Synthesia vs HeyGen: Best AI Video Platform in 2026?
Need to create professional-looking videos without cameras, studios, or actors? Synthesia and HeyGen are the two leading AI video generation platforms. Both create realistic talking-head videos from text scripts, but they target different users and price points.
⚡ Quick Verdict
Choose Synthesia if you’re an enterprise or team creating training videos, internal communications, or learning content at scale. It’s the more polished, enterprise-ready platform.
Choose HeyGen if you want more creative flexibility — avatar customization, voice cloning, video translation, and a lower entry price point.
Try Synthesia → · Try HeyGen →
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Feature Comparison
| Feature | Synthesia | HeyGen |
|---|---|---|
| Stock Avatars | 230+ | 300+ |
| Custom Avatar | Yes (from video recording) | Yes (from photo or video) |
| Voice Cloning | Yes | Yes (faster, instant) |
| Languages | 140+ | 175+ |
| Video Translation | Yes | Yes (lip-sync) |
| Screen Recording | Yes | Yes |
| Templates | 60+ | 100+ |
| API | Yes (Enterprise) | Yes (all paid plans) |
| Branding/Custom | Advanced | Good |
| Max Video Length | Varies by plan | Up to 20 min (paid) |
Pricing (February 2026)
| Plan | Synthesia | HeyGen |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 3 min of free video | 1 min of free video |
| Starter | $18/mo (10 min/mo) | $24/mo (15 credits/mo) |
| Creator | $64/mo (30 min/mo) | $48/mo (30 credits/mo) |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
Pricing insight: HeyGen offers more generous limits at lower tiers. Synthesia’s enterprise pricing is competitive for large teams but its starter plans are stingier. For individual creators and small teams, HeyGen delivers better value per dollar.
Avatar & Video Quality
Synthesia’s avatars look professional and natural, especially the express avatars that capture subtle facial expressions. They’re designed for corporate use — think training videos, HR communications, and product demos. The aesthetic is polished but somewhat formal.
HeyGen’s avatars cover a broader range of styles, from photorealistic to animated. The instant avatar feature (create an avatar from a single photo) is impressive for speed, though quality varies. For creative projects, social media content, and marketing, HeyGen’s variety gives you more options.
Voice quality is comparable. Both support voice cloning, but HeyGen’s instant voice clone from a short audio sample is faster to set up.
Use Case Breakdown
| Use Case | Better Option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate training | Synthesia | Enterprise features, SCORM export, LMS integration |
| Marketing videos | HeyGen | More creative templates, lower cost |
| Product demos | Tie | Both handle this well |
| Video translation | HeyGen | Better lip-sync technology |
| Internal comms | Synthesia | Better branding controls |
| Social media content | HeyGen | More casual styles, faster creation |
| E-learning courses | Synthesia | Better for structured content |
The Bottom Line
For enterprise and L&D teams, Synthesia is the safer, more polished choice. Its SCORM compliance, advanced branding, and professional avatar quality make it purpose-built for corporate video.
For everyone else — marketers, content creators, small businesses — HeyGen offers more value at lower price points. Its creative flexibility, video translation, and generous starter plans make it the better default choice for most use cases.
Last updated: February 9, 2026
📋 Affiliate disclosure: AI Tool Meter earns a commission when you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. This doesn't influence our editorial recommendations.