Short answer
- Cheapest paid plan: Synthesia Starter at $18 a month billed yearly.
- Creators and marketing video: HeyGen, for 4K export on Pro, videos up to 30 minutes from Creator and newer generation models.
- Company training: Synthesia, for roleplays, surveys, interactive video and learner seats.
- Free trial use: Synthesia Basic gives more minutes; HeyGen Free includes a custom avatar.
HeyGen vs Synthesia pricing
| Tier | HeyGen | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free: $0, 3 videos a month up to 1 minute, watermarked | Basic: $0, 500 credits a month (about 10 minutes of video), watermarked |
| Entry | Creator: $29 monthly, $24 billed annually; 600 credits | Starter: $29 monthly, $18 billed yearly; 15,000 credits a year (about 150 minutes of video) |
| Mid | Pro: from $49 monthly, $41 billed annually; 1,000 credits | Pro: from $89 monthly, $64 billed yearly; 72,000 credits a year (about 720 minutes) |
| Team | Business: $149 monthly, $119 annually, plus $20 per seat | Enterprise: custom, unlimited video minutes |
Sources: HeyGen pricing (monthly prices read October 22, 2026; annual and Business prices from our HeyGen pricing check of October 21, 2026) and Synthesia pricing (monthly and yearly tabs, re-checked the afternoon of October 22, 2026). Our first read that morning showed Synthesia’s yearly prices at $14 (Starter) and $59 (Pro); the afternoon re-checks showed $18 and $64 billed yearly, with $29 and $89 billed monthly, and this table uses the later figures. See Synthesia pricing for the full plan and credit table.
Free plans compared
HeyGen Free gives 3 videos a month, each up to 1 minute, with a watermark, access to Avatar IV and Video Agent, one custom video avatar and 30+ languages. HeyGen’s terms limit free output to personal, non-commercial and evaluation use. Synthesia Basic gives 500 credits a month; its plan table counts that as 10 minutes of video a month, shared by link and carrying a Synthesia watermark. Downloading videos starts on Starter. More free tiers are in AI video free plans compared.
How each counts usage
Both use credits, but differently. Synthesia publishes its rate: about 100 credits per minute of video, 76 per minute of dubbing and 350 per survey response, with the first 10 video minutes included on every plan. Its credits are sold per year on paid plans. HeyGen sells monthly credits (600 on Creator, 1,000 on Pro) that roll over one month; how many credits a minute of avatar video uses depends on the engine and is covered in our HeyGen pricing page.
Features that differ
- Video length: HeyGen allows up to 30 minutes per video on Creator and Pro. Synthesia’s pricing page did not state a per-video maximum (unverified).
- Export quality: HeyGen exports 1080p on Creator and 4K on Pro. Synthesia’s resolution by plan was not on the pricing page (unverified).
- Avatars: HeyGen lists 700+ stock avatars on paid plans and custom video avatars from Creator. Synthesia lists 125+ stock avatars on Starter, 180+ and 5 personal avatars on Pro, and 240+ with unlimited personal avatars on Enterprise.
- Languages: HeyGen lists 175+ languages and dialects on Creator. Synthesia lists one-click translation into 140+ languages on Enterprise.
- Training tools: Synthesia adds roleplays, surveys, interactive video and SCORM export (Enterprise), and roleplay learner seats at $25 per learner a month.
- Generation models: HeyGen Pro includes Seedance 2.0, Veo 3.1 and Nano Banana, and cinematic avatars.
HeyGen or Synthesia: which to choose
Choose HeyGen if you publish marketing or social video, want 4K or long videos, and like trying new generation models. Choose Synthesia if you build training for a company, want the lowest paid entry price on a yearly plan, or need roleplays and surveys. Try both free plans with the same 1-minute script before you pay. If neither fits, see more HeyGen alternatives, including Colossyan, Elai and DeepBrain AI Studios.
How we built this comparison
We read both pricing pages on October 22, 2026, toggling monthly and yearly where the page allowed, and used our October 21 HeyGen check for annual and Business prices. Anything a page did not state is marked unverified. No vendor paid for placement and there are no affiliate links.
Frequently asked questions
Is HeyGen cheaper than Synthesia?
At the entry level Synthesia is cheaper on a yearly plan: Starter was $18 a month billed yearly ($29 billed monthly) on October 22, 2026, against HeyGen Creator at $24 a month billed annually ($29 monthly). At the next tier HeyGen Pro was $49 a month monthly ($41 annually) and Synthesia Pro $64 a month billed yearly ($89 billed monthly).
Which free plan is better, HeyGen or Synthesia?
HeyGen Free allows 3 watermarked videos a month up to 1 minute each. Synthesia Basic gives 500 credits a month, which its plan table equates to 10 minutes of video a month, also watermarked. Synthesia’s free allowance is larger in minutes; HeyGen’s includes a custom video avatar.
Can I use HeyGen or Synthesia free videos commercially?
HeyGen’s terms limit Free output to personal, non-commercial and evaluation use. Synthesia’s pricing page says Basic videos carry a Synthesia watermark; we did not verify its commercial-use terms for Basic (unverified).
Which is better for training videos?
Synthesia leans toward corporate training: roleplays, surveys, interactive videos, SCORM export on Enterprise and learner seats at $25 per learner a month. HeyGen leans toward creators and marketing, with 4K export, Seedance 2.0 and cinematic avatars on Pro.
Have you tested HeyGen and Synthesia?
No. This comparison uses each vendor’s public pricing page. We have not scored avatar quality or lip sync.
Sources
Vendor facts on this page come from these public pages, checked October 22, 2026. Prices and plan limits change; confirm them at checkout.