Verdict
Is Synthesia's free Basic plan enough to judge AI avatar video before you pay?
Synthesia turns scripts into videos with AI avatars and dubbing. It is sold as credits, with a free Basic plan of about 10 minutes of watermarked video a month.
Who should consider it. Consider it if you want avatar presenters in 140+ languages and voices and a free tier to test first.
Start here: first steps with Synthesia
Editorial guidance based on the vendor details we recorded. We have not tested Synthesia, and we do not describe its screens or settings.
- Who should start with it
- Teams making presenter-style videos without filming.
- Before you create an account
- Pick one real job, for example "Make avatar videos", and prepare invented or non-sensitive input for the first try.
- Read the vendor's data and privacy terms. Our privacy review checklist lists what to look for.
- Commercial-use terms: we have not verified them. Read the vendor's terms for the plan you will use.
- Which plan to start with
- Start on the free plan. The limits we recorded: 500 credits per month; 10 minutes of video per month; 9 AI avatars; Synthesia watermark on videos.
- A first small task
- Try a small version of a real case like this one: A small team testing avatar video on the free plan before paying.
- How to tell whether it helps
- Time the job by hand first. Then record minutes taken, minutes of editing and credits or usage used. Use the trial scorecard.
- Common first-week mistakes
- Spending credits or usage on experiments without noting how much one job used.
- Building a routine on a free limit that resets daily or never, without checking which.
- Putting private or customer data in before reading how the vendor handles it.
- When to consider another tool
- Anyone who needs watermark-free exports on a free plan: Basic videos carry a Synthesia watermark.
- Buyers who need a fixed monthly cost: the page says credit use depends on avatars, B-roll and motion graphics.
Alternatives: HeyGen, Runway. Reasons to switch.
What Synthesia actually does
- Turns a script into a video presented by an AI avatar, with a choice of voices and languages.
- Dubs existing video into other languages.
- Builds interactive surveys and roleplay practice for training.
- Enterprise adds unlimited video minutes, SSO, brand kits and SCORM export.
Source: Synthesia pricing page (opens in a new tab), Synthesia API documentation (opens in a new tab).
Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere
Good fits
- A small team testing avatar video on the free plan before paying.
- A learning-and-development team that needs SCORM export and SSO (Enterprise).
Scenarios are illustrative, based on plan limits and documented features.
Consider alternatives if
- Anyone who needs watermark-free exports on a free plan: Basic videos carry a Synthesia watermark.
- Buyers who need a fixed monthly cost: the page says credit use depends on avatars, B-roll and motion graphics.
Practical workflows
Illustrative: built from documented features, not from testing.
Turn a script into a short explainer
Outcome: A downloadable avatar video in your chosen language
- Write a short script and pick an avatar and voice.
- Generate the video (about 100 credits per minute).
- Review it, then download on Starter or higher (Basic shares by link with a watermark).
- Dub it into a second language if needed (about 76 credits per minute).
Strengths and limitations
Strengths Vendor-documented
- A free Basic plan exists
- Credit costs per video minute and dubbing minute are estimated on the page
- Monthly and yearly billing are both shown
Limitations and cautions Documented limits and editorial guidance
- Free videos carry a watermark
- Page credit figures conflict for Starter and Pro yearly
Hands-on testing
Not tested by us yet, so this page describes what the vendor documents. How testing is recorded.
Pricing
Free
Free plan500 credits per month; 10 minutes of video per month; 9 AI avatars; Synthesia watermark on videos
Free trial
Not statedStarter and Pro yearly show "Try for FREE". Trial length and card requirement are not stated.
Cheapest paid plan
StarterFrom $18/mo (currency not named), billed annually, or $29 (currency not named) month-to-month
Show all 4 plans and limits
| Plan | Price and billing | Limits and inclusions |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Free |
| 500 credits per month; 10 minutes of video per month; 9 AI avatars; Synthesia watermark on videos |
| Starter |
| 1 editor and 3 guests; 125+ avatars; downloads and logo removal; 140+ languages and voices |
| Pro |
| 1 editor and 5 guests; 180+ avatars; 5 personal avatars; interactive videos; higher credit tiers priced up to $676 per month |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing (contact sales) | Unlimited video minutes; 240+ avatars; 140+ language translation; SSO; SCORM export |
How usage is counted
- The vendor's estimates, not guarantees: about 100 credits per video minute, 76 per dubbing minute and 350 per survey response. Actual use depends on avatars, B-roll and motion graphics.
- Basic: about 10 minutes of video a month, watermarked. Starter: 1,250 credits a month (15,000 a year). Pro: 6,000 a month at the entry tier (72,000 a year).
- Roleplay learner seats are sold separately at $29 per learner per month ($25 on yearly billing).
- Pricing model
- Credits
- Currency
- Shown as "$"; the vendor's page does not name the currency
- Commercial use
- Not verified
- API
- Yes · Synthesia's docs describe Video, Dubbing, Assets and other APIs. The pricing table lists API usage deducted from plan minutes; confirm plan details on the page.
- Pricing checked
- 20 Oct 2026 · Vendor pricing page (opens in a new tab)
- Monthly plans state credits per month; yearly plans state credits per year (Starter: 15,000 a year equals 1,250 a month).
- The pricing page can display local currency (for example rupees) depending on your region. Figures here use the "$" listing, which the page does not label with a currency.
- Studio Avatars are a paid add-on at $1,000 a year on each plan.
Prices are shown as each vendor lists them. Where a vendor shows only a "$" sign, its page does not name the currency, and vendors may show a local currency or regional price. Confirm on the vendor's page before buying.
Alternatives
HeyGen
Reason to consider it: A free plan of 3 one-minute videos a month with no card, and 175+ languages on paid tiers.
- Paid prices are in different, unnamed or not comparable currencies, so they are not compared here.
Runway
Reason to consider it: Generates clips from prompts rather than avatar presenters.
- Paid prices are in different, unnamed or not comparable currencies, so they are not compared here.
Frequently asked questions
Does Synthesia have a free plan?
Yes. The free plan lists: 500 credits per month; 10 minutes of video per month; 9 AI avatars; Synthesia watermark on videos.
How much does Synthesia cost?
The lowest-priced paid plan is Starter: from $18/mo (currency not named), billed annually, or $29 (currency not named) month-to-month. Larger plans are quoted by the vendor. Annual-billing prices are shown per month but are paid yearly. Pricing was checked 20 Oct 2026.
Does Synthesia have an API?
Yes. Synthesia's docs describe Video, Dubbing, Assets and other APIs. The pricing table lists API usage deducted from plan minutes; confirm plan details on the page.
Can I use Synthesia output commercially?
We have not verified the commercial-use terms. That is a gap in our research, not a statement about the product. Read the vendor's terms before publishing output commercially.
Keep comparing
Sources and update history
| Source | What it covered | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesia pricing page (opens in a new tab) | Plans, prices, credits, avatars, languages | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Synthesia API documentation (opens in a new tab) | Existence and scope of the API | 20 Oct 2026 |
Not yet verified
These are gaps in our research, not claims about the product.
- Free-trial length and card requirement
- Refund policy
- Which plans include the API
- Commercial-use terms
Research note
- Vendor-documented: prices, plan limits, features and terms are taken from the sources above on the dates shown.
- Editorial interpretation: the verdict, good fits, tradeoffs and workflows are our reading of those facts. None of it comes from testing the tool.
- Unverified: anything listed under "Not yet verified" is a gap in our research, not a claim about the product.
Update history
- 20 Oct 2026 · Initial research from the vendor's official pages.
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