watermarked |
| Entry paid plan | Starter: $29 a month, first month $14; $18 a month billed yearly | Creator: $29 a month; $24 a month billed yearly |
| Mid plan | Pro: $89 a month, first month $49; $64 a month billed yearly | Pro: $49 a month |
| Top published plan | Enterprise: custom | Business: $149 a month plus $20 per extra seat; Enterprise custom |
| Discount to know | Introductory first-month pricing | Annual billing |
Synthesia lists annual prices of $18 a month for Starter ($216 a year) and $64 a month for Pro ($768 a year).
What the pricing pages show
Where they differ in practice
- Entry price: the monthly list price is the same ($29). Synthesia is cheaper in the first month ($14) and on annual billing ($18 a month against $24). After the first month, Pro is $89.
- Mid-tier cost: HeyGen’s Pro is $49 while Synthesia’s Pro is $89, but the plans include different limits, so check what each gives you.
- Teams: HeyGen publishes a seat price on Business. Synthesia routes larger needs to Enterprise.
- Free tier: Synthesia’s credits and HeyGen’s 3-video limit are not directly comparable. Test with your own script.
Which should you choose?
- Cheapest way to start paying: Synthesia Starter.
- You want a clearly priced team tier: HeyGen Business.
- You are undecided: use both free plans with one script and judge the result yourself.
- You need training or translation features: look at Colossyan and Rask AI in our HeyGen alternatives guide.
Read more in our HeyGen review, or see other video tools in the best AI video generators.
Sources
Prices and limits in this guide come from the vendors' official pages, read on November 1, 2026:
Frequently asked questions
Is Synthesia or HeyGen cheaper?
Both start at $29 a month (Synthesia Starter and HeyGen Creator). Synthesia discounts the first month to $14 and costs $18 a month billed yearly, while HeyGen's Creator is $24 a month billed yearly. The plans measure usage differently, so compare limits as well as price.
Do Synthesia and HeyGen have free plans?
Yes. Synthesia's Basic plan is $0 with 500 credits a month. HeyGen's Free plan gives 3 watermarked videos a month.
Which is better for teams?
HeyGen lists a Business plan at $149 a month with extra team members at $20 per seat. Synthesia lists a Pro plan at $89 a month and custom Enterprise pricing. Check each vendor's seat rules.
Are there other options besides Synthesia and HeyGen?
Yes. Colossyan is aimed at training content, Rask AI at dubbing, and D-ID offers talking avatars. See our HeyGen alternatives guide.
