Synthesia vs HeyGen for Training Videos (2026): Which AI Avatar Tool Is Worth It
Short answer: both vendors rebuilt their pricing around credit pools since this article was first written, and the old "unlimited video" framing for HeyGen no longer holds. Synthesia Starter dropped to $19/month (1,250 credits, about 22 total minutes with the free allowance); Synthesia Pro is $89/month (6,000 credits, about 60 minutes). HeyGen Creator is still $29/month (600 credits) but Pro dropped sharply to $49/month (1,000 credits) -- no more unlimited-video marketing, both plans are now metered by credits consumed per video length and resolution. The real shift: HeyGen Business ($149/mo + $20/seat) now includes SCORM export and LMS integrations, which used to be a Synthesia-Enterprise-only feature. Synthesia still wins on 1-click translation into 80+ languages (Enterprise only); HeyGen is now the cheaper way to get SCORM into an LMS without a custom quote.
The 30-second answer
Pricing: verified against both vendor pages, October 2026
I re-checked synthesia.io/pricing and heygen.com/pricing directly October 2026 -- both vendors restructured since this article was first published. Synthesia renamed its free tier Basic: $0/month, 10 minutes of video or dubbing, 500 credits, 3 survey responses, watermarked. Starter is now $19/month for 1,250 credits/month (roughly 12 extra minutes on top of the 10-minute free allowance, about 22 minutes total), plus logo removal and 125+ avatars. Pro (renamed from Creator) is $89/month for 6,000 credits/month (about 60 minutes total), 180+ avatars, 5 personal avatars, and branded video pages. Enterprise is still custom -- unlimited credits, 240+ avatars, unlimited personal avatars, SAML/SSO, and SCORM export. Credits are now the shared currency across video, dubbing, and surveys rather than a simple minutes-per-month cap.
HeyGen Free plan now allows 3 videos/month capped at 1 minute each, 1080p-capable but watermarked, with access to Avatar IV. Creator is still $29/month but now explicitly credit-based: 600 credits/month, videos up to 30 minutes, 1080p export, 1 voice clone, 175+ languages. Pro dropped from $99/month to $49/month: 1,000 credits/month, 4K export, unlimited photo avatars, faster processing -- the old "unlimited videos" framing is gone, replaced by a published credit-per-tier table (1,000 credits/mo at $49 up to 100,000 credits/mo at $4,300, switchable anytime). Business is $149/month plus $20/seat for 1,500 credits/month, 60-minute videos, 4K export, 5 custom avatars, and -- new since this article was last updated -- SCORM export and LMS integrations, directly competing with Synthesia Enterprise on that feature. Enterprise is custom.
| Synthesia | HeyGen | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 10 min/mo + 500 credits, watermark | 3 videos/mo capped at 1 min each, watermark |
| Cheapest paid plan | $19/mo Starter -- 1,250 credits/mo (~22 min total) | $29/mo Creator -- 600 credits/mo, 1080p, 30-min videos |
| Mid tier | Pro $89/mo -- 6,000 credits/mo (~60 min total) | Pro $49/mo -- 1,000 credits/mo, 4K export |
| Team tier | Enterprise only (custom) | Business $149/mo + $20/seat -- 4K, 5 custom avatars, SCORM export, LMS integration |
| LMS / enterprise features | 1-click 80+ language translation, SSO -- Enterprise only; SCORM export now at Enterprise | SCORM export + LMS integrations at Business ($149/mo), no custom quote needed |
| Metering model | Shared credit pool (video + dubbing + surveys), hard cap below Enterprise | Credit pool per published tier table, no more "unlimited videos" marketing on Creator/Pro |
These are list prices as of this article publish date -- confirm current tiers on synthesia.io/pricing and heygen.com/pricing before you commit.
Learning curve / ease of use
Both tools follow the same basic workflow: pick or clone an avatar, paste or write a script, pick a voice and language, render. Synthesia editor leans toward a PowerPoint-style scene builder -- familiar if you have built training decks before, and it supports direct PowerPoint import on every paid tier. HeyGen editor is a bit more geared toward short-form social/marketing video first, with training and L&D as one use case among several, though it works fine for a straightforward talking-head training clip. Neither takes more than an afternoon to get a usable first video out of.
Capability deep-dive: built for training vs built for volume
Synthesia 1-click translation into 80+ languages is still a real time-saver for localizing the same training content across regions, and it still sits behind the Enterprise tier only. But SCORM export is no longer a Synthesia exclusive: HeyGen Business ($149/mo + $20/seat) now ships SCORM export and LMS integrations directly, closing what used to be Synthesia's clearest differentiator for corporate L&D. HeyGen's remaining edge is price and credit generosity at the low end -- Creator and Pro are credit-metered now rather than truly unlimited, but Pro at $49/month (down from $99) still undercuts Synthesia Pro at $89/month while adding 4K export Synthesia does not offer below Enterprise. Where Synthesia still pulls ahead: multi-language translation depth and SSO. Where HeyGen pulls ahead: price at every comparable tier, and SCORM/LMS without a custom quote.
Where each one breaks in production
- Synthesia: the credit pool is shared across video, dubbing, and surveys -- a team that also uses Synthesia for translation/dubbing burns through the same allotment faster than the minutes-only framing suggests, and there is still no mid-tier "buy more credits without upgrading" option below Enterprise.
- HeyGen: "unlimited videos" is gone entirely as of October 2026 -- Creator and Pro are now explicitly credit-metered (600 and 1,000 credits/month respectively), so a team that was budgeting around the old unlimited-video claim needs to re-check actual usage against the new credit tiers before committing.
Verdict by user type
| You are... | Pick |
|---|---|
| Building a real corporate training program with an LMS | Synthesia Enterprise (get a quote) |
| Solo creator or small team making unlimited short training clips on a budget | HeyGen Creator or Pro |
| Need multi-language training localization now, not later | Synthesia (1-click 80+ language translation, Enterprise) |
| Just testing avatar/voice quality before committing | Either free tier -- Synthesia 3 min/mo, HeyGen 3 videos/mo, both watermarked |
My own read, updated October 2026: the SCORM-export gap that used to separate these two products is gone -- HeyGen Business now gets training video into an LMS for $149/month plus seats, no custom Enterprise quote required, which is a real shift from when this article first ran. Synthesia still wins if you need 1-click translation across 80+ languages or SSO, both still Enterprise-only. For a solo trainer or small team, HeyGen Pro at $49/month (down from $99) is now a notably cheaper mid-tier than Synthesia Pro at $89/month, with 4K export Synthesia does not offer below Enterprise.
FAQ
Is Synthesia or HeyGen better for corporate training videos?
As of October 2026 this gap is smaller: HeyGen Business ($149/mo + $20/seat) now has SCORM export and LMS integrations, a feature that used to require a custom Synthesia Enterprise quote. Synthesia still has the deeper localization story -- 1-click translation into 80+ languages lives only at its custom Enterprise tier, versus HeyGen 175+ languages on every paid plan without that 1-click multi-target workflow. If you just need SCORM out the door without a custom quote, HeyGen Business is now the cheaper path. For heavy multi-language corporate training, Synthesia Enterprise is still the deeper tool.
Does Synthesia or HeyGen have unlimited video generation?
No -- as of October 2026 neither vendor sells truly unlimited video on its mid tiers. Both switched to a shared credit pool: Synthesia Starter gets 1,250 credits/mo (about 22 minutes total including the free allowance), Pro gets 6,000 credits/mo (about 60 minutes); HeyGen Creator gets 600 credits/mo and Pro gets 1,000 credits/mo, both metered by video length and resolution rather than a flat minute cap. Only Synthesia Enterprise and HeyGen Enterprise (both custom quotes) remove the credit ceiling entirely.
What is the cheapest way to try Synthesia or HeyGen before paying?
Both still have real free tiers. Synthesia free (Basic) plan now gives 10 minutes of video or dubbing per month plus 500 credits and 3 survey responses, watermarked, no card required. HeyGen free plan allows 3 videos per month capped at 1 minute each, also watermarked. Neither free tier removes the watermark -- that requires the first paid tier on both, which is now cheaper on Synthesia (Starter dropped to 19 dollars per month) than HeyGen Creator (still 29 dollars per month). See my best AI automation tools guide for more free-first picks across categories.