Alternatives

HeyGen vs Synthesia

Deciding between Synthesia and HeyGen? Compare all features and pricing side by side to see which one is right for you.
Features

Compare the features side by side

Compare the exact features of Synthesia vs HeyGen that matter to you and your work.
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Synthesia avatars

Synthesia stands out with its latest generation of avatars, called Expressive Avatars. Synthesia's Expressive Avatars uniquely adjust their performance, including body language, micro-gestures, facial expressions, and lip-syncing, to match the specific context of the script. For example, they can appear and sound sad if the script is sad, or energetic and positive if the script is inspiring.

On top of that, the lip sync rating of 4.5/5 solidifies Synthesia as the leader in the AI video generation space.

HeyGen avatars

HeyGen's custom avatar feature also allows users to create avatars from photos, which differentiates HeyGen from Synthesia.

Synthesia vs HeyGen - Avatars
Feature Synthesia HeyGen
Expressive avatars Yes No
Stock avatars 140+ 100+
Custom studio avatars Yes Yes
Custom web avatars Yes No
Custom photo avatars No Yes
Gestures Yes No
Lip sync 4.5/5 4/5
Multiple avatars on screen Yes No
Avatar branding Yes Yes

HeyGen vs Synthesia – which one offers better voices?

Synthesia offers support for over 130 different languages, making it a versatile option for a wide range of users. In contrast, HeyGen supports only 40 languages.

Both platforms also offer the ability to upload own audio voiceovers and create custom voices for text-to-speech.

In terms of other features, both Synthesia and HeyGen offer auto-captions, which is a useful tool for making speech more accessible. However, only HeyGen allows users to control the speed and pitch of speech.

Synthesia vs HeyGen - Voices
Feature Synthesia HeyGen
Languages 130+ 40+
Voice cloning Yes Yes
Speed/Pitch No Yes
Auto-captions Yes N/A
Voice upload Yes Yes

Making videos with Synthesia

Synthesia, in comparison is a more complete online video editing tool, that includes a screen recorder, stock media, animations, transitions, aspect ratios and an overall cleaner UX.

Making videos with HeyGen

While HeyGen offers an in-browser video editing tool, the design and UX feels cluttered and the video canvas itself is very small. The tool also does not feature a screen recorder or transitions. On the upside, the tool includes different aspect ratios for videos.

Synthesia vs HeyGen - Video platform
Feature Synthesia HeyGen
Video editor Yes Yes
Workspaces Yes No
Collaboration Yes No
Auto-translation Yes Yes
Aspect ratios Yes Yes
Screen recorder Yes No
PPT/PDF upload Yes Yes
Element animations Yes Yes
Transitions Yes Yes
Analytics Yes No
ChatGPT integration Yes Yes
AI script generation Yes Yes
Rendering time 40s = 5 min 40s = 5 min
Doc/URL to video Yes Yes

Want to add multimedia?

Both HeyGen and Synthesia offer a wide range of media you can add to your videos.

That includes stock images, videos, music, GIFs, stickers, as well as the option to upload your own media.

Synthesia vs HeyGen - Media
Feature Synthesia HeyGen
Music 23+ 23+
Images Yes Yes
Videos Yes Yes
Stickers Yes Yes
GIFs Yes Yes
Upload media Yes Yes

Do both platforms offer templates?

HeyGen offers a larger selection of video templates compared to Synthesia. Though it's worth noting that HeyGen's templates often only consist of 1 scene layout.

Synthesia's templates, on the other hand, come with 6-10 different scene layouts, allowing to create a full video layout in one click.

Synthesia vs HeyGen - Templates
Feature Synthesia HeyGen
Stock templates 65+ 300+
Custom brand templates Yes Yes
Cloneable example videos 90+ No

Synthesia’s security & ethics

In contrast, Synthesia has a strict content moderation policy (automated & manual), SSO and SOC 2 Type II certification to enable quicker procurement for Enterprise clients and stricter security policies.

HeyGen’s security & ethics

HeyGen does offer content moderation. However, upon testing, the content moderation system seems to be subpar, allowing profane content to slip through.

With regards to the security of the platform itself, HeyGen does not offer Single Sign-On (SSO) and does not seem to be SOC compliant. Both factors can stand in the way of big enterprises using the software.

Synthesia vs HeyGen - Security and ethics
Feature Synthesia HeyGen
Content moderation Yes Yes
SSO Yes No
SOC 2 Type II Compliance Yes No

How does the customer service compare?

Looking at the most trusted software rating platform (G2), ratings for Synthesia are excellent - 4.8/5 with over 1100 reviews. HeyGen's reviews average around 4.8/5 as well, but with fewer reviews - 490+.

With regards to customer support, Synthesia offers support for all users both by chat and email, whereas HeyGen currently only offers support by email.

Both Synthesia and HeyGen have dedicated Customer Success Managers (CSMs) for Corporate plan users.

Synthesia vs HeyGen - Reviews and support
Feature Synthesia HeyGen
G2 rating 4.8/5 4.8/5
# of G2 ratings 1100+ 490+
Support Yes Yes
CSM Yes Yes

Other reasons to choose Synthesia

Synthesia is a comprehensive platform that offers a range of features, including a Knowledge Base for any questions about the platform, Synthesia Academy for simple tutorials and beginner courses with in-house L&D experts, and Integrations with 35+ tools.

Additionally, Synthesia recently launched an Examples page, that showcases real examples of videos made in Synthesia. The video can be cloned and adjusted to individual needs. Lastly, you can find a list of Service Providers to help with your video needs.

Other reasons to choose HeyGen

In comparison, HeyGen has fewer features. But it does have a Help Center and a few integrations (for Enterprise plan users only).

Synthesia vs HeyGen - Other features
Feature Synthesia HeyGen
In-house L&D experts Yes No
Knowledge base Yes Yes
Academy Yes No
Integrations Yes Yes (Limited)
Examples Yes No
Service providers Yes No
Own recording studios Yes No
Stand out features

6 reasons to choose Synthesia over HeyGen

Looking at all the features side-by-side can be a lot to take in. Here are the 6 main reasons we believe you should go with Synthesia vs HeyGen.

AI research advantage

Being the oldest & biggest company in the space, we have a bigger AI dataset for training our models. Our focus in continually solving fundamental AI problems has a direct effect on Synthesia.

  • $10M R&D investment in 2023
  • Best lip sync & voice quality
  • Largest team of AI researchers
Learn more

Most trusted brand

As the leaders of the AI video generation space since 2017, we have strong ethics and content moderation policies. That is mirrored in our customer reviews.

Learn more

Enterprise grade security

Synthesia is the most enterprise-ready AI video platform, with a dedicated security team, regular penetration tests and official accreditation to back this up.

  • Single Sign-On (SSO)
  • GDPR compliant
  • SOC 2 Type II compliant
Learn more

Better video editing features

No need to use switch between tools to create a video. Synthesia has all the built-in tools a modern video creator may need.

Helpful learning materials

Even if you are a novice in video creation, we have helpful tutorials, webinars, and examples to help you get started.

Superior AI avatar quality

Better lip sync, more natural movements, diverse selection, no eerie uncanny valley feelings.

Pricing

Synthesia vs HeyGen pricing

Along with features, pricing can be a crucial deciding factor. How does Synthesia stack up against HeyGen?

Synthesia plans

Free Demo

$0

Try Synthesia by creating a free AI video.

Starter

$18/mo

120 minutes of video/year. Billed yearly.

Creator

$64/mo

360 minutes of video/year. Billed yearly.

Enterprise

Custom pricing

Unlimited videos + premium features.

HeyGen plans

Free

$0

1 minute of video

Creator

$29/month

15 minutes of video/month (max. 5 minutes per video)

Business

$89/month

30 minutes of video/month (max. 20 minutes per video)

Enterprise

Custom pricing

The difference in numbers

Here are a few quick facts about both companies in numbers.

Founding year
2017
2022
Customers
50,000+
Unknown
Number of employees
200+
10+
Rating
4.8/5
4.8/5
Number of G2 reviews
1100+
498
Raised to date
$156,6M
$9M
Last updated: Jun 21, 2024
trusted by

Why 50.000+ companies choose Synthesia

We might be biased, but our customers aren't. See what they have to say.

4.7
from 1,500+ reviews on G2
Book a demo
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We have received great feedback from our colleagues!

"Our 380.000+ employees all over the world must have the same competence profile. Synthesia helps us develop engaging, relevant and localised training content at scale."

Profile Pircture
Ben K.
SVP Learning and Dev. at Teleperformance
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Saving tons of time and making great content in the blink of an eye

"In the projects I'm currently in, it's a life saver, I could not deliver so quickly without Synthesia. I also value that they are adding avatars and new features regularly."

Caroline P.
Regional Instructional Designer at Nestlé
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Great product with even greater customer support!

"Synthesia allows us to use video for situations we do not normally have resources for. So far, it has been great for product training or explaining new processes."

Jana M.
Jana M.
Digital Learning Designer at WBS Training
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FAQS

Frequently asked questions.

Is there something better than Synthesia?

While Synthesia is the leading AI video generation software, there are a few alternatives on the market. To compare them side by side, check out this list of top 6 AI video generators.

Is Synthesia.io good?

According to 1100+ reviews on G2, Synthesia is rated 4.8 out of 5.

Is Synthesia.io free?

You can make a free demo video to test our free AI video generator. Simply upload or type in your script, and get your video.If you love the results, you can upgrade to our Personal pricing plan ($29/month) or contact us for a custom Corporate plan.

How does HeyGen work?

HeyGen is an AI video generator that uses artificial intelligence to generate human-like avatars and AI voiceovers to use in video content. HeyGen works through a process called text-to-video, which means that users can generate video content through text input.

Is HeyGen safe?

While HeyGen offers content moderation to ensure the videos produced are safe, testing revealed significant flaws in the system, where users are able to generate harmful and profane content.

Is HeyGen worth it?

Overall, HeyGen is one of the better AI video generators on the market, but it does come short of the market leader Synthesia. Both Synthesia and HeyGen cost $22/month, so we recommend going for Synthesia and take advantage of better features and more realistic avatars and voices.

Is HeyGen free or paid?

While HeyGen is not free, it does offer a limited free trial for 1 minute of video. Their paid plans start at $29/month for the Creator plan, followed by $89/month for the Business plan. How Enterprise plan pricing, contact their sales team. Additionally, HeyGen's API pricing is included in the Business and Enterprise plans.

Where is HeyGen based?

HeyGen is based in Los Angeles, California and was founded in 2020 by Joshua Xu and Wayne Liang.