HeyGen vs Synthesia 2026: Pricing, Free Plans & Which to Pick
How we built this page: plan details come from each company's public pricing page and product documentation, checked in October 2026. We did not run a scored lab test, so this page has no made-up scores. RankerToolAI earns a commission if you sign up through some links on this page.
What We Compared
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | Synthesia | HeyGen |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | About 10 min/month, 9 avatars, watermarked, no downloads | 3 videos/month, up to 1 min each |
| Entry paid plan | Starter $29/mo ($18 yearly), about 12 min/month | Creator $29/mo (about $24 yearly), 600 credits/month |
| Mid plan | Pro $89/mo ($64 yearly), about 60 min/month | Pro $49/mo (about $41 yearly), 1,000 credits/month, 4K |
| How usage is counted | Minutes of video per month | Credits per month |
| Avatars | 125+ on Starter, 180+ on Pro, 240+ on Enterprise | Unlimited photo avatars on Creator; custom avatars on paid plans |
| Languages | 140+ | 175+ on paid plans |
| SCORM export (LMS) | Enterprise plan | Not listed on public plans |
| Best fit | Training, onboarding, internal comms | Marketing, social, creator content |
Pricing Breakdown (October 2026)
Synthesia Pricing
- Basic — Free: about 10 min/month, 9 avatars, watermark, no downloads
- Starter — $29/mo ($18 yearly): about 12 min/month, 125+ avatars, downloads, no logo
- Pro — $89/mo ($64 yearly): about 60 min/month, 180+ avatars, 5 personal avatars
- Enterprise — custom: unlimited minutes, SCORM export, SSO, Brand Kits
HeyGen Pricing
- Free: 3 videos/month, up to 1 min each
- Creator — $29/mo (about $24 yearly): 600 credits/month, videos up to 30 min, 1080p, voice cloning
- Pro — $49/mo (about $41 yearly): 1,000 credits/month, 4K export
- Business — $149/mo + $20/seat: 1,500 credits/month, videos up to 60 min, team tools
- Enterprise — custom
The two tools count usage differently. Synthesia gives you a set number of video minutes each month, which makes it easy to plan: if your training videos average 3 minutes, Starter covers about four of them a month and Pro about twenty. HeyGen gives you credits, and how many minutes those credits buy depends on which features and avatar models you use, so check HeyGen's credit calculator against your own typical video before you subscribe.
On yearly billing, Synthesia Starter ($18/month) is the cheapest paid entry point of the two. For heavy monthly output, compare Synthesia Pro's roughly 60 minutes against what HeyGen Pro's 1,000 credits buy for your kind of video.
Prices as listed on synthesia.io and heygen.com in October 2026. Both companies change plans often, so confirm at checkout. See the full Synthesia pricing guide.
Free Plans: Which Lets You Test More?
Synthesia's free Basic plan is the more generous one by minutes: about 10 minutes of video every month. That is enough to build a realistic test, such as one short training module. The catch is that free videos carry a watermark and cannot be downloaded, so you judge them inside Synthesia.
HeyGen's free plan gives 3 videos a month, each capped at 1 minute. That is enough to judge an avatar and voice, but not a longer piece of content.
Tip: use the same script in both tools. Pick a script from a real video you plan to make, not a generic test line, so you see how each tool handles your actual content.
Training & LMS Features
This is where Synthesia is most clearly aimed. Its Enterprise plan includes SCORM export, which lets you upload a video to a learning management system (LMS) as a trackable training module. Pro adds interactive videos and branded pages, which help for onboarding and internal communication. If your company already runs training through an LMS, Synthesia is the safer starting point.
HeyGen does not list SCORM export on its public plans. If you need it, ask HeyGen's sales team before buying. HeyGen's Business plan focuses on team collaboration, longer videos (up to 60 minutes) and integrations.
For more on this use case, see our guide to making AI training videos for employees.
Languages & Translation
Synthesia lists 140+ languages and HeyGen lists 175+ on its paid plans. Both cover every major business language, so for most teams this is a tie. If you need a less common language, check that language specifically in each tool's free plan; voice quality varies more between languages than the headline counts suggest.
Enterprise teams translating training into several languages should look at Synthesia's 1-click translation on the Enterprise plan. See our guide on translating training videos into other languages.
Who Should Choose Each Tool
Choose Synthesia if you...
- Make training, onboarding or internal company videos
- Want a free plan with about 10 minutes a month to test
- Prefer a clear monthly minute allowance over credits
- Need SCORM export for an LMS (Enterprise)
- Want interactive videos and branded pages (Pro)
Choose HeyGen if you...
- Make marketing, social or creator videos
- Need longer videos on an entry plan (up to 30 minutes)
- Want 4K export at $49/month (Pro)
- Are fine working with a credit-based budget
- Don't need SCORM/LMS export
Our Verdict
There is no single winner here, because the two tools are built for different jobs. For company training and onboarding, Synthesia fits better: it has a minute-based plan that is easy to budget, the bigger free allowance, and SCORM export on Enterprise. For marketing and creator content, HeyGen's credit plans and longer entry-level videos are worth a look. Both are free to try, so test your real script in each before you pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HeyGen better than Synthesia?
It depends on the job. Synthesia is built around structured training and company video: its free plan gives about 10 minutes a month, and Enterprise adds SCORM export for LMS platforms. HeyGen uses a credit system with longer videos on its paid plans (up to 30 minutes on Creator), which suits marketers and creators making longer clips. Try both free plans with your own script before paying.
How much do HeyGen and Synthesia cost?
Synthesia: free Basic plan, Starter $29/month ($18/month billed yearly), Pro $89/month ($64/month yearly), Enterprise custom. HeyGen: free plan, Creator $29/month (about $24/month yearly), Pro $49/month (about $41/month yearly), Business $149/month plus $20 per seat, Enterprise custom. Prices as listed on each company's site in October 2026.
Which free plan is better, HeyGen or Synthesia?
Synthesia's free Basic plan gives about 10 minutes of video per month with 9 avatars, but videos are watermarked and cannot be downloaded. HeyGen's free plan gives 3 videos per month, each up to 1 minute. Synthesia's free plan suits testing longer training-style scripts; HeyGen's suits short clips.
Does Synthesia have SCORM export?
Yes, on the Enterprise plan. SCORM export lets you upload Synthesia videos to an LMS as training modules. It is not included on Starter or Pro. If SCORM matters to you on HeyGen, confirm it with HeyGen's sales team before buying.
How many languages do HeyGen and Synthesia support?
Synthesia lists 140+ languages and HeyGen lists 175+ languages on its paid plans. Both cover all major business languages, so language count alone is rarely the deciding factor.