Synthesia vs HeyGen (2026)
A head-to-head on price, free access, and staying power. Both live and price-verified as of Jul 21, 2026.
The verdict, first
Synthesia
- if a longer track record matters to you; it has run since 2017.
- if it is built for SMB & enterprise teams.
What each one is
Synthesia
What sets it apart Multilingual dubbing that re-voices an existing video and re-syncs the avatar's lip movements to the new audio across 160+ languages, an outgrowth of the lip-sync computer-vision work the company was originally built on.
The platform turns a written script into video of an AI avatar delivering it, so teams can produce presenter-led content from text, documents, or a web link without filming. A translation feature re-voices a finished video and re-syncs the avatar's lip movements across more than 160 languages, extending the lip-sync research the London company was founded on in 2017. Pricing follows a credit model: a free Basic tier capped around 10 minutes of watermarked video a month, a Starter plan at $29 per month that removes the watermark and enables MP4 downloads, and custom Enterprise contracts. Its stated use cases center on corporate training, compliance, and internal communications.
Sources Synthesia home page · Synthesia pricing page · Synthesia (company) - Wikipedia · UCL News - Synthesia $4bn valuation (Jan 2026)
HeyGen
What sets it apart Video translation that re-dubs an existing recording into another language while resyncing the speaker's lip movements to the new audio, covering 175+ languages and dialects.
An AI video platform, HeyGen generates clips in which a synthetic avatar reads a typed script in lip-synced speech; avatars can be chosen from stock, built from a short selfie recording, or animated from a single photo. Its video-translation feature re-dubs existing footage into another language and resyncs the speaker's lip movements to the new audio, across more than 175 languages and dialects. Access runs on a credit system: a free tier of three one-minute videos a month, a $29 Creator plan, then Pro, Business, and custom enterprise tiers. It suits solo creators, marketing and training teams, and enterprises localizing video without a studio.
Sources HeyGen - AI Video Generator (homepage) · HeyGen - AI Video Avatar · HeyGen - AI Video Translator · HeyGen - Pricing
Side by side
| Metric | Synthesia | HeyGen |
|---|---|---|
| From $/mo | $29 | $29 |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 2017 | 2020 |
| Best for | SMB & enterprise | solo & SMB & enterprise |
| Status | Live | Live |
ALL FIGURES = LOWEST PAID MONTHLY PLAN · STATUS & PRICE VERIFIED JUL 21, 2026
Where they differ
Price
HeyGen is the cheaper entry at $29/mo, versus $29/mo for Synthesia. Both prices are the lowest paid monthly plan, verified Jul 21, 2026.
Free access
Both Synthesia and HeyGen offer a permanent free tier - you can trial either at no cost. A permanent free tier lowers the risk of committing before you have validated the fit.
Track record
Synthesia has been operating since 2017; HeyGen since 2020. For a tool you build a business process on, a longer survival record matters.
Questions of record
Synthesia or HeyGen - which is better in 2026?
Is Synthesia cheaper than HeyGen?
Does Synthesia or HeyGen have a free tier?
Are Synthesia and HeyGen still maintained?
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