Synthesia Review: What You Get at Every Price Tier
TL;DR: Synthesia turns a script into a talking-avatar video without a camera, mic, or actor — genuinely useful for training and explainer clips, priced by monthly video minutes rather than by seats. Here's exactly what each plan includes.
Quick verdict
- Need repeatable talking-head videos (training, onboarding, product explainers) without filming
- Want built-in dubbing into 160+ languages from a single script
- Are okay working in fixed monthly minutes rather than unlimited exports
- Need cinematic, freeform video generation (not avatar-presenter formats)
- Want unbranded video on a free plan — Basic keeps the Synthesia watermark
- Plan to publish more than a few videos a month without upgrading
What is Synthesia?
Synthesia is a browser-based tool that converts written text into video featuring an AI presenter — a synthetic avatar that speaks your script in a chosen voice and language.
There's no camera, studio, or voice actor involved: you write or paste a script, pick an avatar and language, and Synthesia renders the finished clip. It's built specifically around talking-presenter formats — think corporate training, onboarding, sales enablement, and product explainers — rather than general cinematic video generation.
Plans and pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per month) | Video minutes / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | — | 10 min (1,200 credits) |
| Starter | $29 | $18 | 10 min (1,200 credits) |
| Creator | $89 | $64 | 30 min (3,600 credits) |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom / unlimited by quote |
Figures shown are what we verified directly on Synthesia's own pricing page in September 2026, in USD. Synthesia bills by a shared "credits" system rather than a simple per-video count — 1,200 credits work out to roughly 10 minutes of finished video. Annual pricing is billed yearly and reflects Synthesia's advertised savings versus paying monthly. Check current pricing on Synthesia's site →
Key features
- 125+ stock AI avatars on Starter and above (Basic includes 9); 180+ on Creator
- AI dubbing and voiceover across 160+ languages, from one script
- Custom "personal" avatars modeled on a real person (5 included on Creator)
- Interactive video and branded video pages on the Creator plan
- API access on Creator, for generating video programmatically
- SSO, SCORM export, and dedicated support on Enterprise
Pros and cons
Pros
- No filming, mic, or actor needed — a script alone produces a finished video
- Free Basic plan requires no credit card and lets you test real output
- Strong multilingual dubbing built into every paid tier
Cons
- Basic plan keeps the Synthesia watermark and blocks downloads
- Video minutes are capped even on Creator — heavy publishers will outgrow it fast
- Jump from Starter to Creator roughly triples the monthly price
Frequently asked questions
Is Synthesia free to use?
Yes — the Basic plan is free, needs no credit card, and includes about 10 minutes of video per month, though output carries a watermark and can't be downloaded.
What's the difference between Starter and Creator?
Starter unlocks downloads, more avatars, and removes the watermark, but stays at the same 10-minute monthly allowance as Basic. Creator triples that to 30 minutes and adds custom personal avatars, API access, and interactive video.
Can I use my own likeness as an avatar?
Yes — Creator includes a set number of custom "personal avatars" built from your own footage, and Enterprise offers unlimited personal avatars plus additional studio-quality options.
Our take
Synthesia does one job well: turning a script into a presentable, multilingual talking-head video without a production crew. For training and internal comms teams that publish a modest, predictable volume of video each month, it's a genuinely efficient tool.
The credit-based minute caps are the thing to watch — if your team publishes often, budget for Creator or a custom Enterprise quote rather than assuming Starter's 10 minutes will stretch far. We'll be adding head-to-head comparisons against other AI video tools as this section grows.
Sources: pricing and plan details verified directly on synthesia.io/pricing, September 2026.