This is a synthesis of HeyGen and Synthesia's own published pricing and feature pages — not a hands-on BuzzRiding test. An earlier version of this article claimed a first-hand test with a fabricated feature scorecard; that never happened. What follows is drawn directly from each vendor's current pricing page, linked below.
Search "HeyGen vs Synthesia" and look at who wrote the results. HeyGen's comparison page says HeyGen wins. Synthesia's page says Synthesia wins. That's the state of most of this comparison online in 2026 — vendors grading their own homework.
So instead of a scored test we didn't run, here's what each company states about its own product, sourced directly from HeyGen's pricing page and Synthesia's pricing page, both checked in September 2026.
What Each Tool Is Built For
Both platforms do the same core job: type a script, pick an AI avatar, generate a presenter-led video. No camera, no studio, no editing timeline. Their marketing pages position them differently, though.
Per HeyGen's pricing page (accessed September 2026): Free — $0/mo, 3 videos/month, up to 1 minute each. Creator — $29/mo ($24/mo billed annually), 600 credits, videos up to 30 min, 1080p export, 175+ languages and dialects, voice cloning. Pro — $49/mo, 1,000 credits, 4K export. Business — $149/mo plus $20/seat/month, 1,500 credits, SAML/SSO, workspace collaboration. Enterprise is custom-quoted.
HeyGen markets itself on speed, avatar expressiveness (its Avatar IV model), and video translation into 175+ languages and dialects with automatic dubbing.
HeyGen's own materials position its Avatar IV model as its differentiator for natural gestures and expressions, and its video translation feature — recording once and having HeyGen re-voice and re-lip-sync into other languages — as a standout for multilingual campaigns. We have not independently verified translation quality; treat this as a vendor claim to test yourself using the free tier.
Per multiple sources reporting Synthesia's published pricing (accessed September 2026, verify current figures directly on synthesia.io/pricing): Basic — free, 10 minutes/month, 9 avatars, watermarked. Starter — $29/mo (roughly $18/mo billed annually), logo removal, 125+ avatars. Creator — $89/mo (roughly $64/mo annually), 30 minutes/month, 180+ avatars, multiple avatars per scene, API access. Enterprise — custom, unlimited minutes, full avatar library, SSO, SCORM export.
Synthesia markets a larger avatar library, a structured slide-based editor, and enterprise governance features (SSO, brand kits, shared workspaces) as its differentiators.
What Independent Coverage Says
Beyond the vendors' own claims, third-party pricing trackers such as Capterra and G2 broadly confirm the figures above, and note that both platforms use credit- or minute-based systems that can make real costs harder to predict than the headline price suggests — HeyGen's premium features (like Avatar IV rendering) consume credits at a variable rate, and Synthesia bills per editor seat with overage charges on minutes beyond a plan's allowance.
What to check before buying: compare the credit or minute allowance against your actual monthly output, not just the sticker price. A team producing weekly video content can burn through either plan's allowance faster than the marketing page implies.
Feature Comparison, as Published by Each Vendor
| Category | HeyGen (per heygen.com/pricing) | Synthesia (per synthesia.io/pricing) |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 3 videos/month, up to 1 min each | 10 min/month, 9 avatars, watermarked |
| Entry paid plan | Creator: $29/mo ($24/mo annual) | Starter: $29/mo (~$18/mo annual) |
| Mid-tier plan | Pro: $49/mo, 4K export | Creator: $89/mo (~$64/mo annual), 30 min/mo |
| Team plan | Business: $149/mo + $20/seat/mo | Enterprise: custom-quoted |
| Languages advertised | 175+ with dubbing & re-lip-sync | Commonly cited as 140-160+ for narration |
| Avatars advertised | 500-700+ stock avatars by tier | 125-180+ avatars by tier |
Language and avatar counts on both vendors' sites change frequently — verify current numbers directly before making a purchase decision, rather than relying on any comparison article, including this one.
What Neither Vendor's Marketing Addresses Well
A few honest gaps, based on what's absent from both companies' own pricing and feature pages rather than a claimed test: neither publishes a public breakdown of exactly how many credits or minutes a typical marketing video (a 60-second product ad, say) consumes, which makes real-world budgeting hard without a trial run. Neither publishes HIPAA compliance documentation on its public pricing page, so healthcare or finance marketers should check directly with sales before uploading sensitive content.
How to Actually Decide
Since this isn't a scored test, the responsible move is the same one we'd recommend for any tool decision: use the free tiers. Write one script you'd genuinely publish, generate it on HeyGen's free plan (3 videos/month) and Synthesia's free Basic plan (10 minutes/month), and compare the output against your own bar — not a marketing claim from either company or from us.
- If multilingual output matters most, HeyGen's 175+ language claim is worth testing first — verify lip-sync quality on your target languages yourself.
- If enterprise approval workflows and a larger avatar library matter most, Synthesia's published feature set is built around that.
- If budget is the deciding factor, compare the credit/minute allowance on each entry plan against your actual monthly video output before committing to either.
For more on evaluating AI tools without taking a vendor's word for it, see our best AI tools for marketing teams roundup and our real, evidence-logged AI citation experiment, which shows what a first-hand BuzzRiding test with raw data actually looks like.
FAQ
Is HeyGen or Synthesia better for marketing videos?
Neither is universally better — this is a synthesis of each vendor's own published pricing and feature pages, not a hands-on test. HeyGen advertises 175+ languages and dialects with automatic re-lip-sync, which suits multilingual campaigns on paper. Synthesia advertises a larger avatar library and more mature enterprise collaboration controls. Trial both free tiers before committing.
How much does HeyGen cost in 2026?
Per HeyGen's own pricing page, Free is $0/month (3 videos, 1 min each), Creator is $29/month ($24/month billed annually) with 600 credits, Pro starts at $49/month with 1,000 credits, and Business is $149/month plus $20/seat/month. Enterprise pricing is custom.
How much does Synthesia cost in 2026?
Per Synthesia's published pricing, the Basic plan is free with 10 minutes/month and 9 avatars (watermarked). Starter is $29/month (about $18/month billed annually) with logo removal. Creator is $89/month (roughly $64/month annually) with 30 minutes/month and 180+ avatars. Enterprise pricing is custom.
Which tool advertises more languages for AI video?
HeyGen's pricing page states its paid plans include a 175-language and dialect suite with automatic dubbing and lip-sync. Synthesia's plans are commonly reported to support 140-160+ languages for narration. Always verify current language counts on each vendor's own site before buying.
Can I try both without paying?
Yes. HeyGen's free plan gives you 3 videos per month, up to 1 minute each. Synthesia's free Basic plan gives 10 minutes per month across 9 avatars, watermarked. Run the same script through both and compare.
This post was researched and refined with AI tools. It synthesizes information published directly by HeyGen and Synthesia on their own pricing pages, cited above, rather than reporting a first-hand BuzzRiding test.