HeyGen vs Synthesia
A spec-by-spec comparison of HeyGen and Synthesia: pricing, free tier, clip length, resolution, watermark, commercial use and API access.
| HeyGen | Synthesia | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan · from $29/mo | Free plan · from $29/mo |
| Free tier | 3 watermarked videos/month, up to 1 min each | 10 min of video or dubbing per month plus 500 credits; watermarked, share-link only |
| Max clip length | 30 min (Creator/Pro), 60 min (Business), no limit on Enterprise | |
| Max resolution | 4K (Pro and above) | 1080p |
| Watermark on free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Commercial use | Paid plans | All plans (free videos are watermarked and cannot be downloaded) |
| Developer API | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | No | No |
HeyGen turns a typed script into a presenter-led video using stock or custom AI avatars, and can translate and lip-sync existing footage into 175+ languages and dialects. It runs on a shared credit system across its avatar engines (Avatar III/IV/V), its Video Agent, and bundled third-party generators. It suits marketers, creators and L&D teams who want spokesperson videos without filming.
- Free plan includes Avatar IV access and one custom video avatar
- 4K export and 30-minute videos from the $49 Pro plan
- Translation covers 175+ languages and dialects on paid plans
- Free videos capped at 1 minute and watermarked
- Creator plan exports top out at 1080p
- API usage is billed separately from plan credits
Synthesia generates presenter videos from text using 125-240+ stock avatars or personal avatars, with dubbing into 70-140+ languages. It is built around corporate training: SCORM export, interactive videos, roleplay sessions and an AI agent called Syren. It is a good fit for L&D, HR and enablement teams in larger companies.
- Recurring free allowance of 10 minutes of video/dubbing per month
- Dubbing with voice preservation and optional lip-sync
- Strong L&D tooling: SCORM export, quizzes, branching
- MP4 download and logo removal require a paid plan
- Starter adds only ~12 extra video minutes on top of the free allowance
- Lip-sync dubbing uses 2x credits
Specs last verified 2026-10-23 (HeyGen) and 2026-10-23 (Synthesia). See each tool page for sources.